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'Pinch yourself moment' as 12-year-old DJs at festival

Mike McBride
BBC News NI
Kerry O'Kane Fionn is seen in a grey jumper with a pair of headphones on. He is at a DJ booth with a number of green lights behind him. He is mixin and staring at the decks. Kerry O'Kane

At 12 years old, DJ Fionn says he is more than ready to perform at one of Northern Ireland's biggest independent music and arts festivals.

Fionn O'Kane's passion for DJing began at just two years old after his dad gave him his first set of decks.

The young musician has already turned heads with his talent on the turntables in his hometown of Limavady, and is now preparing for his biggest gig to date.

He is on the line-up at this year's Stendhal Festival in County Londonderry, joining The Lightning Seeds, Brit Award–winning singer-songwriter Kate Nash, Joshua Burnside, and one of Fionn's DJ idols, Mark McCabe.

From school halls to Stendhal

"My dad has always done a bit of DJing, so I grew up with it, and I used to watch YouTube videos of DJs when I was younger, and that's where it just started for me," Fionn told BBC News NI.

"Like my dad, I like all sorts of music, a bit of everything, but mostly I like to listen to things like house and techno and that's the genre of music I play."

Fionn said one of his first "official gigs" was at Termoncanice Primary School when he performed at his school assembly hall as part of a Christmas event in front of all his classmates and teachers.

A younger Fionn O'Kane is pictured wearing a white polo shirt and a pair of black of headphones around his neck. He is mixing and is staring down at a laptop and a controller
One of Fionn's first "gigs" was performing for classmates and teachers at his primary school

He said performing at Stendhal will be his biggest performance yet and he cannot wait to take to the stage in front of a large crowd.

"I have most of the set finished already, I am just tweaking the last few things for it," he said with a big smile.

Fionn said that he and his family always loved going to Stendhal, and being on the billing was a real "pinch yourself" moment.

Parents only told after application sent

After coming across an advert on social media, the 12-year-old put his name forward to be a part of the festival line-up

"I applied more in hope than anything else," he admitted.

And he only told his parents, Andy and Kerry O'Kane, after he had submitted the application.

Fionn said they are incredibly supportive of his DJing, provided it doesn't interfere with his schoolwork.

As well as being very excited to perform his own set, he is also really looking forward to seeing Irish DJ and producer Mark McCabe take to the Stendahl stage.

"I really like his music, especially Maniac 2000, it's a massive tune."

What is Stendhal?

Now in its 15th year, Stendhal Festival, is an annual event featuring music, comedy, dance, poetry, workshops and family-friendly fun.

Its name is a reference to Stendhal syndrome - a psychological condition resulting in dizziness experienced by people exposed to things of great beauty.

The festival, which runs from 4 to 6 July, is taking place at Ballymully Cottage Farm in Roe Valley, outside Limavady.

The Lightning Seeds performing on the Other Stage at Glastonbury Festival 2023 on Friday 23 June 2023
The Lightning Seeds, who are performing at Stendal this year, have twice topped the UK singles chart

The festival bill this year also includes comedian Ed Byrne, country singer Lisa McHugh, and electronic group The Orb.

DJ Fionn will be performing on Friday on the Woolly Woodland stage, and you can see a full line-up of all the acts performing at this year's Stendhal Festival here.

A number of BBC Radio Ulster programmes will be broadcasting from the festival, including a special programme with Vinny and Cate, Your Place and Mine with Eve Blair, and Sunday with Anna Curran.