THE multi-award winning Stendhal Festival celebrated its tenth anniversary year in fine style this past weekend, with many acts joining the line-up including two Fermanagh acts; Laytha and the Pat McManus Band.

From August 12 to 14, 5,000 people descended upon Ballymully Cottage Farm, just on the outskirts of Limavady, County Derry/Londonderry, to help welcome back live music, make memories and most importantly, reconnect with a community of like-minded arts enthusiasts.

Despite the reduced capacity, the energy flowing through the hills and valleys of the festival was unparalleled to anything ever experienced in the venue over the past ten years as musicians, performers, artists, and people from all walks of life helped to collectively rejuvenate and reinstate festivals to the events calendar.

Laytha and the Pat McManus Band were joined over the weekend by other stellar acts from across the island of Ireland, including Ash, Ryan McMullan, Kila, And So I Watch You From Afar, Duke Special, Paddy Casey and many more as they returned to Stendhal’s six stages, to the delight of revellers from all over the island.

For many acts, it was the first time they had played a live gig for almost two years, as Ash’s Tim Wheeler pointed out during the band’s Friday headline slot, revealing that this was the band’s first show in 530 days.

Festival Director Ross Parkhill said he was overjoyed with how the weekend panned out.

“Everything went so amazingly well,” he said, “There was just such an overwhelming feeling of joy around the place – I’ve honestly never experienced as positive a vibe on-site at any festival I’ve ever been it. It was so, so good.”

Ross continued: “We are so proud that we could play a role in getting the live music sector back up and running and we are so proud of everyone in the industry who have been battling to get their careers back.

“There is more to do, but events such as ours and others that have been happening around the country recently are a step in the right direction.”