Cork County Hall to Host Cross-Border Youth Showcase for Cruinniú na nÓg
Young people from Cork, Lurgan, and Portadown perform at Cork County Hall on 6th June as part of Cruinniú na nÓg 2026.
Cork County Hall will be the setting on Saturday, 6th June, as young people from Cork, Lurgan, and Portadown come together for a cross-border creative showcase as part of the national Cruinniú na nÓg 2026 celebrations.
The event marks a key milestone in the Cork County Comhairle na nÓg Shared Island Cruinniú na nÓg Project 2026, bringing approximately 55 young people from diverse cultural and community backgrounds across the island of Ireland together under one roof.
Supported by six youth workers and a professional artist facilitator, participants have been collaborating through theatre and music to explore themes of identity, culture, and shared experience. The showcase will feature original performances developed during a three-day creative residency in Cork, running from 5th to 7th June.
The project took its first steps at Greenhill YMCA in April, where participants met for the first time to build trust and lay the foundations for their creative work together. The Cork residency deepens those connections ahead of a final gathering in Northern Ireland later in June, which will focus on evaluation, reflection, and future youth-led collaboration.
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, welcomed the event, saying:
"This initiative showcases how young people from across the island can come together through creativity to build connections, celebrate diversity, and share their voices in a powerful and collaborative way. I am looking forward to seeing the results of this project in County Hall."
Through theatre and music, participants have been encouraged to express themselves, build confidence, and engage meaningfully with peers from different backgrounds.
