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Sunshine, Sunflowers and Song

The Down about Down Podcast at the 2024 Corner Stone Fest, Sunflower Cottage, Annacloy, County Down

On Saturday 10th August Chris popped along to the 3rd annual Corner Stone Fest, held in the beautiful surroundings at Sunflower Cottage, Annacloy, County Down.

Those who attended were treated to ten musical acts on stage from 12 noon through to 9pm. This was event that not only showcased local talent but raised much needed funds for the local LCCL Charity based in Downpatrick. The charity provides much needed services to help people overcome their mental issues, social isolation and addiction by offering a warm and welcoming environment for everyone of any age and background.

The sun shone brightly on Saturday, and the sunflowers in the adjacent field were beginning to show their faces! A nice touch to this well organised family orientated event.

Ten musical acts took to the stage across the day and entertained those who attended this year’s festival. Each of the singers and musicians had given their time entirely free of charge.

Conal Montgomery, the organiser of the event, told Chris “I’m totally blown away by the turnout and by the musicians. There’s a peace about this place and everybody’s chilled.”

The idea for a Corner Stone Festival was formulated after Conal had a chat with the late Nigel Blair on Belfast 89FM. “It was Nigel who said to me on my first radio interview with him, he asked me what would I like to do in the future to get the word out. I said I would like to play a festival. He lent over the table and said - Just go and run your own son.” The seed was sown. Conal takes pride in the fact that he can give those in the local music scene a platform to hear their music, when opportunities have been limited for them in the past.

Chris chats to well-known TV and radio broadcaster, Robin Elliott who popped along to lend his support. Local Killyleagh artist, Duxy Leahy, was also lending his support in both manual labour and artistic talent. He has donated two unique paintings, which will be put up for raffle soon, with all proceed going to LCCL. The paintings feature two well-known lighthouses – Fastnet and St. John’s, and they have been painted onto two offcuts from the stage at the festival.

Also included in the chats with Chris are Ted Ellison, Zac Mac, Short Circuit, Rikki Jordan, Nicky Brown and Barry Shields.

The complete bill included Conal Montgomery & Co., First Ted on the Moon, Every March, Short Circuit, Rikki Jordan band, Take it Easy, Charlie Hanlon, The Thing is, Zac Mac and Black Dog Moon.

Conal is hoping that the Corner Stone festival will go from strength to strength in the years ahead. He told Chris, “Hopefully we can make this grow and give them (LCCL) more every year and make more and more people aware of that hub that is on our doorstep, because you don’t know when you’re going to need it.

Eva Rowan, singer and guitarist from “The Thing Is,” also spoke to Chris about how the idea for the Sunflower Cottage and the subsequent Sunflower Cottage Fest came about. The area is owned by her family. There are five weekends set aside when the public can visit and “explore winding paths” in the sunflower field together with some live music from local artists. The