A Brief History

Arklow’s first Music Festival was first held as a one-day event in 1969. It’s founding director, Michael Byrne had by then established a successful boys choir as part of the local Youth Club. Some of its singers had also competed in various feiseanna. It was the suggestion of Mrs. May Wadden (mother of one of the choir members who had been successful in singing competitions) that Arklow should have its own ‘feis’.

The Arklow Silver Band (then Boys Brass Band) had been established the previous year with some choir members learning to play brass instruments). So it was that the festival was first held with assistance from some band members and a small committee of helpers. Its first adjudicator was Colum Ó Cléirigh who later lectured for many years at St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra (now DCU).

In the early years our adjudicators came from our universities and colleges and included well-known composers, performers and conductors. Seóirse Bodley, Brian Boydell, Gerard Gillen, A.J. Potter, Havelock Nelson and Hans Waldemar Rosen were some of the first music adjudicators to visit our festival. Their presence was an affirmation and inspiration to our competitors, festival organisers and townspeople at a time when Dublin seemed further away and local musicians needed encouragement and to aspire to greater things.

By 1970 the festival was launched by the late Earl of Wicklow and was a weekend event. By 1972 it ran for five days and in 1976 was extended to eight days and currently runs for nine.