God proves he has all the best tunes as Christian music festival rocks Wicklow

ROCK MUSIC, picnics in the Wicklow sunshine, young people gyrating to the sound of indie, pop and funk, the Glenealy valley in Co Wicklow came alive yesterday for the first MAD music festival - a rock concert with a difference.

MAD 2008, short for Making a Difference 2008, was a rock festival for Christians. It was all you would expect from a rock festival bar the alcohol and mud.

For eight hours an estimated 1,600 people wandered around the mown grass of Susan Phillips's eventing fields at Ballinacoola, listening to the bands from the US, UK and Canada.

With award-winning Irish DJ Niall Redmond and London-based Roly Miller on decks, young Irish band Elation warming the way and Irish breakdance group Donking R belting out across the valley, even the rain didn't have the courage to interrupt.

As The Irish Timesarrived the beat was in full swing - it took several minutes to realise the words were the hymn How Great Thou Art. Outside the tent Jeremy Chipperfield and his wife Susanne from Ballycullen were chatting with Jane Handley also from Ballycullen. Why is everyone from Ballycullen, we asked? "It is where our church is," said Jane. "We heard of the concert through our church, the Trinity Church Network, we heard lots about it," said Susanne. "It is a pop concert, it is not that unusual," said Jeremy.

Inside the tent 22-year-old Shell Perris - think Kelly Clarkson - was talking to RTÉ's Ronan Johnson about tackling real-life and world issues with aggressive lyrics and driving rhythms.

Other acts included 24-year-old Canadian star Ben Cantelon who played his first-ever Irish gig fronting Soul Survivor.

US-born Tre Sheppard fronted the rock'n'roll adventure that is Onehundredhours.

"It is designed to rock your perceptions of Christian music - and aims to help you change the way you think about your world," said event organiser and spokesman Stuart Kenny.

"It is fun," declared Teri Dunham from northern California, currently doing a one-year internship with the Church of the Nazarine in Greystones. She was enjoying herself with Esther Stevenson from Shankill, and Sophie Mullen and Luke Murray from Greystones. "It is a way to worship and have fun - worshipping God is fun," said Esther.

Next year the festival will be over two or three days with overnight camping, modelled on niche festivals in the UK and aimed at 15-30-year-olds.

"It is our first year and it came together fantastically well in eight weeks," said Mr Kenny.