Kinsale, Ireland – 12th June 2026. Kinsale Arts Weekend has officially launched its full 2026 programme of events. Running from 9th to 12th July 2026, this 10th anniversary year presents a specially curated line-up guided by the theme Immrama, an ancient Irish word for voyage tales where the sea serves as a living vessel for fate, memory and imagination. Over four days, the town of Kinsale transforms into a stage, inviting audiences, artists and visitors to experience a packed schedule of over 50 events of music, theatre, film, visual art, literature and dance.
Speaking at the launch, Anna Mulcahy, Chairperson of Kinsale Arts Weekend, said: "Over the past ten years, we have grown into a landmark cultural event, a journey made possible by the unwavering support of our community. This year, we focus on the power of the collective voice, celebrating the people who have journeyed to and from these shores, enriching our artistic landscape.” Lisa O'Brien, Festival Curator, added: "Finding pieces that capture the emotional weight of Immrama has led us to incredible collaborations. Bringing world-class art into intimate, unconventional spaces is at the core of what we do. I invite our audiences to embark on their own voyage, explore something completely new, and most importantly, enjoy the magic of Kinsale."
Event Highlights The 2026 festival programme boasts a curated selection of performances anchored by the journey theme.
The Lament for Art O'Leary (Saturday 11th July), in collaboration with Joseph Walsh Studio, is a keening and contemporary operatic reimagining of one of Ireland's most powerful expressions of grief, love and defiance. Featuring a haunting score by composer Irene Buckley and text by poet Vona Groarke, audiences will experience an open-air introduction to keening by Professor Tríona Ní Shíocháin before moving indoors for an atmospheric opera concert featuring powerhouse sopranos Emma Nash and Kim Sheehan.
The intimate setting of St. Catherine's Cultural Centre will host a deeply emotive and powerful solo performance by master of the concertina Cormac Begley (Sunday 12th July). Performing across a remarkable range of instruments from bass to piccolo, his live show promises an elemental and immersive musical experience.
Artist Jennie Moran brings her touring project GHOSTIS: Celebrating the Origins of Welcome to the Methodist Church (Friday 10th July). This joyful, thought-provoking live panel discussion explores the customs, rituals and philosophy of hospitality across cultures.
On Friday, audiences are invited to dip into a live recording of the UCC Radio podcast, Rí Rá Mná, celebrating women's voices. Hosts Sinéad Moynihan and Susan Brown are joined by cold-water swimmer and author Gilly McArthur, alongside a performance by Kinsale’s all-female Sound Waves Choir. This is a unique gathering of conversation, song and connection.
Film The 2026 programme features a significant focus on the screen, using film to bridge the gap between forgotten history and modern connection.
In a deeply moving highlight, screened within the historic Gunpowder Room at Charles Fort renowned artist Dorothy Cross shares Kinship, the story of an Egyptian man, mummified 2,000 years ago, who spent a century at University College Cork before his return to Cairo in 2024. This piece explores the concepts of guardianship and fellowship, mirroring the exile and displacement of millions today. (Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July).
A re-evaluation of Peig Sayers will be shared by Sinéad Ní Uallacháin through her screening and Q&A of her film Peig. Ní Uallacháin presents a vibrant, witty, and talented storyteller, correcting the narrative of one of Ireland’s most misunderstood cultural icons. (Saturday 11th July)
Filmmaker Darina Clancy screens a powerful short film project exploring overlooked stories of historic Irish women, presented in Irish with translations provided, followed by a discussion with journalist Clodagh Finn. (Sunday 12th July)
Kinsale-born filmmaker Thomas Beug screens three award-winning short documentaries (A Small Fortress, Hangar B and The Swimmer), followed by an audience Q&A during Films at the Friary (Saturday 11th July).
This year will also see OHK café in the town transform after dark into an intimate experimental cinema space curated by filmmakers Maximilian and Sheilah Le Cain.
Performance On Sunday, 12th July a unique play, Jane Austen: First Woman to Swim the Channel, presents Austen as you’ve never seen her before, soaked to the bone and swearing at ducks.
The acclaimed Welsh Lighthouse Theatre Company presents two intimate solo performances: The Many Lives of Amy Dillwyn, profiling a cigar-smoking independent trailblazer and Reminiscences of Childhood, a tender journey drawing on the wartime writings of Dylan Thomas.
A lively, participatory pirate adventure, The Sea Shanties & Salty Tales, at Blacks Brewery features maritime storytelling and classic sea shanties sung with gusto as Gaeilge. (Saturday 11th July)
Exhibition
The town of Kinsale turns into a street gallery as local shop windows host unique artworks and photographs inspired by the Immrama theme.
Kinsale Library will provide the location for an exhibition by Eilís O'Connell titled Happenstance: Variations. Visitors can also attend a dedicated Artist Talk on Friday 10th July.
The Studio at Home Trail offers a rare glimpse inside intimate local workspaces on Saturday and Sunday, whilst the Ballycatteen Artist Studio Encounters on Sunday invites visitors into an evolving rural, artist-led studio project.
A showcase of new work by graduating art students at Kinsale College Campus titled Chaos and Creation features painting, drawing, textiles, print, fibre art, sculpture and ceramics, a rich mix of ideas and approaches from a new generation of artists. In addition, workshops at Kinsale Campus allow audiences to learn more about creative processes including fermentation, writing and jewellery making.
Audience participation is a key part of the festival this year. Audiences can turn away from their phones and busy their fingers with an embroidery workshop. The perfect, productive and calming antidote to doom scrolling.
Family-friendly events always feature as part of the weekend, including free outdoor acrobatic performances, and child-led art workshops.
Movement An tAthrú (The Changeover) invites the audience to travel through public spaces with a progressive performance. Blending live musicians with ballet, traditional Irish dance and contemporary choreography, this high-energy performance physically carries the spirit of transformation through the streets before culminating in a lively, communal Céilí for all attendees. (Sunday 12th July)
A processional, walking theatre performance by Thinking Image Theatre Company, Come and Go by Samuel Beckett, moves audiences between Kinsale Library, the Methodist Church and The Tap Tavern. (10th and 11th July).
A Sustainable Voyage
In line with the theme of Immrama, the festival is committed to environmental responsibility, weaving sustainability through the 2026 programme to protect our shared waters.
Kinsale Arts Weekend is made possible thanks to our volunteers, Festival Friends, and funding from the Arts Council and Cork County Council.
To view the complete 2026 programme and secure tickets, please visit www.kinsaleartsweekend.com
Photo: Anna Mulcahy, Chairperson, Kinsale Arts Weekend; Lisa O'Brien, Festival Curator, Kinsale Arts Weekend; Erin Connally, Artist who painted the programme cover art, and Irene Buckley, Composer, pictured at the launch of the Kinsale Arts Weekend 2026 programme at the Temperance Hall in Kinsale.
Picture: Michael O'Sullivan / OSM PHOTO
