The Púca Festival fire is alight and our communities will carry the flame forward

The stunning opening of Procession of this year's Púca Festival was entitled 'Samhain, Night Between The Years' and for the thousands of people who packed the streets of Trim last Saturday evening, it mercifully passed between the showers.

Now in it's fifth year, Púca is the immersive festival celebrating Ireland as the original birthplace of Halloween, developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Meath Co Council.

A real aim of the organisers this year was to give ownership of the festival to the local communities of Trim and Athboy and the wider county and that was reflected by the many recognisable 'spirits' ghosting their way through the town during the opening parade, all their hard work designing costumes, lanterns, puppetry and sculpture delighting young and old along the way.

Dunderry Fair, Athboy and Trim Men's Sheds, ICA, Athboy High Nellies and Scurlogstown Olympiad were just some of the local groups participating while local traditional Irish musicians and dancers made the event extra atmospheric as the procession moved from the OPW building start point, down Market St into Castle St and past the castle walls under a moonlit sky.

Joining the Tlachta, the Goddess of Samhain and the Banshee, (who was silent so as not to take a life) was all manner of unearthly creatures, shapeshifters and pucas from the other world. There was An Gobha, Tom King greeting one and all while there was a special welcome for Wayne McMahon from Kells with his seven magnificent wolfhounds.

The exterior walls of Trim Castle were brought to life (and afterlife) with the story of Samhain told through projections and which provided a magical backdrop to the procession as it came to a conclusion. Afterwards, it was lovely to see families just standing together watching the illuminations flicker and dance across the ancient walls only for a thundery downpour to scatter everyone to dryer sanctuary.

The rain and saturated ground was a feature of the weekend, just as it was in 2022, but preparations looked to have been made as families moved around the town in good wellies, boots, hats and waterproof gear. No such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!

Festival Creative Director Claire Morrissey hailed the collaboration with the local groups and their enthusiasm for this special Samhain project. "It's absolutely more exciting that it's local. We, as a group of people bringing the Púca Festival to this landscape are highly invested in the connection with the community. There's a coming together here that's quite a lovely example of what Samhain was in its roots, a gathering of folk in order to head into winter together."

While Saturday's opening procession was the focal point of the festival's launch, the weekend had kicked off in style the previous evening with the indomitable Jack L performing at the Castle Arch Hotel with his always stunning live shows. Around the corner in the Trim Castle Hotel, Niall 'Bressie' Breslin' showcased his 'Where is my Mind' podcast. The Blizzards star candidly described the traumas that shaped his young life and how he continues to deal with them. He performed poignant musical tributes to Sinead O'Connor and childhood hero, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Tom Waits whose album 'Closing Time' he credits with saving his life. He welcomed to the stage Rory O'Connor aka Rory's Stories who shared his battles with his mental health. The Ashbourne comedian and now best-selling author spoke about his struggles in school, being dyslexic and discovering fame through his comedy poking fun at the characters of the GAA.

Over in Athboy, meanwhile, Mack Fleetwood, yes you've guessed it, a Fleetwood Mac tribute Band played a stunning show in the Darnley Lodge Hotel.

Saturday, saw the eclectic line-up of acts continue to delight. The iconic Macy Gray rocked the Knightsbrook Hotel and delighted one fan, Cindy Launspach Clark, with a signed setlist.

The High Kings played a rollicking set in the Trim Castle Hotel while it was 90s Madchester indie rock Britpop nostalgia in the Porchfields Big Top as The Charlatans came on stage after the fantastic Limerick band, Hermitage Green warmed up the crowd. Sharon Shannon was the main attraction in Athboy which had also seen a host of free events taking place around the Fair Green during the day.

It all went a bit bonkers on Sunday as Bingo Loco arrived in the Big Top. Full fancy dress was essential for the Beyond the G-Rave extravaganza and a line-up that included Dustin the Turkey's ‘Freakshow’, Dance to Abba Disco, Mickey Joe Harte, one Great Big Sing Song and topped off with a Krusty the Clown DJ set. Safe to say, it's one where you just had to be there.

There was a complete gear change over in the Trim Castle Hotel as the wonderful Ennio Morricone Experience played to a full house. Musical Director, Annalisa Monticelli; Katy Kelly (Soprano), Morgan Crowley (Tenor), Annalisa Monticelli (Piano), Francesca de Nardi (Violin), Davide Forte (Cello), Annemarie McGahon (Viola) performed many of the classic movie scores from the master composer including pieces from films like 'The Good, The Bad and the Ugly', 'The Mission', 'Once Upon a Time in the West', 'A Fistful of Dollars' and The Godfather, which is not a Morricone score but was an offer no one could refuse.

The highlight of Monday's packed programme was the union of The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey in the Púca Big Top. Say nothing about the fact that 'Whole of the Moon' is coming up on 40 years old, it's a timeless classic lapped up by a 2,000 strong audience. Dubliner Dempsey's gigs have been known to take on something of a spiritual experience, entirely fitting for the celebration of Samhain and Monday's show proved no different as the crowd roared along to his seminal songs, 'Apple of My Eye' and 'Negative Vibes'. There certainly wasn't any.

Elsewhere in the town the Broken Theatre's Pyro Collective, as they had all weekend, thrilled onlookers with their stunning fire display in front of the castle. Comedian Emma Doran played in the brand new Swift Cultural Centre as had Reginald D Hunter and Jason Byrne - the €10m venue turned into the Púca Festival's comedy hub for the weekend.

As for Tuesday and the end of a manic weekend the focus is all on Athboy as the Closing Procession. (That event comes to late for our print edition but we'll have it covered online and in next week's edition.)

"As the sun sets and the ceremonial fire is lit at Tlachtga on Halloween night, festivalgoers will gather at the Fair Green in Athboy," explains Claire Morrissey. "‘An Lasadh Suas’, meaning ‘To Light Up’, is a symbolic event and newly created sculpture. Surrounded by fire sculptures, each one representing the connecting landscapes of Tara, Loughcrew, Tailteann, and Uisneach will be lit one by one, until finally, ‘An Lasadh Suas’ is lit, as a symbol of ancestral connection."

There is no question the Puca Festival fire is full alight in Co Meath now and its now with local communities and groups to carry the flame forward and keep it burning for many, many more years to come.