On Thursday 11th. June 1981 the second Lifford/Clonleigh Festival opened on the Diamond, Lifford. It would finish on Sunday 14th. June. The special guests at the opening were Maurice O'Doherty of RTE newscaster fame (born in Carndonagh) and lived for a while on the Broad-road, Convoy, where they called him "Wee Mossy" as confirmed to me by my late father- in- law Willie John Given.).
Tony Friel from Ballindrait was the other special guest having just been elected Lord Mayor of Lifford. Tony was renowned for his work in the community and sponsorship of other good causes. The festival committee who did such great work for the community in Lifford back then were on stage along with Chairman Paddy McKinney and Fr. Denis Mc Connalogue who inspired the idea of a festival in the parish which ran successfully for a long number of years.
If you are from Lifford and especially around that era you will enjoy seeing all the familiar faces and early performances from the great fiddle player Johnny Crampsie (whose name now inspires the Johnny Crampsie Weekend in Strabane) and accompanied by the great Joe Molloy from Clady on accordion. The video features a lot of young ceili dancers of the times along with the Dolan family band from Argery, Ballindrait and the very popular Harper Family from Killygordon at that time known as "The Golden Harp Ceili Band" and featuring present day legendary traditional fiddle player Bird Harper and her sisters, and ably managed by their late father Packo Harper. MC Neal Gallagher organised the stage which was the after opening festivities.
We fondly remember all those who contributed so much to our parish at the time and to those departed may they all Rest In Peace.