'A great boost for the town': Indiependence to return to Cork next year

One of Cork's most popular and longest-running festivals, Indiependence has announced it is to return in 2022.

The three-day music festival will be back in Mitchelstown on the August Bank Holiday weekend at its usual location.

Both this year and last INDIE, which typically attracts music lovers in their droves to the North Cork town, was scuppered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Announcing the return of the festival in 2022, managing director of INDIE, Shane Dunne said he is looking forward to welcoming audiences back to the same site next year.

“It’s been such a hard time for everyone in our industry, we’re really looking forward to some green shoots of hope and getting back to INDIE in Mitchelstown.

“It’s a great boost for the town, a great boost for so many businesses and we hope they all benefit from large numbers of attendees next summer back in town,” he said.

In a statement last year, organisers had revealed that the music festival was to leave Mitchelstown for a new location as “no other option” was available to them.

However, a change of circumstances has meant that organisers have secured the same site located just on the outskirts of the town.

“The five of us that own INDIE and the extended team are all from Mitchelstown.

“We would never, ever have wanted to leave," Mr Dunne told The Echo.

Indie has grown into one of Ireland’s most successful and longest-running festivals since it began life in Mitchelstown in 2006.

Its move to the scenic Deer Farm just on the outskirts of the town in 2010 allowed Indie to put itself onto the international map, attracting artists such as Manic Street Preachers, Public Enemy, Basement Jaxx, De La Soul, Tom Odell, Editors, and The Dandy Warhols over the years.

Acts such as Kodaline, Walking On Cars, Picture This, The Coronas and Hozier performed some of their first festival shows there. 

Indie19 saw performances from headliners including Lewis Capaldi, Biffy Clyro, Catfish & the Bottlemen, and Gavin James, with 15,000 people descending on the picturesque Galtee Mountains site.

Ticket details and first line-up announcements for next year’s festival are to follow in the coming weeks.