Culture Night 2026 to Bring More Than 150 Free Events to Cork County

Cork County Council will present more than 150 free events across towns, villages and islands throughout the county as part of Culture Night 2026, taking place on Friday, 18 September.

Highlights include a fire show at Mallow Castle and contemporary traditional music at Gougane Barra Church. This year's programme places a spotlight on musical talent from across the county, bringing performances to unexpected and unique locations.

In Skibbereen, Ar n'Áit will take over the town with performances at The Rock outdoor amphitheatre and its intimate venue space, showcasing Congolese rumba, Afrobeat and live electronic music. At Gougane Barra, musician David Murphy will perform traditional music on pedal steel guitar.

Niall McCabe will perform at St Mary's Church, Youghal, while Leevy, a five-piece band from the Múscraí Gaeltacht, will play O'Mahony's Bar, Watergrasshill. In Schull, singer-songwriter Ger Wolfe will perform in An Tigín.

Classical music fans can enjoy Kantos Quartet at St James's Church, Mallow, Meliora Quartet at St Brendan's Church, Bantry, and the Irish Guitar Quartet at Briery Gap, Macroom. Contemporary Cork artists on the bill include How I Became a Wave, As If I Always Knew, The Fynches, Fixity and Áine Duffy.

The Irish language will feature strongly, with a bilingual production of Billy Goats Gruff, Puipéid sa Pháirc and a range of ciorcal cainte gatherings. To mark the EU presidency, Cork County's cultural diversity will be reflected through talks, demonstrations and workshops led by artists from across the European Union now living in Cork.

Other highlights include The Night Market on Cobh Promenade, with arts and crafts stalls, food vendors and live DJ sets. At Mallow Castle, audiences can enjoy circus performances, bilingual children's theatre and a fire show in the castle grounds. Sirius Arts Centre will open late into the night for an event celebrating diversity and inclusion in contemporary Irish culture.

Culture Night is coordinated by Cork County Council and funded by the Arts Council. In 2025, 161 events were programmed across 35 towns and villages and two islands, drawing an audience of 18,712.

Cllr. Bernard Moynihan, Mayor of the County of Cork, said:

"In the weeks and months leading up to it, Culture Night brings communities together to celebrate their local arts and culture. Last year we worked with 704 people from various communities in the county to deliver an impressive programme. This year the team are delivering the most ambitious programme yet. From our towns and villages to our islands and rural communities, people can discover music, theatre, visual arts, storytelling and much more in a welcoming and accessible way. I encourage everyone to explore the programme, try something new and enjoy this fantastic celebration of culture in all its forms."

Culture Night Late also returns, extending the celebrations into the evening across the county. Events take place on Friday, 18 September 2026, from 4pm until late. All events are free, though advance booking is required for some.

Full programme details are available at www.culturenight.ie.