Festivals: love them or hate them, they take over summer in Ireland each year with music, theatre, comedy, literature and more. Between them, the 63 events in this guide take place around the country, for audiences young and old. Before they kick-off, there’s still time to catch Dublin Dance Festival, Cellissimo and International Literature Festival Dublin, which end this weekend. Bealtaine, the nationwide celebration of arts and creativity, runs until Friday.
MAY
Blackwater Valley Opera Festival
May 27th-June 3rd
Opera, classical concerts and more at historic venues in Lismore, Youghal, Dungarvan and Castlemartyr. Four performances of Handel’s Giulio Cesare, in the grounds of Lismore Castle, in Co Waterford, feature the Irish Baroque Orchestra and the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival Chorus. blackwatervalleyopera.ie
Listowel Writers’ Week
May 29th-June 2nd
Readings, book launches, conversations, screenings, musical performances, workshops and children’s events. writersweek.ie
Kilkenny Cat Laughs
May 31st-June 3rd
Long-running comedy festival features Irish and international comics in venues across the city. thecatlaughs.com
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JUNE
Live at the Marquee
Until June 25th
This Cork series features Tom Odell, Mick Flannery, Lyra, Christy Moore, Ne-Yo, Bryan Adams, Damien Dempsey, blk., John Bishop, Bicep, Van Morisson and more. aikenpromotions.com
Sea Bangor
June 1st-2nd
Beach activities, funfair rides, food demos, food-and-drink stalls, hot-food trucks, ice cream and an outdoor bar, with entertainment from the Leading Ladies and Soda Popz. Local teams will compete for the rowing cup on June 1st. visitardsandnorthdown.com
When Next We Meet
June 1st-2nd
Billed as a small-scale concert series with a big heart, these Clonmel events feature Ye Vagabonds, Bell X1, Susan O’Neill, Cormac Looby, Rachael Lavelle and The Line. whennextwemeet.ie
Forbidden Fruit
June 1st-2nd
Nelly Furtado, Four Tet and Bicep kick will perform as part of two days of music and art in the grounds of Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin. forbiddenfruit.ie
UCD Festival
June 8th
More than 130 free events at University College Dublin’s Belfield campus, including special guest author Kit de Waal in conversation with RTÉ broadcaster Rick O’Shea. Zones are dedicated to science and innovation, engineering and technology, biotech, discovery, culture and family fun, with sensory-friendly spaces for those with neurodiverse needs. festival.ucd.ie
Dublin International Chamber Music Festival
June 4th-9th
World premieres, a family concert, music from South Africa and a piano project in collaboration with five Irish pianists and 10 trailblazing women. dicmf.com
Galway Folk Festival
June 5th-9th
More than 50 events across Galway city showcasing folk, roots and traditional music. The line-up includes Declan O’Rourke, Beth Orton, Amble, Eleanor Shanley & Mike Hanrahan, Niamh Bury, David Murphy and Ímar. galwayfolkfestival.com
Carlow Arts Festival
June 5th-9th
Dance, literature, circus, spectacle, music, theatre, cinema and visual arts. The opening night features Pelat, an outdoor interactive show by the Spanish artist Joan Català, in the grounds of Carlow College. carlowartsfestival.ie
Bulmers Live at Leopardstown
Thursday evenings in July & August
Bulmers Live at Leopardstown offers five days of horse racing followed by live entertainment from artists including Spice Girl Melanie C, hitmaker Bonnie Tyler, trad-house group Chasing Abbey, Irish album chart topper Lyra and Hermitage Green. leopardstown.com/bulmerslive
Borris House Festival of Writing & Ideas
June 7th-9th
Weekend gathering in the grounds of the Co Carlow house, featuring historians, activists, musicians, journalists, environmentalists and literary minds. festivalofwritingandideas.com
In the Meadows
June 8th
New one-day event at Royal Hospital Kilmainham features headliners and co-curators Lankum in their only Dublin show of 2024, plus Mogwai, Black Country, New Road, John Francis Flynn and This Is the Kit. pod.ie
Cork Carnival of Science
June 8th-9th
Live science shows offering family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, street cuisine and live entertainment. corkcity.ie
Otherside Festival
June 8th and June 22nd
Otherside are running two events this summer, both at Rock Farm in Slane, Co Meath. The One in the Woods, on June 8th, has music from Fjaak, Yasmin Gardezi and Franck. Soundmate31, on June 22nd, will feature Kolter, Emma B, LP Rhythm and Matthias. othersidefestival.ie
Bloomsday Festival
June 11th-16th
This celebration of James Joyce and his novel Ulysses, organised by the James Joyce Centre, takes place across Dublin city. Events include a musical celebration of Ulysses, art exhibitions, walking tours and a teatime talk on Henrietta Street in the age of Joyce. bloomsdayfestival.ie
Cork Midsummer Festival
June 12th-23rd
Theatre, visual art, dance and film by Irish and international artists, including Tino Sehgal, Kamchàtka, Dead Centre with Emilie Pine, Deirdre Kinahan, Lost Dog, Emma Martin/United Fall, Landmark Productions, Isadora Epstein, Davey Moore, Graffiti Theatre Company, Elaine McCague and Laura Murphy. corkmidsummer.com
Dalkey Book Festival
June 13th-16th
The writers and thinkers descending on the Co Dublin seaside town this year include Paul Lynch, Colm Tóibín, Claire Keegan, Anne Enright, Paul Murray, Kevin Barry, Donal Ryan, Elaine Feeney, Jan Carson, John Boyne, Victoria Kennefick, Colin Barrett, Nuala O’Connor, Mary Costello, Ferdia Lennon and Sinéad Gleeson. dalkeybookfestival.org
Waterford International Organ Festival
June 13th-16th
Includes six concerts centred around Hamburg and Parisian composers, notably honouring Gabriel Fauré, Théodore Dubois and Matthias Weckmann. visitwaterford.com
The Yes Festival
June 13th-16th
All-female international arts festival inspired by Molly Bloom, from Ulysses. Includes family-friendly and free events in theatre, dance, visual arts, film, textiles and music, at locations across Derry and north Co Donegal. yesderry.com
Lovely Music
June 14th-15th
Highlights of Louth Contemporary Music Society’s 10th annual festival, in Dundalk, include Robert Ashley: Crash, which opens the festival; for The Bar, the Varispeed Collective will be joined by Seán Carpio, Caoimhe Hopkinson and Steve Welsh. louthcms.org
Cruinniú na nÓg
June 15th
Circus workshops, rap recitals and youth-theatre taster workshops nationwide. cruinniu.creativeireland.gov.ie
Pipeworks International Organ and Choral Festival
June 19th-23rd
Marking the centenary of the death of the Irish composer Charles Villiers Stanford, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra will be performing a programme that includes Stanford’s dramatic Stabat Mater and the Irish premiere of Percy Whitlock’s Symphony in G minor for organ and orchestra, featuring Daniel Moult. pipeworks.ie
Beyond the Pale
June 21st-23rd
Acts at this music and arts festival at Glendalough Estate, in Co Wicklow, include Jungle, Jessie Ware, Soulwax, Richie Hawtin and Thievery Corporation. itsbeyondthepale.ie
Galway Ukulele Festival
June 21st-23rd
Three days of concerts, workshops, street performances, competitions, flash mobs and more. galwayukefest.com
Sea Sessions
June 21st-23rd
Bundoran festival features headliners blk., Cian Ducrot and Johnny Marr, plus Jazzy, Jake Bugg, Lea Heart, Bricknasty, Kelly-Anne Byrne and Jen Payne. seasessions.com
Tunefest
June 21st-23rd
Trad music festival in the harbour town of Dungarvan, Co Waterford, brings together musicians and singers from Ireland and overseas with Grammy-nominated group Cherish the Ladies, Talisk and Danú in concert alongside pub session trails, street busking, CD launches, recitals and open-air gig rig workshops. tunefest.ie
Malahide Castle summer concerts
June 21st-July 7th
Headliners at these north Co Dublin gigs include Take That, LCD Soundsystem, Shania Twain, SZA, Nicki Minaj and Arcade Fire. mcd.ie
Hinterland
June 27th-30th
Literature, politics, sport, lifestyle and children’s fiction in Kells, Co Meath, featuring Anne Enright reading from her latest novel, The Wren, the Wren; a Where’s Wally treasure hunt; and the veteran BBC investigative journalist Peter Taylor. hinterland.ie
Foyle Maritime Festival
June 27th-30th
The river Foyle is the backdrop of this Derry festival, with more than 120,000 people expected to attend as Visual Spectrum provides a laser display on Saturday that will be visible from locations along the Foyle before the Dusk Chorus that evening. There will be live music from local musicians, a show of tall ships on the water, fireworks, and water- and land-based activities. The quayside will become a maritime village featuring vintage fairground rides, live music, the culinary delights of the LegenDerry Food Village, the Maritime and Merchant Markets, Big Wheel, water taster sessions and more. foylemaritime.com
Night & Day
June 28th-30th
Performance, art and interaction at Lough Key Forest Park, in Co Roscommon. Featuring Bell X1, Damien Dempsey, The Undertones, Mick Flannery, Ash, Gemma Hayes, The 4 of Us, The Frank and Walters, Nialler9 and more. The festival includes a family zone with dance workshops, baby boppers, foraging, pottery painting and face painting. nightandday.ie
Kaleidoscope
June 28th-30th
The Kooks, Lyra, The Waterboys, Block Rockin Beats and King Kong Company headline the three-day family festival. kaleidoscopefestival.ie
Donegal Town Summer Festival
June 28th-30th
With headliners Gavin James, Block Rockin Beats and Derek Ryan; plus Lavengro, Seán Magee, All Folk’d Up, The Logues, Darren Boot, The Seeger Session Revival, Onóir and Encór Tír Chonaill. govisitdonegal.com
West Cork Chamber Music Festival
June 28th-July 7th
Bantry hosts one of Europe’s premiere chamber-music festivals. westcorkmusic.ie
Clonmel Junction Arts Festival
June 28th-July 7th
Delving into photography, theatre, music, dance and architecture to start conversations about what lies ahead for artists and the arts in Clonmel. Featuring a Fidelio Trio concert celebrating the work of Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, plus a live premiere of Iseli-Chiodi Dance Company’s Turnstile, commissioned by Tipperary Museum of Hidden History for the Bloody Sunday centenary. junctionfestival.com
Longitude
June 29th-30th
Acts at this festival in Marlay Park, Dublin, include Central Cee, Doja Cat, Becky Hill, 21 Savage, Belters Only, blk., Joel Corry, Jazzy, Sonny Fodera and D-Block Europe. longitude.ie
JULY
Iveagh Gardens gigs
July 4th-21st
This Dublin series features Van Morrison, Sugababes, Glen Hansard, Dropkick Murphys, Christy Moore, Pillow Queens, Passenger, Phoenix, Damien Dempsey and Paloma Faith. aikenpromotions.com
Irish Youth Dance Festival
July 6th-7th
Including a collaboration with Irish National Youth Ballet, bringing together young dancers aged up to 25. dublinyouthdance.com
Cairde Sligo Arts Festival
July 6th-13th
Including literary events with Adania Shibli in conversation with Louise Kennedy, street theatre by Joan Català, Chloe Loftus and Rodney Bell, and music by Boubacar Traoré. cairdefestival.com
Willie Clancy Summer School
July 6th-14th
Traditional music, song and dance in Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, with instrument and dance classes, lectures, workshops and céilithe. scoilsamhraidhwillieclancy.com
Galway Film Fleadh
July 9th-14th
This international festival brings together audiences and film-makers from around the world. Plus Junior Film Fleadh screenings and events, with Kneecap opening and Palestine selected as the country of focus. galwayfilmfleadh.com
Sult Féile
July 12th-13th
Music festival in the heart of the Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht, Co Donegal, features performances from Example, Bell X1, Alabama 3, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Kimmic and Welshy. sultfeile.ie
West Cork Literary Festival
July 12th-19th
Workshops, readings, events for children and more, all in Bantry. Featuring Anne Enright, Colm Tóibín, Miriam Margolyes, Caleb Azumah Nelson, Adania Shibli and David Nicholls. westcorkmusic.ie
Earagail Arts Festival
July 13th-28th
Music, theatre, visual arts, film, literature, circus and more in Co Donegal. Including performances by Muireann Bradley and Boyfriends by Ultan Pringle, a pop-up Gaeltacht, circus arts of Catalunya, the traditions of Tory and stories of Arranmore. eaf.ie
Volvo Cork Week
July 15th-19th
More than 200 boats and 10,000 sailors and spectators will descend on the harbour town of Crosshaven for the biennial regatta and festival of maritime culture where visitors come together to share their passion for the sea. corkweek.ie
Galway International Arts Festival
July 15th-28th
Irish and international theatre, opera, circus and visual arts. The Heineken Big Top includes gigs by Passenger, The Saw Doctors, Kneecap, Block Rockin Beats, Jess Glynne, Kettama and Gavin James. Theatre includes Reunion by Mark O’Rowe, Unspeakable Conversations by Christian O’Reilly and As We Face the Sun by Kit Withington. giaf.ie
Forest Fest
July 19th-21st
The Co Laois festival features music from The Cult, The Human League, Ocean Colour Scene and The Divine Comedy, among others, plus family entertainment, circus and street theatre, drumming workshops, street food, craft beers, a cocktail bar and a funfair. forestfest.ie
Ulster Fleadh
July 21st-28th
Dromore, Co Tyrone hosts the Ulster Fleadh once more, with concerts and traditional sessions galore. Lead performers include The Whistlin’ Donkeys, Daoirí Farrell, the Knockmore Céilí Band and the Blackwater Céilí Band facebook.com/FleadhUlster/
Belfast TradFest
July 21st-28th
Traditional-music concerts, pub sessions and céilithe, plus a trad summer school with workshops, talks and lectures. belfasttradfest.com
Mary from Dungloe International Arts Festival
July 27th-August 5th
Community-based, family-friendly festival with a wide variety of musical, cultural, sporting and artistic events, as well as the Mary from Dungloe competition, for which Irish diaspora communities from around the world nominate a young woman to represent their area. The winner, who holds the title for a year, acts as an ambassador for the festival, Dungloe and Donegal. Featuring performances from Daniel O’Donnell, Onóir and Humble Earthworms. maryfromdungloe.ie
AUGUST
All Together Now
August 1st-4th
The line-up at Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford, includes The Prodigy, The National, Jorja Smith, Róisín Murphy, Future Islands, James Vincent McMorrow, The Mary Wallopers, Natasha Bedingfield and Kingfishr, alongside Tommy Tiernan and Panty Bliss at Brunch on the Bandstand. alltogethernow.ie
Healing Spirit Festival
August 2nd-4th
An alcohol- and drug-free music, art, food and holistic festival in Cavan’s lakelands. drummanyspirit.com
Spraoi International Street Arts Festival
August 2nd-4th
Hundreds of artists and musicians from around the world perform in a festival headlined by the parade for more than 20,000 spectators on Waterford city’s medieval streets. spraoi.com
Birr Vintage Week & Arts Festival
August 2nd-10th
Visual arts, theatre, music, street theatre, pop-up performers, workshops, exhibitions and more, together with a range of community events. birrvintageweek.com
Kilkenny Arts Festival
August 8th-18th
Includes the Irish premiere of Jóhann Jóhannsson’s Drone Mass, Irish Chamber Orchestra’s premiere of a new work by Errollyn Wallen, and a European premiere double bill from Irish National Opera. kilkennyarts.ie
Waterford Walls
August 9th-18th
Ireland’s largest international street-art festival features spectacular murals, plus workshops and guided tours. wallsproject.ie
Cork on a Fork Fest
August 14th-18th
A five-day showcase of culinary excellence. corkcity.ie
Chamber Music on Valentia
August 15th-18th
The pianist Mary Dullea curates four days of concerts, workshops and opportunities to work with the festival’s international musicians. chambermusiconvalentia.com
Electric Picnic
August 16th-18th
Ireland’s best-known weekend music festival takes over the grounds of Stradbally Hall, in Co Laois. Acts include headliners Noah Kahan, Calvin Harris and Kylie Minogue, alongside Gerry Cinnamon, Kodaline, Raye, The Wolfe Tones, Kneecap, Jazzy and more. electricpicnic.ie
Masters of Tradition
August 21st-25th
Musicians across the spectrum of Irish traditional music perform in Bantry, west Cork, curated by the fiddle player Martin Hayes. westcorkmusic.ie
Dunmore East Festival of Bluegrass
August 22nd-25th
The Co Waterford town provides a seaside backdrop for the celebration of bluegrass and country music. discoverdunmore.com
Another Love Story
August 23rd-25th
Music, art, conversation, food and more at 18th-century Killyon Manor, Co Meath. Featuring Grandbrothers, Muireann Bradley, Mildlife, Leafar Legov and Colleen “Cosmo” Murphy, among others. anotherlovestory.ie
Wider Than Pictures
23rd - 27th August
Series of shows in the courtyard of Collins Barracks in Dublin featuring artists including James Blunt, The The and Deacon Blue. widerthanpictures.ie
Desmond O’Halloran Music Weekend
August 30th-September 1st
Traditional, roots and folk sessions from young and established Bofin, Connemara and Galway musicians, plus notable friends and guests. inishbofin.com
SEPTEMBER
Dublin Fringe Festival
September 7th-22nd
Hundreds of performers in dozens of shows, many of them premieres. fringefest.com
