Inside Forest Fest - meet the man bringing rock royalty to Laois

RTÉ News​

22-05-2025

Phillip Meagher is the founder of Forest Fest, the popular music bash returning to Emo, Co. Laois for its fourth edition this July - below, he remembers his journey from solicitor to creating a 'celebration of music, good company, and good vibes'.
If you'd told me a few years ago I'd be running a music festival, I'd have laughed. I'm a solicitor by trade – usually found in a courtroom, suited and booted – not in a field figuring out campervan layouts or booking bands!
But music's always been a big love of mine, and over time, I found myself craving a different kind of festival experience – something more laid-back, less hassle, and built for people like me who adore live music but can do without the chaos.
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That's where Forest Fest came from. I'd been to loads of festivals that just felt like too much – overcrowded, uncomfortable, long queues, dodgy loos, nowhere to sit with a proper pint. I remember thinking, There has to be a better way.
I started dreaming up something smaller and more chilled – great music, decent facilities, short strolls back to your tent or van, a local restaurant nearby where you can sit down for a hot meal and a pint or a glass of wine. That vision became Forest Fest.
Emo's charm doesn't go unnoticed. Artists love it here.
I started putting plans together in 2019 while on a break abroad. I'd organised a few local events before, so I reached out to some contacts – and within hours, I had a chunk of the line-up sorted. Then the pandemic hit. Everything paused, but that break gave me time to refine the idea, bring in the right people, and figure out how to make it work.
By 2022, Forest Fest was real – and the response blew us away. We hold it at Emo community grounds, right beside the beautiful Emo Court. The whole village gets involved – from the Gate House pub to Batoni's restaurant. There's something special about being able to grab a bowl of fresh pasta or a proper burger, sit with a cocktail in the garden, and stroll back to catch a band playing just down the road.
Emo's charm doesn't go unnoticed. Artists love it here – the warm welcome, the scenery, the relaxed vibe. It's not just another gig; it's something they remember.
We've hosted some serious legends – Sister Sledge, The Proclaimers, Nik Kershaw – and we always aim for a great mix of big names and brilliant Irish acts. For 2025, we've got five stages: the Forest Stage, Village Stage, Perfect Day Stage, Forest Fleadh Stage and the Ibiza Rewind tent. There's something for everyone – from indie and trad to proper dancefloor bangers.
This year's headliners are Manic Street Preachers (their only Irish show this summer!), Franz Ferdinand and Travis. The rest of the line-up is stacked: Orbital, The Stranglers, Tom Meighan, The Dandy Warhols, Bad Manners, Tony Hadley, Billy Bragg, Peter Hook & The Light, Reef, Kula Shaker, Therapy?, Teenage Fanclub, The Farm, Alabama 3, The Magic Numbers, Nick Lowe, Robert Finley, Pillow Queens, Hermitage Green, Something Happens, Mary Coughlan, Sharon Shannon – and loads more.
Getting here's a breeze – just an hour from Dublin, 5km from Exit 15 on the M7. There's free parking and shuttle buses running between the festival site and nearby towns and hotels. We've also got regular trains to Portlaoise and Portarlington, plus day return buses from places like Dublin, Tullamore, Kilkenny, Portlaoise and Cashel.
We're also passionate about keeping Forest Fest as green as possible. We're continuing our brilliant partnership with Native Events, who are expanding their Smart Waste Management programme after a great run with Emo GAA last year. From uniforms made from old camping gear to a full-on waste hub that helps people get stuck into sustainability, we're proud to make it part of the experience.
Forest Fest has grown into something I could never have fully imagined – a celebration of music, good company, and good vibes. Whether you're dancing under the stars or relaxing with a pint and some great food, it's a festival built around comfort, connection and joy. I'm incredibly proud of what we've built.