Momentum Festival Makes History in the West with Record Attendance Numbers
By Momentum Festival Makes History in the West with Record Attendance Numbers for Inaugural Event in Oranmore Brought to You by Ireland’s Newest Promoters, BC Ventures
Momentum Festival 2026 has made history. The inaugural event, presented by Ireland’s newest promoters, BC Ventures, announced the arrival of a bold new force to the Irish live music landscape. Momentum drew record crowds, delivered world-class production, and transformed the village of Oranmore, Co. Galway into the beating heart of a cultural moment over the May bank holiday weekend.
Conceived and delivered by BC Ventures, led by promoters Cian Burke and Trevor Cullinane, and supported by Commercial Director Olivia Breene, CEO and Founder of the commercial and creative strategy agency Lateralus B, Momentum 2026 delivered an incredible bank holiday weekend of music and moments that saw record crowds attend the 4,200 capacity Crescendo Tent. An incredibly diverse range of acts played across four unforgettable nights. A carefully curated lineup ensured something for all tastes.
Attendance figures from the weekend speak for themselves: The Coronas brought a crowd of over 4,000 people to the Crescendo Tent on Sunday night. Friday night’s headliners, The Stunning, made another Galway record by welcoming some 3,800 fans to a special opening night performance that featured a guest appearance from the legendary Sharon Shannon in a moment that set the tone for the entire weekend. A poignant moment came when Steve Wall played a special tribute to Cian and Trevor’s dear friend, the late Brian Bermingham, who was one of the minds behind this initial concept of creating a concert series developed over the past several years. A truly special moment.
Momentum’s Big Day Out drew over 2,800 people to the most fun and nostalgic party around featuring B*Witched, Sonique, D:Ream, Rednex, Mark McCabe, Naughty Noughties and hosted by DJ Fergal Darcy.
Monday’s Momentum played host to over 2,000 attendees to see performances by The Scratch, Cliffords, Madra Salach as well as local openers TaLLLon and Groev – who all brought extraordinary energy and helped define Momentum’s commitment to platforming Ireland’s most impactful acts, as did other special guests across the weekend, Oscar Blue, Calum Agnew, The Riptide Movement and Tracy Bruen.
From indie and rock to electronic, dance, homegrown talent, and international acts, the Momentum lineup offered something for everyone and organisers can confirm that they are currently working on 2027’s line-up, with details to be announced in the very near future.
Olivia Breene, Commercial Director, says: “All the bands brought that extra little magic to Oranmore at the weekend. Sharon Shannon joining The Stunning on opening night was a genuine wow moment. Every act invested enormously in their production; the graphics, the set curation, the lighting. For most of them it was their first big show of the summer, and they absolutely delivered. We also secured a world exclusive with Danny from The Coronas, who revealed the name of their new album to us here at Momentum – that was a real milestone! But what I’m proudest of is the artist experience. Every single act, from the support bill right up to the headline, was treated with the same level of care. The feedback from artists and their teams has been phenomenal. Every little detail mattered, and I’m so glad that came across. We’re already busy planning for 2027 and we’re so encouraged by the positivity that everyone has had towards the first Momentum!
“It was all about creating the best experiences for events, artists and onsite teams, and the best team surrounded us every step of the way. The level of production was truly matched and captured with fully edited images and video turned around in record time so every moment was relayed across socials all weekend. A six-person media team—onsite editors, photographers, content creators, film makers and drone operators—worked non-stop to ensure every moment was captured. Shout-out to Lea, Stephen, Ronan, Steven, Marc, Declan, Rosie, Mary Jane,, Mick and the extended teams — it truly does take a village to make such an ambitious project a success.”
Crucially, Momentum 2026 was not just a Galway event. Visitors travelled to the picturesque town from across Ireland and from overseas, while locals and long-time residents of Oranmore experienced something new in their own community. On Sunday night alone, Oranmore – a village that’s already very active in sport – came alive with another type of momentum as 4,000 people attended The Coronas with special guests Oscar Blue and Calum Agnew.
Every act that took the Momentum stage in 2026 brought something special. Production values were exceptional throughout, with each artist investing significant time and creative energy in curating their sets, from bespoke graphics and lighting design to carefully considered staging. For many of the acts, Momentum 2026 represented their first major set of the summer, and they delivered accordingly.
The festival extended its commitment to excellence well beyond the stage. Backstage hospitality was a point of particular pride: every artist, whether on the support bill, second on the lineup, or headlining the night, was treated with the same care and attention. Feedback from artist teams has been overwhelmingly positive. Central to that experience was a daily curated menu delivered by Little Armorica, headed up by Chef Nick and his wife Natasha as Head of Hospitality. Guests and artists alike were invited to experience the best of local produce and artisan food in a setting that celebrated the richness of the Galway food scene.
Co-Festival Directors Cian Burke and Trevor Cullinane of BC Ventures say: “Momentum 2026 was a dream made real. It was a big move for us and seeing thousands of people flood through the gates of Oranmore made it all worthwhile! Watching the crowd’s faces as the music played is something we’ll never forget. From logistics to hospitality, every single team delivered. Momentum 2026 was a complex, ambitious undertaking. We dared to be ambitious, and the community believed in us. We’re incredibly proud of what we built, along with the indispensable support of our Commercial Director Olivia Breene of Lateralus B, and grateful to the whole community of Oranmore for supporting us in this idea we had. It really does take a village and we cannot wait to do it again.
“A special shout-out to Sean and Sarah O’Connor of Brandon, our naming partners for Sunday night headlined by The Coronas. Sean not only sponsored but was instrumental in supporting us over the weekend and during the event lead-up. Brandon’s vans were on site every day helping with logistics, along with his amazing team — Billy, Jack, Pinky, Louis and wife Sarah. This was the true essence of partnership and great local support.”
Momentum 2026 was built with the community of Oranmore at its core. From the outset, BC Ventures and the whole Momentum team worked closely with local residents, businesses, the parish, and emergency services to ensure the event was not only spectacular, but also safe and responsible.
A comprehensive traffic management and public transport plan was designed, tested, and successfully delivered thanks to event controller Frank Cummins, sound management protocols were implemented with full consideration for the residential environment. Artist transfers were managed using a fleet of Momentum-branded Audi vehicles, brought to you with our partners Audi Galway & Connolly Motors. reflecting the high operational standards the team set themselves across every touchpoint.
The economic and social impact on Oranmore was tangible and widely felt. This event will impact the village with over 3.5 million. Feedback from local businesses and residents has been overwhelmingly positive both in terms of the financial boost the weekend delivered, and in the sense of pride and joy the festival inspired. A village already well known for its sporting spirit discovered a new kind of momentum.
A major influencer activation, supported by festival partners IDL, and West Coast Cooler, helped bring Oranmore to a nationwide audience. Stunning aerial footage of the village and its surrounds, set against the beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way, reached audiences across Ireland and beyond, introducing Oranmore in a whole new light.
One additional highlight was the first ever live recording of the Art to Art series, held in front of an audience in Oranmore, featuring The Scratch and Madra Salach. This gave an opportunity for attendees to hear the artists in a different context, sharing insight into their work ahead of their performances on Monday.
Momentum Festival extends its deepest gratitude to the people who made 2026 possible: the residents and community of Oranmore, local businesses, venue partners, emergency services and Gardaí, and the extraordinary team of volunteers who gave their time and energy so generously.Olivia Breene, Commercial Director, adds:“A special thank you to Liam McCarthy, our Head of Production; he was just unbelievable to deal with. To Frank McDade, Event Management – whose level of attention to detail, guidance and support throughout the whole process was instrumental to the success of this event. He made us feel that everything was under control – and to the creative and commercial team at Lateralus B, whose vision helped shape the Momentum experience from concept to reality. To our partners Brandon Ceilings & Partitions Audi, Heineken, Irish Distillers – thank you for helping us bring Momentum to life.”
Looking Ahead: Momentum 2027
Momentum 2026 has proven a scalable, replicable model for world-class live events in the west of Ireland. BC Ventures is proud to confirm that Momentum will return in 2027, and look forward to taking audiences on the journey over the next 12 months as the lineup and experience for Momentum 2027 is curated.
“We’re excited to bring someone very unique and different to the market in the coming weeks — watch this space. Momentum is rising and we look forward to what’s next. We have set the bar and we look forward to continuing to create moments that matter,” add the organisers. An exciting announcement is coming. Watch this space.