The second Gamecon took place at the Bantry Boys’ Club last weekend, building on last year’s success, while also raising money for the West Cork Sudbury School.
While last year’s inaugural gaming convention was a single-day affair, this year the event burgeoned into a two-day festival which truly meant double the fun in every way, with more traders, stalls, games and points of interest for everyone.
Gamecon is organised by a committee comprised of the students, parents and staff of the West Cork Sudbury School (WCSS), based outside of Bantry, and all proceeds raised are in aid of the school.
It celebrates gaming in all its forms and on Saturday and Sunday, beginners and enthusiasts alike were welcomed to discover and play a large variety of games, and have the chance to test inventions.
From the left student of West Cork Sudbury School Maris Harrington, parent Alex Kemer and Annie King, who is part of the board of management at the school, at the Gamecon 2025 in Bantry. Photo: Karlis Dzjamko
As well as traditional board games, there were also video games, retro console games, talks, cosplay events, and tournaments to take part in.
These activities sat alongside sales tables with gorgeous handmade items, 3D-printed, and screen-printed items.
Annie King, from the school’s board of management, explained that because the school doesn’t follow a set curriculum, ‘it doesn’t get any government funding, and therefore relies on community support and fundraising events’.
Annie, along with her friend Karen Sim Davis, were kept busy all weekend selling raffle tickets and said that this year, local businesses and traders had been very generous in their sponsorship of prizes.
Meanwhile Tracy Wall and Jess Mason-Little, two of the original founders of the West Cork Sudbury School and the driving forces behind the organisation of the Gamecon, were kept busy all weekend too, including in the canteen where they were selling cakes and refreshments.
Bantry Dungeon Master Ian Hurley and Fáelán DC at the Gamecon 2025 in Bantry. Photo: Karlis Dzjamko
Gamecon not only raises funds for the school but reflects its ethos too, as Ms Wall and Ms Mason-Little noted that the main emphasis at the Sudbury School is the importance of play: ‘We learn much more through play’ says Jess, ‘and what a lovely way this is to raise funds, by celebrating play.’
For traders, the day was valuable too as Kate Baker of the Stone Soup Cooperative on the Sheep’s Head Peninsula experienced. ‘This is our first time holding a stall here. Last year my husband and children attended and enjoyed the cosplay so this year we took a stall.’
The West Cork Sudbury School was founded in September 2020 and gained its charitable status by December of that year.
The school is an alternative education institution that, says Annie King, ‘provides a self-directed, play-based learning environment that is beneficial for neurodiverse and mainstream school-resistant children.
Fundraisers like Gamecon help to keep costs down so it is accessible to more families.’
