Sportsmans 25 Festival of Live Music

New Year at The Sportsmans Inn, 1978: Dave McHale of The Boomtown Rats, Paul Ashford of Stepaside and Phil Lynott

The folks at Kielys Mount Merrion House, with the help of the good people at Guinness, are set to turn the clock back 25 years for one weekend in June.

Recalling the days when up to 1000 people would queue every evening to see the live bands playing at The Sportsmans Inn (as the pub was then known), the first Sportsmans 25 Festival will see the return of the same weekend line-up that thrilled audiences all those years ago. Fans of live music who spent their youth in places like The Sportsmans, The Baggot Inn, The Tudor Rooms and Toners will have the chance to rock again to The Alias B Band, Full Circle and Stepaside.

Bree Harris, In Dublin magazine, 1981 Admission is free to all gigs but patrons are advised to come early. Those that remember Dublin's thriving live music scene in the 70s and 80s - a scene that gave birth to U2, The Rats and Lizzy, will want to brush down their old wardrobe and reclaim their youth.

LATEST NEWS: Singer/songwriter Leo O'Kelly has been added to the Friday night bill.

We're adding stuff over the weekend - band bios, pics and a little bit of history, so check back.

Download the Press Release (Word Document)
Download the Festival Poster (JPEG)