Kinsale Arts Weekend Returns for 10th Anniversary with Landmark Operatic Performance

Kinsale Arts Weekend is set to mark a significant milestone this summer, returning from 9 to 12 July 2026 for its tenth anniversary edition, with organisers revealing the festival's headline event ahead of the full programme launch next month.

The flagship presentation, Lament for Art O'Leary – From Keening to Contemporary Opera, will take place on Saturday, 11 July 2026, at Fartha, Joseph Walsh's internationally acclaimed place of making on the Atlantic edge in Riverstick, Co. Cork. The performance is being presented in partnership with the Joseph Walsh Studio.

This year's festival theme, Immrama, draws on ancient Irish voyage tales, reflecting ideas of journey, migration, and transformation, themes that resonate deeply with Kinsale's identity as a historic harbour town.

The evening will begin in the open-air Hedge Theatre with an exploration of the keening tradition, led by Professor Tríona Ní Shíocháin and drawing on the sean-nós tradition. As evening light shifts, audiences will process through the grounds toward the studios for an atmospheric operatic concert performance. The production features composer Irene Buckley's haunting score, a contemporary text by celebrated poet Vona Groarke, lead violinist Katherine Hunka, members of the Cork Opera House Concert Orchestra, conductor Gary Beecher, sopranos Emma Nash and Kim Sheehan, and a chorus from the MTU CSM Opera Lab Ensemble.

The lament itself was first performed by Eibhlín Dubh Ní Chonaill in 1773, following the murder of her love, Art O'Leary. Born as a raw oral outpouring, it endures as one of the most powerful works in the Irish tradition of mourning and grief.

Anna Mulcahy, Chairperson of Kinsale Arts Weekend, said:

"Reaching our tenth year is a moment of profound reflection. Immrama isn't just about the journeys of the past; it's about the stories currently crossing our borders and the futures we are voyaging toward. This year, we focus on the power of the collective voice, celebrating the rich tapestry of people who have touched these shores, enriching and informing our local artistic landscape. This monumental performance embodies that very spirit."

Lisa O'Brien, Festival Curator, added:

"As curator, finding a piece that captures the emotional weight and transformative voyage of Immrama led us directly to this incredible collaboration. Bringing Eibhlín Dubh's fierce 1773 lament – which travelled from a roadside outpouring to written text through the memory of keening woman – into a contemporary operatic space on the Atlantic edge is the jewel of our 2026 programming. It's an unforgettable meeting of ancient heritage and modern composition."

Joseph Walsh said:

"We are delighted to welcome this ensemble of creative voices to Fartha, a place of making and creativity. We are proud to partner with Kinsale Arts Weekend on the occasion of this special performance and congratulate Anna Mulcahy and the team on their milestone 10th anniversary."

The full programme, encompassing visual arts, music, literature, and street theatre, will be officially announced in June 2026. Kinsale Arts Weekend is supported by the Arts Council and Cork County Council.

Tickets and further information are available at kinsaleartsweekend.com.