Just like Christmas, it’s never too early to make holiday plans. Craggy Island, anyone?

Born in a storm of drink, fancy dress and sporting events, Ted Fest 8 lives! On the books for early 2014, Feb 27 – March 2 2014 to be exact, the fest gives Father Ted aficionados a chance to meet every year at the end of February on a small island in the Atlantic. While Craggy Island is, technically, the fictional home of  Father Ted, the popular comedy created by Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, a group called The Friends of Father Ted decided years ago that Craggy Island should not only exist but it should be the gathering place for fanatical fans of the series from around the world.
 

 
How do you get to ‘Craggy Island’ you might be asking? Just head out of Galway and go slightly north until you see the English boats with the nuclear symbol on the side. Craggy Island is sometimes also known as Inis Mor. For people without their own boat these people will help you get there by sea.

If God wanted us to fly he would have put the airports nearer the cities. Nevertheless Craggy Island International Airport has regular transit links to downtown Kilronan where the festival begins and ending in Inishmore, the largest of the Aran islands. Interestingly, in 2007, the first year of the fest, Inisheer objected to Inishmore’s giving itself airs as ‘the real Craggy Island’, and they actually held a football match to decide who had the right to the title. Inishmore won.

Having never been, one can only hope it’s as much fun as Craggy Island’s Funland… How can it help but not be. Tedfest is the brainchild of TV producer and events organizer, Peter Philips, who also runs an Elvis festival, a Priscilla, Queen of the Desert drag-queen festival and will soon preside over Ireland’s first rockabilly festival.