ORGANISERS of the Feel The Force festival in Dunmanway have confirmed that the popular event will not be going ahead this year.

The first Star Wars-themed weekend was held in June 2024 to great success and returned again last year with an expanded theme which included Superheroes & Villians.

Organisers are hoping that the popular festival can return next year but said it would all depend on the number of volunteers coming on board to help run it.

The small group of volunteers supporting the event felt they could not manage the amount of work required to put on the festival this June.

Speaking to The Southern Star, committee member Catherine Crowley said they really just need more help.

‘There’s only a small group of us left’, she said, adding that the voluntary committee were ‘hoping to get a bigger group for next year.’

The event began as the brainchild of Malaysian native Newry Bakry and his wife Caroline.

As a Star Wars cosplayer, toy collector and diorama creator, Newry and the entire committee created a two-day extravaganza in Dunmanway that appealed to fans of the movie franchise.

Last year, the theme expanded which opened up a whole new world of characters and fans to join the event, while it also picked up the ‘Best West Cork Festival’ award at last year’s Southern Star West Cork Business & Tourism Awards.

Workshops, activities and fans dressed in elaborate costumes took over the streets of Dunmanway over the June bank holiday weekend.

The event attracted national news coverage, and last year the Malaysian ambassador to Ireland opened the festival, celebrating the cultural heritage the festival promoted.

Catherine added that ‘we would love a few more people to join the committee.’