Up to 5,000 people are set to flock to Dunmanway over the next two days for a spectacular programme of memorabilia exhibits, cosplay, Star Wars lectures and a celebration of everything science fiction.
Fans of the epic space western are set to attend west Cork from all over Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, the US and even Malaysia.
Many will travel with their prized Star Wars outfits – and will take part in cosplay or costume performances dedicated to great Star Wars characters including Imperial Storm Troopers, Wookies, Jedi Knights, Tuskan Raiders and even Sith.
It is expected to be one of the largest cosplay events ever staged in Ireland.
The event is the brainchild of costume designer and YouTuber Nuri ‘Newry’ Bakry and it aims to capitalise on Ireland’s strong connection to the Force – with Star Wars scenes having been filmed in Kerry, west Cork and Donegal.
Nuri boasts one of the world’s greatest collections of Star Wars memorabilia – and is also a keen cosplayer.
The ‘Feel the Force’ festival, which runs over June 1-2, has already captured the imagination of the local community with hundreds volunteering to get involved in the programme.
The festival boasts a theme of ‘All Tribes Welcome’ and it will even feature organised street activities.
Dunmanway shops will also be decked out in various Star Wars regalia.
The event developed from what was supposed to be a small exhibition last year as part of the Dunmanway Arts Festival.
Nuri’s Star Wars collection spans all nine episodes of the space odyssey which exploded in popularity from its debut in 1977.
Such is the scale of Nuri’s collection that it has generated headlines worldwide.
He also has friends in some of the world’s leading costume props firms, including companies that do specialised work at Pinewood Studios in the UK.
Many have promised to attend the Dunmanway spectacular.
Nuri was taken aback by the enormous interest in the 2023 exhibition and decided to take it a step further with a dedicated galactic festival in the west Cork town.
Such sci-fi gatherings in the US are enormously popular and generate millions of dollars for the tourism sector.
Nuri is hopeful Dunmanway’s ‘Feel the Force’ festival can become an annual event.
“It really was amazing last year,” he said.
“There were people arriving wearing Star Wars T-shirts and costumes. People travelled from all over Ireland. I don’t think any of us expected that enormous level of interest.”
His wife, Caroline, said the special Star Wars festival over the June bank holiday weekend was organised in response to that enormous demand – with major overseas interest now being expressed thanks to social media.
“If you build it, they will come. Even the local GP is a Star Wars fan and everyone here is very excited about the June event,” she said.
Caroline said the “jewel in the crown” of the festival programme will be a precise replica of Queen Amidala’s costume and throne.
Nuri explained that, because of its complexity and design demands, Queen Amidala’s throne and costume is rarely attempted outside the giant sci-fi conventions in the US.
Of course, Queen Amidala – also known as Padme – occupies a central role in the Star Wars story as the wife of Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker and the mother of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.
Dunmanway will boast the Queen Amidala feature thanks to the painstaking work of Nuri, Caroline and award-winning Cork dress designer Gwen McGuirk.
The public highlight of the festival will be a range of cosplay events where Star Wars fans can dress in costume and take part in a range of local activities.
Promotions of the event have even involved the local Garda Sergeant Chris Brosnan being photographed questioning a Stormtrooper over a badly parked jetpack.
Both Nuri and Caroline have ensured that there are also a range of activities for children to ensure would-be-Jedis of all age groups are catered for.
Today’s News in 90 seconds – 31st May 2024
Festival organisers hope that the unique cosplay initiative will transform the west Cork town into something akin to a scene from ‘Return of the Jedi’ or ‘Revenge of the Sith’.
Interest in Star Wars material has soared in Ireland since the film franchise included scenes in its third trilogy from special sets in Kerry, west Cork and Donegal.
Parts of Star Wars: Episodes VII and VIII were filmed on location in Ireland.
Filming with a cast and crew of more than 260 took place over the summer of 2016 at Brow Head just off the Mizen Peninsula in west Cork, on Skellig Michael in Kerry and on the Inishowen peninsula in Donegal. Both Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Daisy Ridley (Rey) filmed extensive scenes around Ireland.
Skellig Michael featured as a critical closing scene in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
An isolated headland near Dingle was transformed into a Jedi Temple complex – with Kerry, Cork and Donegal enjoying a major tourism boom as a result.
Such was the enormous global interest in the third instalment of the Star Wars franchise that Irish tourism chiefs launched an ambitious advertising campaign in cinemas to promote the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ and its major connections to the films.