Irish fans of The Waterboys were left disappointed on Sunday night when the band cancelled their show at a festival in Donegal, citing "health and safety reasons". However, the band insist that they made the correct decision, not going ahead with the gig.

The band was just about to take the stage at the Fomhair Festival in Gaoth Dobhair. After experiencing technical difficulties, it was announced that the show was cancelled due to power supply issues and high winds.

"It was not safe," frontman Mike Scott tweeted shortly afterwards. "We apologise to all who came to the show and are disappointed."

Fans at the gig were reportedly left in the dark and had to be told the news that the band would not be playing by a promoter 45 minutes after it was due to start.

There was an inevitable reaction online and on phone-in shows on radio. One attendee on RTE's Liveline said on Monday that "It was very disappointing, having looked forward to it for weeks now. People travelled from all around.

"It was a wet and windy night, as you get in the west of Ireland as Mike Scott and The Waterboys would know having spent time in Spiddal for many years and coming from Scotland."

Festival organiser Shane Barr also called in to the show. "From our end," he said, "everybody was ready to go… I felt I was left to deal with a situation the band created. We had the go-ahead from our health and safety officers and the tent company and unfortunately, the band refused to go back on."

Mike Scott since has said that he has received "online abuse" from those that "don't have the facts" following the event.

Tonight's show st Fomhair Festival in Geeedore has had to be cancelled for health and safety reasons and power supply problems. It was not safe. We apologise to all who came to the show and are disappointed.

— Mike Scott (@MickPuck) October 31, 2021

To be honest I think some of the online abusers and complainers are only too ready to blame bands/artists and project onto us their fantasies of "arrogant pop stars" without considering that we are human beings who in this case took responsibility for public safety. https://t.co/Y7eMzJpXqp

— Mike Scott (@MickPuck) November 1, 2021