The organiser of the Bold Frontiers Festival in Dundalk talks about his career and love of music

Alan McCarthy of Louth County Council talks to the organiser of the Bold Frontiers Festival Mark Sheridan ahead of it taking place in Dundalk this weekend.

Q: Can you just tell me a little bit about yourself?

Yep, where to start there? I suppose from an events perspective, I've been working in events since 2009. The first Fantastic Festival was where I cut my teeth, so to speak.

And from there, it just kind of spiralled a little bit out of control—but in a very positive way. I was very lucky to work with loads of Irish festivals. From that one festival that summer, I went on to work with KnockanStockan, a great wee independent festival in Wicklow.

Then it spiralled into Electric Picnic, Glastonbury, and even Burning Man in the States.

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about the festival you're organising and its purpose?

I ran another independent festival called Arcadian Field in Bellurgan Park for four years.

After COVID, I didn’t have the energy or finances to continue that project. So I took on a larger role with Electric Picnic, which fulfilled my creative and curatorial needs.

Joey Edwards from Pizza Records—also Just Mustard’s manager—had been talking for years about a Dundalk-based urban festival. Eventually, his pestering worked.

We sat down last year, applied for funding, and got enough to kickstart it.

The purpose is to create an urban event that celebrates contemporary art, music, and culture.

Q: Do you think this could become an annual festival?

100%. We’ve already booked dates in some venues for 2026. We’re quietly confident we’ll be rolling again.

Q: Who are you most looking forward to seeing?

That’s a tough question. I’m looking forward to loads from the lineup.

The Just Mustard home show will be great, especially with their new album launch.

We also have a theatrical comedy piece by Cian Kinsella of Lords of Strutt fame called Chop in the Spirit Store. It’s a one-man, darkly comedic show with an environmental message—something you don’t see every day.

Rory Friers of And So I Watch You from Afar is performing a live score to the 100- year-old Russian movie Battleship Potemkin, which should also be fantastic!

Q: Is there a point to your festival beyond the commercial? Is there a theme?

Definitely. Neither Joey and I are driven by profit. We don’t want to lose money, of course—we’ve done that enough over the years—but our ethos is DIY.

We’ve supported artists for years just for the want of doing stuff. Sometimes ideas outweigh the profit motive.

Q: What kind of audience are you hoping to attract?

We’ve already sold tickets to people from as far away as Cork and the UK, which is exciting.

We thought that kind of reach might come in year two or three.

In general, we’re aiming for music lovers, art fans, locals who might not be familiar with underground or up-and-coming acts—really anyone up for a bit of craic and exploration.

Q: Does the festival have a theme or overarching concept?

Yes, we have an overarching theme that guides the festival, and it's even reflected in the name Bold Frontiers.

Dundalk, being a border town, inspired the idea of crossing frontiers—both physical and metaphorical. Our theme is about connection and discovery, breaking boundaries creatively and socially.

Q: How is the theme reflected in the festival'ss programming?

We’ve implemented a mandate where a certain percentage of acts are from Northern Ireland, and another percentage are international.

This reflects our commitment to crossing frontiers—geographically, artistically, and socially.

Q: How did you get into festival planning?

It started with the First Fantastic Festival, where I was invited to join as a crew member. That led to more opportunities, including international events.

Q: What role does the council play in supporting the festival?

This year, the council provided us with a startup grant, which was crucial in getting the festival off the ground.

Moving forward, we’d love to collaborate more closely with them to help the project grow.

Q:Do you have any unique initiatives in place for the festival?

One goal which we have only touched upon this year, but wish to expand upon in a huge way, is to repurpose spaces in Dundalk town which are not usually associated with arts

Q: Are there any sustainable or green initiatives in place for the festival?

While there’s no overarching initiative, the environmental footprint is easier to manage because the venues are mostly established.

We work with local suppliers, have reduced printed materials by going mostly digital, and promote walking routes between venues to minimise travel impact. Overall, the event is structurally low- impact.

Q: What advice would you give to someone thinking of running a festival or organising a gig?

Start small but think big. Don’t be limited by what seems unachievable but also don’t overextend yourself.

Build a reliable small team and talk to someone who’s done it before—mentorship and advice are crucial. When starting, big ideas often come first, but reality follows later, so balance is key.

Q: Do you have a favourite band or musician?

I don’t have a single favourite—it changes weekly.  I’m always discovering new music.

I tend to enjoy punk energy, but I also listen to Lyric FM daily.

This week, I’m into RMFC, an Australian garage punk band, and Roche, who’s performing at the festival.

I also explore random country bands on YouTube and the radio. It’s a very eclectic mix.

Q: Is there any music you really don’t like?

Yes, I struggle with songs that are overplayed on Irish radio, especially pop songs repeated multiple times a day.

I usually switch quickly if I don’t like something—within 10 seconds, I can tell.

I often build playlists by sampling songs briefly and revisiting them later.

Q: If you could invite three people to a dinner party—anyone from history, music, art, or politics—who would they be?

I’d invite both of my granddads, whom I never got to meet.

For the third seat, maybe Elvis—it’d be hilarious to see him interact with two older Irish rural men. They’d
probably know who he was, but he’d be so far removed from their world.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to add?

No, I think I’m all talked out for now!

Check out the full line-up and details of the Bold Frontiers Festival HERE