Storm Éowyn couldn’t stop the Brigid 2025: Spirit of Kildare celebrations from kicking off in style on Saturday.

Last weekend's red-alert weather warning meant that proceedings had to be swiftly moved from the event's original location at the Wonderful Barn in Leixlip. Taking place instead at the nearby Kildare Innovation Centre, an unforgettable evening concert was preceded by a wonderful day of wellness and joy.

Insightful discussions from some of Ireland’s leading food experts and business owners about the connection between nutrition, wellness, and happiness took place alongside a colourful array of family-friendly activities centred around health, enjoyment and fulfilment.

This World of Wonder at Kildare Innovation Centre by Jason Doherty

In line with the messages championed throughout the day, the evening gig – presented by Hot Press and Kildare County Council – was a feast for the soul, as five acts, spanning generations and genres, delivered a rousing opening to the Brigid 2025 festivities.

After being introduced by MC Katja Mia, Lisa O'Neill kicked things off. The Cavan artist's music has won her a growing following on both sides of the Irish Sea, and further afield too. It’s easy to see why. Her set was Folk with a capital F; earthy, stripped-back, parabolic, and above all, selfless, her songs embodying the feminist spirit at the heart of the Brigid festival.

This Wonderful World Concert for Hot Press Magazine by Jason Doherty

Opener ‘Mother Jones’ told the tale of Irish-born American labour organiser Mary G. Harris Jones, and the beautiful, banjo sewn ‘Silver Seeds’ acted as a powerful and metrical meditation on womanhood. O'Neill offered a powerful spoken-word rendition of 'A Prayer to Saint Teresa,' a poem by Donegal native Madge Herron, before concluding her performance with a stirring protest song, addressing the housing crisis – also her latest single – 'Homeless In The Thousands.'

Orla Gartland, fresh from releasing her critically-acclaimed sophomore LP Everybody Needs A Hero last October, was up next. A self-made star who’s gone from uploading covers on YouTube, to selling out shows at 17 and becoming one of the country’s most highly-regarded songwriters, the Dublin native distilled her lush, big-sounding indie rock to just her and an acoustic guitar - without sacrificing any of it’s emotive punch.

Gartland's songs captured the essence of being a young woman in the digital age, from navigating complex relationships in ‘Codependency’, to exploring social media-induced jealousy and insecurity on ‘More Like You'. Breakup anthem 'New Friend' was particularly mesmerising, with its minimalist arrangement and hypnotic guitar playing. She finished with the energetic and romantic ‘Little Chaos' -clearly winning new fans in what was a sold-out show.

It was good that the crowd had been warmed up effectively, as Camille O’Sullivan – who had already graced the stage earlier to interview ebullient Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick – would raise the temperature further with her explosive, theatrical musical delivery.

Known for both her sense of humour and a remarkable ability to instantly connect with the audience, Camille commanded the stage in a red jumpsuit. She opened with a heart-rending, brilliantly-sung tribute to Shane MacGowan, 'The Broad Majestic Shannon', before bursting into a rousing rendition of Nick Cave's 'Jubilee Street'. During the latter, she ventured into the audience and brought them to their feet, before her boundless energy and radiant stage presence were summed up with some impressive hula-hooping.

This Wonderful World Concert for Hot Press Magazine by Jason Doherty

O’Sullivan took it down a notch with a raspy, vocal-only ‘Port of Amsterdam’, a song by Jacques Brel and Robert Cuccioli, priming the audience for another beautiful Nick Cave cover. ‘The Ship Song’ saw her prowl into the crowd once more, as the entire room, now firmly in the palm of her hand, sang along. Superb.

It was a tough act to follow, but Niamh Farrell and her Ham SandwicH cohorts were up to the task. The Kells band’s big-sounding, propulsive indie rock has beguiled many a listener over the last 20 years, with the outfit building their reputation as an enthralling live act. Even without her trusty singing foil Podge McNamee, Farrell shone, brilliantly backed by a stripped-back set up of an acoustic guitar and woody, atmospheric double bass.

The tunes were at once seismic and uplifting, whether it was the funkily syncopated ‘Bodies’, the sprightly indie instrumentation of ‘Illuminate’, or the more delicate acoustic shimmering of ‘Ants’. In tune with the day’s wellness theme, Farrell also took a moment to deliver an important message of being kinder to ourselves.

This Wonderful World Concert for Hot Press Magazine by Jason Doherty

Considered by many to be Ireland's finest blues and jazz singer, Mary Coughlan closed the evening with another exceptional performance. Despite her nonchalant on-stage demeanour, acting at times as if she didn’t know - or care - what song was up next, Coughlan is clearly a masterful performer in complete control of her craft. Backed by a three-piece band of virtuosos, she did a marvellously soulful, smokey version of Etta James’ ‘Damn Your Eyes'.

‘I Can Let Go Now’ was a resonant and cathartic sonic portrayal of overcoming heartbreak; and ‘Bad’ was a defiant, bluesy anthem about a woman embracing her independence and strength, and deciding that she'd follow her own instincts and desires as far as they took her. It was, so we thought, a fitting close to the evening.

After lapping up the applause, Coughlan invited the night's performers on stage to form a Brigid 2025 supergroup. Channelling the spirit of Brigid, the ensemble of Mary, Camille, Orla and Niamh was joined by Kildare native Gemma Cox (Lisa'd had to hightail it to a charity gig in Dublin) and they delivered a breathtaking version of ‘What A Wonderful World’, with the audience duly joining in with gusto.

It was a perfectly apt conclusion to This Wonderful World – a concert that showcased the power, strength and independence of women in Ireland.

Here's to it.