A Kennel for Mad Dog

If you have ever been to a summer music festival in Ireland, there is a fairly good chance you have met or been assisted in some way by our good friend Dom, better known as Mad Dog. For years Dom has worked on most Irish festival crews building the events we all enjoy. He can usually be found hanging from a tree rigging lights, picking up litter or being generally helpful in whatever way he can. Easily recognisable and closely resembling a human Swiss Army Knife, he usually has the tools at hand to complete any task. Dom's rough exterior belies a heart of gold beneath, and he is one of the kindest folk we know.

Six years ago while he was away volunteering at a festival, Dom’s cottage in Dunmanway, which he had spent 10 years lovingly renovating, tragically burnt to the ground. Since then each winter Dom has been living in an old caravan on the site of the cottage. This is far from ideal and is having a serious effect on his health, particularly as he is getting on in years. We at Vantastival, Knockanstockan and others in the larger festival community have decided to do something about it. The plan is to build Dom a small self-contained cabin on his own land to deal with his immediate accommodation needs, and in the long-term to re-roof his cottage. To this end, many of the events at which Dom has volunteered have donated towards a fund to help make this happen. This has allowed work to start, with groundworks completed on site as of mid-October, and a frame for the cabin assembled ready for installation. We now need the help of the wider festival-going community to finish the work and buy the necessary materials for both the cabin and cottage. Dom has given so much to so many we feel it is the least we can do, and a construction crew made up of various festival crew members are raring to go, giving their time for free to see this project through.

If your paths have crossed with Mad Dog on your festival travels, please take time to donate, and as an extra incentive we have some great rewards on offer.