The Vantastival Festival has announced Afro Celt Sound System as headliner for this unique event, which tales place on the June bank holiday weekend, in Bealieu House, in Drogheda.

Afro Celt Sound System are one of the great festival acts. Famous for blending European and West African traditional music, they will headline Vantastival’s main stage on Sunday 2 June. The collective released their eighth studio album Flight last November.

Other additions to the line-up announced today for Vantastival 2019 include Join Me In The Pines, the side project of Dave Geraghty from Bell X1, who is joined by Marc Aubele and Tim O’Donovan (aka Neosupervital) in creating a new upbeat funky sound; grit-pop duo Thanks Brother, a musical partnership between Róisín Ó and former Miracle Bell frontman John Broe – they are interviewed in the new issuer of Hot Press, which hit the streets today; and Irish reggae act Topso, formerly known as The Barley Mob, who return to the festival due to popular demand after several years hiatus.

The Vantastival organisers had already announced as fine line-up, with excellent Irish its like King Kong Company, Wallis Bird, David Keenan and others announced before Christmas. David Keenan was among the breakthrough performers in the Hot Press Readers Poll, the results of which were announced today. Tellingly, King Kong’s reputation as a brilliant live act was also confirmed in the poll, where they were voted No.3 Live Act, behind only Picture This and U2.

They will also will also now be joined on this year’s festival bill by critically acclaimed button accordion player Sharon Shannon, Northern Ireland Music Prize’s best emerging artist Roe who is freshly back from a UK tour with Snow Patrol and Kodaline, as well as the highly rated Pillow Queens and We Cut Corners. Many more fantastic acts are yet to be revealed and will be added to the programme in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Firestone have been confirmed as title sponsor for what is the tenth anniversary Vantastival festival.