Navan Live gets great reviews despite no-show by McGowan

The inaugural Navan Live Festival was regarded as an outstanding success at the weekend with both concert-goers and performers delighted with the two-day music event at Teach na Teamhrach at Balreask, Navan. The response of the crowds and the big names that appeared at the gigs augur well for the ambition of the organisers, Sean Mulligan and Kevin Booth of Profile Music Group, to make it an annual event involving much more venues around the town in future years. There was one disappointment - the non-appearance of former Pogues frontman Shane McGowan at short notice, but Dessie O'Halloran joined Sharon Shannon, Damien Dempsey and local acts Eugene Donagna and Jerico for Saturday night's performance. Galway singer Lucia Evans also took to the stage. Friday night saw the opening gigs with Navan performer Simon Fagan and long-time favourites The Saw Doctors taking to the stage. Sean Mulligan said that the artists were delighted with the venue and the crowds, which numbered over 1,000 each night. They performed on a specially-built stage with rigging and lighting set up by Darren McGoldrick. The event took place in a marquee in the grounds of Teach na Teamhrach on the Trim Road.