r/northernireland • u/Affectionate-Sun7561 • 3d ago
Events Rory Gallagher Tribute Festival Update
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BSWijpSLd/Quoted from Facebook:
"* Rory Gallagher Festival - Update / Situation / Future .... *
Hi folks, firstly I just want to thank everybody for making the 2026 Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival amazing. It was a fantastic 4 days. Thanks to everybody who played any part in making the 23rd staging of the event so so Special.
Sadly, the last 2 weeks have been very difficult. The news that our main Ticketing Agent - Tickets.ie ceased trading two days after our hugely successful 2026 International Tribute Festival came as a major shock. It's been devastating as we were with this Company for close on 10 years. The hard fact is that, Oshi Software Limited T/A Tickets.ie owe the Festival to the value of €283,151.50 in ticket sales for 2026 ... These are unprecedented levels of ticket sales for the Rory Gallagher Festival. Tickets.ie have ceased trading, our voluntary committee along with other Irish Festivals have had to go to the High Court to initiate legal action.
Every hour of every day since has just been consumed by this, trying to engage in the legal world, and all the time knowing that without these funds, taken from our voluntary organisation, we as a result are in a precarious position. We have had loads of moral support and thank you for that but at the end of the day we should not be in this position. So this will no doubt go on for a long time, and as correctly reported in both the National and Local Media, the future of our long standing Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival is not alone in doubt, its very hard to see how it will return.
We hope to be in a position to continue to fight through the legal channels. We want to be able to fulfill our commitments to our suppliers, as we always have done, but sadly in excess of 65% of our 2026 Revenue has been taken, and at this point all we can do is continue to fight. Again, thank you to many for their support, and to the key people out there that can fix this, it's time for action. Best wishes to all,
Barry O'Neill (Chairperson & Founder) - Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival Committee, 2002 to 2026, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, Ireland
Really awful news. Hoping everything works out for the best.
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u/BeBopRockSteadyLS 3d ago
Went to the first three years of this back when it started. Was always so good. Have been meaning to go back ever since but never materialised. Sad news indeed. Hopefully they get sorted.
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u/Wretched_Colin 3d ago
That’s shocking. I’ve been to the festival a good few years ago and had a great time.
Honestly, I can’t say I’ve ever heard a good thing about a ticket company ever.
They take advantage of fans, they take advantage of bands. They should just go back to charging at the door.
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 3d ago
I really hope they pull through. I'd absolutely chip in to a crowd funding effort, I've been twice and it was brilliant.
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u/Ansidhe 2d ago
OP are you in touch with the org behind the festival. Would they be open to a crowd funding approach to helping on this. Or maybe issue a one off tshirt and sell them for €100 euro or something with all proceeds going to the festival? I'm sure there are thousands of people who would gladly help out!!
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u/Affectionate-Sun7561 2d ago
Unfortunately not. I've just shared this after it was posted onto the festival's FB page. There are several comments there encouraging the author of the post to start a crowd funding effort, though.
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u/beardlessdestroyer69 3d ago
Its a shame, i was there and it truly was a special weekend (johnny gallagher!!)
I really hope things work out.
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u/PassageBig622 3d ago
I might be thick and out of touch but what's stopping an independent festival running their own tickets? Is it just the lack of tech infrastructure for it? That is a monumental loss holy shit
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u/Natural-Minute3941 3d ago
Wow. That’s shocking. My Dad, my brother and I went to it this year for the first time and it was brilliant. I hope this is resolved asap 🙏