Muckno Mania Festival organisers invite all to be a part of the Festival weekend spectacle where excitement and laughter are guaranteed. Talented performers will use their imagination to provide a weekend of magic, music and festivities.
Shop Window Displays – Irish Myths and Legends
The Festival window display competition aptly has the theme “Irish Myths and Legends” and as always, we are inviting shop owners to participate. You are being asked to create a recognisable scene in your window that is likely to draw attention and create a sense of awe. Displays will be adjudicated on their suitability to the theme and will be marked under various categories. To register your shop window display, please call Castleblayney Enterprise Centre on 042 974 6087 with your details. Winners will be announced on Sunday. Sponsor: ROC Recycling
Craft Your Raft
Back by popular demand is our Craft Your Raft which is a high-energy high octane team building competition. Each team works together to build and race their very own contraption of a raft on Lough Muckno, attempting to earn as many points as possible using only the materials provided. Teams must also nominate a local charity and the winners’ chosen charity will also benefit from their win. We are now looking for Teams of 4 to take part. Please contact the Festival Office on 0429746087 to register your team. Sponsor: Shane Tyres
Children & Adults Fancy Dress
A special Fancy Dress Competition will be held on Friday evening. We are not confining this to children, so the competition will have 3 sections:
1. Children Competition: (3-5yrs), (6-8yrs), (9-12yrs)
2. Senior Competition: (13-17yrs), (18yrs-over)
3. Family Competition: Best dressed family
Awards for 1 and 2 above are for individual entrants only. Please register participation at 7.15pm at the main stage.
Sponsored by: Frank & Polly Kids Boutique
Buskers Needed
Street busking creates a lovely festival atmosphere and has been part of the Saturday Programme for many years now and once more we are inviting young talented musicians to perform. If you would like to be part of our Buskers on Saturday afternoon, contact us at the Festival Office (042)9746087 to register your place.
Festival Workshop
The following workshops will be held and must be booked in advance. These will run on a first come first served basis.
Art Workshop
Thursday 7th 11.30am-1.30pm 5-8yrs
2p-4pm 5-8yrs
(These workshops will be held in Scout Hall – 20 places each)
Sponsored by: Mc Mahon’s Paints and Wallpaper
Samba Drumming Workshops
Tues 5th Thurs 7th & Sat 9th 3pm-5pm (With performances on Friday evening and Sunday) Sponsored by: Mc Mahon Centra
Stiltwalking Workshops
Held prior to the Festival with walkabouts during Festival
Sponsored by: Monaghan County Council Arts Partnership Scheme
If you wish to partake in any of these workshops, please ring the Festival Office (042) 9746087.
Friday 8th July
Mad-Hatters Tea Party
3pm-5pm
Just like the festival is back then so too our Mad Hatters Tea Party and once more we invite Children to take part in our Mad Hatter's competition. Simply design and make a crazy hat and be prepared to model it on the day.
Venue: Mindzenty Park
Sponsor: Golden Irish
Mr. Majestic – Mr Majestic will help make the Mad Hatter party an absolute success by offering something unlike anything that they have ever seen before. Mr Majestic can perform close up magic and will finish with his Comedy Cabaret Magic Show. Sponsor: Dr. Mary Flanagan
Street Carnival
7pm-10pm
Attend our Carnival which will feature an array of exciting, entertaining and exceptional acts and activities which are a must see.
Sponsor: Carrickmacross/Castleblayney Municipal District Area
Acts & Events include:
Logy on Fire
Logy is back too! His live act blends elements of comedy, vaudeville, parlour tricks and death-defying performance. In addition to Logy’s indubitable circus skills his constant patter before, during and after each stunt is never less than laugh-out-loud funny and often touches on genuine outright hilarity. Sponsor: McGuigan Motors
Janna Cycle Show
We are delighted to welcome to the Muckno Mania Festival Janna Wohlfarth who has travelled from Germany to be with us for the weekend. Janna shows her audiences what it means to unicycle for a lifetime. She performs world class unicycle tricks and juggles up to 4 hats. She fascinates audiences by dancing on one wheel and elates kids by having them ride the unicycle with her together on her shoulders. As her grand finale, she climbs up the tall unicycle and shows rarely seen tricks 3 meters above the audience. She combines all those hard tricks with comedy so the audience will not only be impressed, but also smile a lot during her show. Janna invites the audience into the life journey of a unicycle world champion.
Sponsor: Monaghan County Council-Art Partnership Scheme
Also Featuring: Ken Kusack as the Mad Hatter who returns to our festival and provides a mix of drama and bizarre occurrences…
Sponsor: Concra Wood and Country Club PLC
Fancy Dress Competition
Search your wardrobe and get your needle and thread out so you can be part of our Festival Fancy Dress Competition. As noted on page 6.
Pre-Firework’s Entertainment
9pm
Our pre-fireworks entertainment this year comes from the following bands and solo artist:
1st stage performance: Aiteall – Members Sam Jones, Ethan Clarke, David McGuigan & Matt Talbot.
2nd stage performance: Jordon Dennis “King of the Strings” Residing at the family homestead in Castleblayney, “The Nashville of Ireland”. Jordon’s music is a blend of his own Hard Rock/New Blues sound, meets the country & western influence of his residing hometown of Castleblayney.
3rd stage performance: Off Limits – Members Donal McEvoy, Rudi Fallone, Aaron Beattie, Odhran Breen. Focus on Rock & Roll covers such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, R.E.M while also performing the odd original song.
Venue: Lough Muckno
Sponsor: DNG John O Brien
Lantern Parade
10pm
As always, we will commence our Lantern Parade down from McMahon’s Centra to Lough Muckno for music, Fire Display and our truly stupendous Fireworks. So, pick up your Lantern and join our Parade to the Park.
Venue: Main Street to Lough Muckno
Sponsor: Royal Jade Restaurant
Fire Show
10.30pm
Su Hamilton of Renegade Context and Brona Howard AKA Hoop Pixie will be teaming up to give Muckno Mania a fire spectacular that won’t be forgotten.
Venue: Lough Muckno
Sponsor: Irwin Tiles and Hardwood Floors
Push The Button
11pm
As always, we are seeking a towny star to commence our Fireworks display!!! So if you are under 10 years of age and will be attending the Fireworks display then call into the Festival Office at the Enterprise Centre and enter our Free Draw. The winner will be pulled out on the night and will receive a civic escort to the lakeshore to “Push the Button”. Sponsor: Joe Bishop, Milk Agent
Fireworks Display
Muckno Mania would not be a festival without our Fireworks Display. First introduced in 2009 to mark the festival’s 10th Anniversary and since then it has become one of the biggest attractions in our weekend Programme. Fireworks go up after dark approx. 23.00hrs
Sponsor: Coleman Tractors and Today’s Local
Saturday 9th July
The Wellness Island
10.30am
We are always keen to keep our programme vibrant and entertaining so we are pleased to announce that a new event has been added to the Saturday programme which now replaces our Triathlon event.
The Wellness Island even will take place on Saturday morning at 10.30am on the White Island at Lough Muckno Park. This will include a line up of local service providers in the health, fitness & wellness industries who will demonstrate their activities, give useful tips and advice and much, much more. There is a nominal entry fee of €5 for this event. An event not to be missed!
Venue: White Island
Sponsors: EV Fitness at Declan Loughman Sports, Touch Wood and The Conditioning Room
Craft Your Raft
12.30pm
Back by popular demand this year is our raft building competition. Come and see them float or maybe even sink!! For details of this event, see page 5.
Venue: Lough Muckno
Sponsor: Shane Tyres
Age Friendly Event
2pm
We invite you to join us for a tea and cupcakes in the idyllic setting of Lough Muckno.
Venue: Lough Muckno Gate House
Sponsor: The Cosy Café
As you savour the setting and the refreshments, you will also be entertained with traditional Irish music and song from the very talented McCormack Family
Sponsor: Íontas
Teddy Bears Picnic
2.30pm-3.30pm
A Children’s favourite, this event is also back again on the programme so bring your favourite Teddy along to the Picnic in the Park. Mums and dads bring along your rug and your picnic hamper and enjoy the entertainment provided by our international guest as she performs her Janna Cycle Show for all the family. Sponsor: Watters Londis & Hot n’Tender
Busking On The Street
3pm-5.30pm
The streets of Castleblayney will be alive with the sound of music, over the Muckno Mania Festival Weekend. Walk along the street and be entertained with music from our young talented entertainers.
Venue: Main Street Sponsor: Blayney Barber
Sports Day For All
3.30pm-5.30pm
Castleblayney Faughs will again be hosting our annual Muckno Mania Festival Sports Day, with events for all ages and all the family. Mums and dads bring your runners too for some sporty competition!!
Venue: St. Mary’s Park
Sponsor: Paul Mac Cormack Solicitor
Festival Showcase Entertainment
8pm
Our Saturday night Festival Showcase event is going to be a real treat. A two part show featuring the Moon Sisters performing together live for the first time and also featuring the Dublin Ukulele Collective who return to Castleblayney.
The Moon Sisters
Julieanne hails from a musical family in Castleblayney being the daughter of showband star Gerry Black.
Dublin Ukulele Collective
The Dublin Ukulele Collective are back by popular demand having played at our Street Carnival in 2019. This Dublin based group of over 30 entertainers who were a big hit at Electric Picnic bring energy and colour but above all bring sheer entertainment. This collective comprising of some of our own ‘expats’ will fill the stage and have you clapping and singing with the odd cheer!
Venue: Glencarn Hotel
Sponsor: McMahon’s SuperValu
Admission: €15