25 July 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Ahakista Festival 2022 kicks off at 8 pm on Friday, 29th July with the legendary Graham Norton Table Quiz. As usual, the tickets sold out on release and the lucky purchasers (many of whom queued up overnight) are looking forward to a great night.
Each summer the Bandon-born TV presenter and comedian spends more than two months at his home in Ahakista, close to Bantry in West Cork
Among Saturday’s delights will be a Guided Walk on the Sheep’s Head Way (11 am) a Children’s Treasure Hunt (2pm) and Road Bowling (5 pm). Ahakista Fadó, an exhibition of old photographs of the area, will be officially opened at 3 pm and will run over the two days of the Festival. The presentation of prizes to the winners of the Ahakista Anois Photography Competition will take place at 3.30pm and the winning pics will be on display. All events, except Road Bowling which starts from Ahakista Pier, take place from The Cabin, beside Arundel’s car park. Musical entertainment during the day will be provided by Jukebox Gipsy (4 pm, Arundel’s by the Pier), Rubicon (8 pm, Tin Pub) and Brian O’Regan (9 pm, Arundel’s by the Pier).
Water events, including ‘come and try’ kayaking and stand up paddle-boarding (12 noon), kayak races (2 – 4pm) and the raft race (4 pm), will keep Sunday lively. The younger ones will cavort their way through a Kids Fun Day (2–5 pm), with bouncy castles, kids’ disco and arts and crafts, at the Tin Pub Garden. All of the water sports will take place from the Sandy Beach, beside the Tin Pub. Rubicon will set the musical tone from 4 pm at Arundel’s and Paul Walker and Karen Pfeiffer will headline at the Tin Pub from 9 pm.