International Stars and World-Class Classical Musicians Come to  Killaloe Music Festival

Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens, acclaimed rapper and poet Denise Chaila, sean-nós singer Sibéal Ní Chasaide and some of Europe’s finest chamber musicians will gather in Killaloe and Ballina this June Bank Holiday weekend for the 2026 Killaloe Music Festival.

Running from May 27th to June 1st, the festival has become one of the region’s standout cultural events, transforming St Flannan’s Cathedral and venues across the twin towns into intimate performance spaces for an ambitious programme spanning classical music, folk traditions, spoken word, immersive late-night concerts and family events.

A major highlight of the weekend will be an intimate candlelit performance by Rhiannon Giddens and long-time collaborator Francesco Turrisi in St Flannan’s Cathedral on Saturday night. Sunday’s late-night concert will bring together Denise Chaila and Sibéal Ní Chasaide in a unique collaboration with festival musicians, blending spoken word, Irish traditional song and contemporary performance.

Friday evening’s Sounds from the American Century moves from Copland and Dvořák to Bernstein’s vibrant music from West Side Story. Saturday’s Revolutions spans nearly a thousand years of music, from Hildegard von Bingen to Shostakovich, Wagner and Brahms. Sunday evening’s La Belle Époque captures the atmosphere of Paris through Debussy, Satie, Stravinsky and the songs of Piaf.

The festival’s candlelit late-night concerts in the nave of St Flannan’s Cathedral have become a signature part of the weekend, and this year includes an immersive presentation of Barber’s Adagio for Strings alongside electronics, projections and surround-sound elements. Humanity really did build enormous stone buildings with glorious acoustics just so eventually someone could combine sacred resonance with immersive electronics and emotional devastation. A rare efficient use of civilisation.

Alongside its headline concerts, the festival continues its strong emphasis on accessibility and community participation. Monday afternoon’s family event, Choose Your Own Adventure, led by Jean McGlynn at the Lakeside Hotel, invites children and families into an interactive musical adventure where the audience helps shape the story and soundtrack in real time.

Other events across the weekend include free coffee concerts, performances by emerging young ensembles, schools events, choral performances and informal music sessions throughout the town.

Artistic Director Diane Daly said the festival continues to build on its vision of presenting “world-class musicians in intimate spaces”, giving audiences the opportunity to experience internationally renowned artists at close quarters in one of Ireland’s most distinctive festival settings.

Full programme and ticket information are available at Killaloe Music Festival

Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens, acclaimed rapper and poet Denise Chaila, sean-nós singer Sibéal Ní Chasaide and some of Europe’s finest chamber musicians will gather in Killaloe and Ballina this June Bank Holiday weekend for the 2026 Killaloe Music Festival.

Running from May 27th to June 1st, the festival has become one of the region’s standout cultural events, transforming St Flannan’s Cathedral and venues across the twin towns into intimate performance spaces for an ambitious programme spanning classical music, folk traditions, spoken word, immersive late-night concerts and family events.

A major highlight of the weekend will be an intimate candlelit performance by Rhiannon Giddens and long-time collaborator Francesco Turrisi in St Flannan’s Cathedral on Saturday night. Sunday’s late-night concert will bring together Denise Chaila and Sibéal Ní Chasaide in a unique collaboration with festival musicians, blending spoken word, Irish traditional song and contemporary performance.

Friday evening’s Sounds from the American Century moves from Copland and Dvořák to Bernstein’s vibrant music from West Side Story. Saturday’s Revolutions spans nearly a thousand years of music, from Hildegard von Bingen to Shostakovich, Wagner and Brahms. Sunday evening’s La Belle Époque captures the atmosphere of Paris through Debussy, Satie, Stravinsky and the songs of Piaf.

The festival’s candlelit late-night concerts in the nave of St Flannan’s Cathedral have become a signature part of the weekend, and this year includes an immersive presentation of Barber’s Adagio for Strings alongside electronics, projections and surround-sound elements. Humanity really did build enormous stone buildings with glorious acoustics just so eventually someone could combine sacred resonance with immersive electronics and emotional devastation. A rare efficient use of civilisation.

Alongside its headline concerts, the festival continues its strong emphasis on accessibility and community participation. Monday afternoon’s family event, Choose Your Own Adventure, led by Jean McGlynn at the Lakeside Hotel, invites children and families into an interactive musical adventure where the audience helps shape the story and soundtrack in real time.

Other events across the weekend include free coffee concerts, performances by emerging young ensembles, schools events, choral performances and informal music sessions throughout the town.

Artistic Director Diane Daly said the festival continues to build on its vision of presenting “world-class musicians in intimate spaces”, giving audiences the opportunity to experience internationally renowned artists at close quarters in one of Ireland’s most distinctive festival settings.

Full programme and ticket information are available at Killaloe Music Festival