Ruaile Buaile and Smash Hits are the headlining acts of the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival which will return this June bank holiday weekend to the streets of Athboy, Co. Meath.
The festival, organised by Meath Macra, makes its long-awaited return to the town of Athboy and the Darnley Lodge Hotel after a four-year enforced hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The centrepiece of the festival – the competition to crown the Blue Jean Country Queen – will see 21 young women from around the country and abroad descend on Athboy for what the organisers promise will be a convivial and fun-filled weekend.
Although only one winner will walk away with €1,000 sponsored by Athboy Credit Union, a perpetual trophy and a golden sash, the organisers place far more emphasis on having a good time than winning the competition.
The whole weekend is, as the committee like to say, about “sound girls doing mad things” and bringing people together as a community.
Schedule
Kicking off on Friday, June 2, with a trad session in Fagan’s Pub, the festival will swing into gear on Saturday, June 3, with the return of main sponsor Athboy Credit Union’s annual barbeque and fun day from 2:00p.m, with the annual karaoke competition in Floods’ bar making its return at 4:00p.m.
That evening, in The Darnley Lodge Hotel at 7:30p.m, the queens will be under the spotlight in their on-stage interviews.
This will be followed by music from midlands-based trad-twist group Ruaile Buaile which will take to the stage at 10:00p.m to perform upbeat old Irish favourites, ground-thumping trad, and unique twists on recent day classics.
On Sunday, June 4, the queens will march in fancy dress to Athboy’s Fair Green for FUNday, a family fun day kicked off by the queens playing a game of Eurovision-themed fancy dress football at 12:30p.m.
The afternoon will feature live music from The Sandmen and Crawdaddy Mango, a petting zoo, Julie Rose Puppet Theatre and the world’s largest mini-tractor run, sponsored by Meath Farm Machinery Ltd. – and other events.
Blue Jean Country Queen
On Sunday evening, following the gala banquet in the Darnley Lodge Hotel, the 2023 Blue Jean Country Queen will be crowned.
The runner up will receive €500 from Turmec Recycling Solutions while the third-prize winner will be awarded €300, courtesy of M&G Groundworks.
The new queen, her supporters, the committee and fellow contestants will then party the night away with Dublin-based six-piece Smash Hits, which will perform a tribute to the ’90s, the golden era of dance, pop, and R‘n’B.
Speaking at the festival launch, current Blue Jean Country Queen and festival chair, Aoife Scanlon, expressed thanks to the festival’s sponsors and the community of Athboy for all their support.
Reflecting on her own time as queen, she said that the experience has been “truly amazing” and to chair the committee that brings the festival back, has been a real honour.
When asked if she had any message for the 2023 contestants she counselled: “Just be yourself and live every single minute of it.”
Founded in 1947, Meath Macra is home to nine clubs: Athboy; Ardcath; Wilkinstown; Enfield; Trim/Dunderry; Longwood/Kilyon; Moynalty; Navan; and Skyrne.