Live at the Breakwater at Ferrybank in Wexford.
Having seen acts like Amble, The Waterboys, Gavin James, Moncrieffe, Jax Jones and The Whistlin Donkeys take to the stage under the big top at the far side of Wexford Bridge, Live at the Breakwater is once again being hailed a success as talks continue over it becoming an annual event in a post-Fleadh Wexford.
While the festival welcomed thousands of concert-goers and generated a notable financial footprint for the town, organisers Lantern Events are particularly proud of their environmental efforts, stating that they eliminated 85,600 units of single use plastics from the environment.
In 2024, Lantern embarked on an ambitious plan to reduce plastic pollution and their “leave no trace” initiatives continued into 2025.
With plastic cups ubiquitous at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Live at the Breakwater was the only venue to introduce a cup deposit return scheme to reduce plastic waste, avoiding the use of 47,500 single-use plastic drinking cups. The venue also used paper straws, avoiding the use of 22,500 single-use plastic straws. Infinitely recyclable aluminium water bottles were sourced and avoided the use of 10,600 plastic water bottles, while 5,000 moulded, biodegradable cup holders were also used at the festival.
At Live at the Breakwater 2024 and 2025 combined, 155,600 single-use plastics were eliminated.
“We are very aware that many of our events take place in beautiful settings, no more so than Live at the Breakwater on the banks of the Slaney,” Brian Byrne of Lantern explains. “We are conscious of our responsibility to maintain these settings and the environment.
“Every bit of plastic ever made, still exists somewhere. We want to make sure that the ‘somewhere’ is not landfill or our oceans or rivers. Our cups can be used again and again at Live at the Breakwater, the Spiegeltent Festival and all of our festivals and events.
“It was a new concept for our audience in 2024 as ‘borrowing’ a cup instead of disposing of a plastic cup was new. But the feedback has been great. We want to be part of the solution, not the pollution. People appreciate that and support it.”
Mr Byrne also thanked Wexford County Council and the National Parks and Wildlife Service for their assistance in securing the site for Live at the Breakwater.
“It’s a great location and very picturesque with the river, the bridge and the Raven and Curracloe in the background,” he said. “We will continue to innovate to support our environment and to champion alternative consumption.”