Lily Allen is all set for Clones

The big news for this year's Flat Lake Festival is that Lily Allen is set to perform 'He Drinks Tequila' on stage with Irish easy-listening sensation, Crystal Swing. An intrigued Sinead Hogan had to find out a little more from the London popstar described as 'the voice of her generation'... Q. The Flat Lake Festival is Pat McCabe and Kevin Allen's contribution to regenerating this rural area on the Irish border. As a Londoner, what are your impressions of rural and border Ireland and where have your impressions stemmed from? A. I'm afraid I know very little about the border region of Ireland but I learn more and more each time I visit my uncle Kev [Kevin Allen] and his family in Scotshouse. What hits the most though is just how staggeringly beautiful the countryside is and how genuine and friendly people seem to be. Q. You haven't been to the Flat Lake Festival yet, but you might have heard about it from your father and your uncle? Have they given you a taste of it and are you looking forward to it? A. Judging by what I've seen on Facebook though, it looks like an amazing weekend. Having toured some of the big music festivals over the last year or so that are hugely sponsored and sort of all the same, I'm looking forward to visiting one where I can relax and enjoy what looks like an incredibly varied line up. Q. Have you started learning 'He Drinks Tequila' yet and do you plan to re-arrange it to your own taste? A. Of course I'm practising... ish... and no, I wouldn't dream of tampering with their arrangement. It's... um... unique. Q. As someone described on your own website as "contrary, contradictory, occasionally catty, always compelling... Britain's most consistently engaged and engaging pop star... a smart-mouthed, wide-eyed, pretty post-teen in a pink prom dress and box-fresh Nike trainers, fluoro make-up and huge hoop earrings", do you think you and Cork family band Crystal Swing are an unlikely pairing on the stage? A. Well I suppose so, yeah... because I don't exactly do weddings, do I? But who knows? Maybe they'll be playing the 02 this time next year, and why not? If I can do it, anyone can. Q. Which of your own songs would you like Crystal Swing to perform and why? A. It has to be 'It's Not Fair'... Just the thought of that young lad singing 'wet patch in the middle of the bed' - with his mum standing right behind him. How cool is that! Q. Are you worried that you might get stuck in Co. Monaghan because of the volcanic ash from Iceland... or would you be happy to get away from it all in rural Ireland for a while? A. Nah! If that bloody cloud appears we're already planning to just jump in the car and get on the ferry... • The Flat Lake Festival runs in Hilton Park, Clones over the bank holiday weekend, June 4-6. This year's artistes include The Wire's Dominic West reading extracts from The Dubliner Diaries, Dermot Healy, Eoin McNamee, Brian Kelly, Brian Layden, Anne Enright, Jennifer Johnson, Declan Hughes, Brian McGilloway, Declan Burke, Claudia Carroll, Mike McCormack and Brock Norman Brock. For the Sunday night country and western showcase there's Larry Cunningham, Shaun Loughey, Cathy Durkin, Philomena Begley and The Ben Sisters, and Cillian Murphy will be DJ again. Other music includes Fiddler Oriel, Larry Beau, The Church Hill Silver Band, Jack L and Aidan Coleman. Weekend tickets cost €100 including three nights' camping. Daily tickets are €45 (€25 for Friday evening). Concessions are available for students and OAPs, and children under 12 are free. See theflatlakefestival.com or telephone 047-38162.