These Pictures From The Achill Island New Year’s Eve Festival Will Give You Serious FOMO

Catching the last sunset of the year at one of the most westerly points in Ireland, singing along to Prince and Fleetwood Mac in a marquee and counting down to the start of 2018 with some of the best DJs in the country?

Yep, New Year’s Eve on Achill Island, Mayo, was pretty damn special.

This was the first year of Smithwick’s 10° West, a boutique music festival with a difference: scenic group hikes through historic villages, beach yoga and cycling by day with a curated line-up of live music by night.

Located 53°N 10°W on Achill Island, the celebration embraced the true Achill Island way of life, where all that mattered was making amazing memories with friends.

Acoustic and pop-up music performances in local pubs set the vibe in the afternoon

As people drifted back from the daytime activities, the music side of the festival kicked into gear with performances by Robert Delaney, The Silken Same, Lilla Vargen and Let’s Set Sail.

What better way to end a hike than with a nice cold pint and some live tunes?

Music kicked off in the Keel tent on New Year’s Eve with Sing-Along-Social getting everyone in the party mood

Lyric sheets were passed around the crowd, chilled pints of Smithwick’s were on hand (pale ale for us, cheers) and confetti guns were blasted as hundreds of people from all over Ireland sang their hearts out to beloved songs by Katie Perry and Will Smith.

Think karaoke but way, way better.

YES @singalongsocial ???????????? #10west pic.twitter.com/lC1WRypAk7

— Sarah Clayton-Lea (@SazzyClay) December 31, 2017

Solid funk by Stomptown Brass and some seriously envious talent from Daithí brought things to another level

Stomptown Brass had everyone in the Keel tent boppin’ away – playing everything from The Jungle Book theme tune to saxophone solos – while Daithí’s live looping and violin playing had the crowd in awe.

 

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A post shared by Paul McConnell (@pmcc_1) on Dec 31, 2017 at 3:12pm PST

 

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A post shared by Stomptown Brass (@stomptownbrass) on Jan 1, 2018 at 10:33am PST

The night ended on a high with a set from indie fave Talos and ALL the best tunes from the Lumo Club DJs

Nialler9 and his DJ group started off the countdown and BANG! A glittering confetti gun shot colourful strands all over the tent to usher in 2018.

 

 

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A post shared by Lumo Club (@lumoclub) on Jan 2, 2018 at 10:41am PST

 

And the only way to really celebrate New Year’s? A bracing dip in the Atlantic Ocean and some beautiful sunrise views…

The water might have been icy on New Year’s Day, but the memories were worth it.

 

 

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A post shared by I Am Timi (@picturethisdub) on Jan 1, 2018 at 10:18am PST

 

 

 

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A post shared by Shane McNamara (@shanemcnamara13) on Dec 31, 2017 at 9:44am PST

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sarah Clayton-Lea (@sazzyclay) on Jan 1, 2018 at 4:55am PST

 

Smithwick’s 10° West New Year’s celebration made saying goodbye to 2017 – and hello to 2018 – a moment that you’ll always remember.

We’ll be thinking of that last sunset on Keel Beach for months to come…

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