The crowd we drew in to Saturday’s summer event was quite overwhelming and humbling to say the least. To think a few years back I sat and wondered would I ever manage to keep the gates open due to the endless bills stacking up and being located in the middle of nowhere. I used to feel sick with the thought of maybe having to close when I knew there was such potential for a place like this if I could just hang in there. Hard work, never giving up, many prayers and the huge amount of support and encouragement from the community has turned it around.

The cars lined both sides of the road. There were so many new faces being welcomed for the first time, where word is spreading so fast now that we are here, that we are a friendly bunch…and perhaps a tad mad…but that we have something that is unique to offer to the community. What has developed over the years is what I regularly describe as our gallery family. I watch as new friendships are formed week by week and witness people laughing together until tears run down their faces. I see the times where people are being held up in times of grief and encouraged to develop artistically and spiritually. I don’t have to ask anymore for musicians to take part in the night…they come and offer to do it because they love being here as much as we love having them and I am truly grateful.

To Mary McEvoy, Ronan Leonard, Eddie & Stu, the Many Mores, Andy,The bar man, Olive, all the artists & every single person who arrived & to those who continuously support us through out the year – thank you from the bottom of my heart. We finished up at a very respectable 2.30am.

Hazel Revington