Culture Night 2023: 25 unmissable events taking place across Ireland this Friday

Pop-up Gaeltacht at The Haggard

Co. Longford

The Gaeltacht returns for another special evening at the Haggard in Moyne following on from last year’s brilliant event. It’s a completely free event, and ceisteanna, ceol agus craic galore awaiting those of all ability levels.

DJs ‘Til Late

Co. Sligo

Spread across two rooms in The Model, there’ll be music from a selection of DJs curated by GASH Collective, a platform focused on supporting female, trans, queer, non-binary and other underrepresented people in music production and DJing. Kelly-Anne Byrne, one of Ireland’s top international DJs will headline the second space, with support from DJ Tara Be.

Strawberries

Dublin City

Queer party Strawberries invites audiences to come and get immersed in an electronic music as enchanting beats and melodies honour diversity and unity, while the music guides you in a safe and open setting. Strawberries resident Soria, Strawberries and Tender resident Bull Horris & Tadhg K, and Efa O’Neill will be spinning decks.

Saint Brigid’s Cloak

Ballina

Since Culture Night falls on the eve of the Autumn Equinox, we’re looking forward with hope and creative intention. Responding creatively to the legend of Saint Brigid’s cloak, Ballina Costume Company will host an introduction to a exciting craft project, in which many hands will make light work of the journey through winter, and a fabulous cloak will be manifested in Ballina in honour of the beloved female Saint.

Sounds On Site

Ballina

Featuring Galway-based, South African-born rapper Sweetlemondae, Steo Wall, Landless, and Doppler, this event presents a diverse programme of some of Ireland’s most exciting music acts that should definitely be on your radar. Go along and leave with a new favourite artist.

English Market: Live Music And Stalls

Cork City

This Culture Night, why not stroll through the English Market and check out some of the stalls or enjoy some of the live music? Open from 6 to 9pm, the iconic English Market will be open to all.

Culture Night Poetry Trail

Derry City

The annual outdoor poetry and music trail returns, inviting you to join anytime, to listen or perform. Led by Frank Rafferty, the trail will move from Waterside Library at 3.30pm, onto Little Acorns, Void, Central Library, Guildhall, the Tourist Information Office, Peace Bridge, and end at the Walls.

Himself And Nora

Dublin City

This recital of Jonathan Brielle’s acclaimed off-Broadway musical Himself and Nora, celebrates in song the love story of James Joyce and Nora Barnacle. Broadway writer and composer Jonathan Brielle shall be performing numbers from the show in person and will be accompanied by the director of the James Joyce Centre, Darina Gallagher.

Afro Dance And Twerk Workshop With Lapree Lala

Dublin City

Experience the infectious energy and diverse stylings of afro dance with Lapree Lala and her talented crew and they showcase the best of amapiano, afro house, Ndombolo and more in this vibrant performance, followed by a twerk workshop where you’ll be moving your hips, popping your booty, and dancing your heart out.

Charlie Byrne’s annual Culture Night reading

Galway City

Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop are once again inviting anybody who lives in Galway and has published a book in the last 12 months to read from it for 5 minutes. The subject matter covered includes Galway’s cultural and artistic heritage, the history and poetry of the troubles, culinary history, a study of empathy, comic novels, academic writings, crime fiction as well as the usual high standard of poetry and fiction from our very talented corps of Galway writing talent.

To Gaze Upon Us

Galway City

A healthy dose of humility and humanity through the musical lens of Galway’s loveable, gender-bending buddies, Steven Sharpe and Katie O’Connor, To Gaze Upon Us is equipped with Katie’s raspy lows and Steven’s oh-so-awesome alto in songs both sweet and sassy, they might just make your hips and heart harmoniously wiggle and jiggle.

Tus Nua: Éalú Le Grá Music Showcase

Galway City

Outset Gallery presents ‘Tús Nua’, an exciting and ambitious multidisciplinary showcase of events in one central venue referencing the importance of collaboration between disciplines and accessible shared places and spaces on Culture Night. This project is a collaboration between two key arts organisations in Galway City: Outset Gallery and Éalú Le Grá Festival.

All The Light We Cannot See

Co. Kerry

All The Light We Cannot See is an exhibition of paintings that sees Michael Flaherty capture and mythologise the West Kerry terrain triumphantly. Born in Cloghane, Flaherty paints the untamed Wild Atlantic landscape with vivacity and dramatically charged energy. He offers us scenes which are familiar to him but that have been filtered through his imagination. They are his response to and his depiction of place and subject.

St. Brigid: Her Definitive Story

Co. Kildare

Join Tom Madden, author and PHD Student in Drama and Performance at Maynooth University as he reads from his forthcoming book St. Brigidi: Her Definitive Story. The book explores the enormous legacy of Brigid’s educational and spiritual work and unveils a clearer picture of who Brigid really was.

Aiteall

Co. Leitrim

This unique performance brings together two highly skilled performers from the Leitrim/Sligo locality in a celebration of the arts and our shared connections to local land and weather. The mix of circus and contemporary art in Aiteall give this unique site-specific performance a wide appeal to all audiences and ages.

The Quiet Man Of Inisherin: Martin Mc Donagh’s Construction Of The West

Limerick City

Since the mid -1990s, playwright and film-maker Martin Mc Donagh has had a fascination with the west of Ireland. His 2022 film The Banshees of Inisherin garnered nine Academy Award nominations following overwhelmingly positive critical reviews. This talk will explore the extent to which Mc Donagh is merely reinventing hackneyed portrayals of ‘Irishness’ for a contemporary audience.

Counter Culture

Co. Longford

An evening highlighting the culture and talent of emerging artists, musicians and filmmakers working hard behind the scenes, this event features live music from Longford band Drongo Billy, rap duo Wolf/Bear and a Rubber Bandits Tribute Act.

Achill Island Of Culture

Co. Mayo

Celebrating the culture of Achill Island from days gone by to the present, there’ll be songs and stories that remind us of the importance of tuning in to our local culture to save it for future generations. Musician and historian John ‘Twin’ McNamara will be a guest speaker, along with musician and story collection Graham Sweeney, and another very special guest.

Boyle Film Club

Co. Roscommon

The newly established Boyle Film Club will be screening two films in celebration of Culture Night; Skylark, a short drama film directed by Christine Claire Braithwaite; and After the Dance, an award winning film documentary directed by Daisy Asquith, the personal story of the director’s mother’s adoption at birth in 1940s.

Local Female Artists Exhibition

Co. Westmeath

In celebration of Culture Night, Athlone Art Gallery will be putting on a display of works from local female artists at the Village, Burgess, Lloyds Lane, Athlone.

When I Close My Eyes

Co. Wicklow

Signal Arts Centre invites you to When I Close my Eyes, which has inspired by abstract artist Iseult McCormack’s first solo show. The theme encapsulates an intuitive approach to mark making and brings to mind artists such as Kandinsky or Pollock whose work was influenced by or reminded one of the sounds of music.

Cork City Hall – Plaza: Performances

Cork City

There will be live music all evening at Cork City Hall Plaza, where you can enjoy performances from Ukrainian group Kalyna, Douglas Comhaltas, City of Cork Male Voice Choir, Voices of Cork and Cork Migrant Centre.

The City Photobooth

Co. Waterford

Capture the moment on this specially-commissioned mobile photobooth that will be floating around Waterford city from 8pm on O’Connell Street. Pile on the glad rags, because why would you ever leave any memory behind when you can make it immortal!

KALEIDOSCOPE

Co. Waterford

Top of the City Community Garden and ‘We Act’ present KALEIDOSCOPE with live music, the freshest of produce, coffee and snacks, local crafts and a very special exhibition by artist Aidan Dunne.

The Big Sing

Co. Carlow

Join the team at Visual to be part of a large scale choral event gathering hundreds to learn a popular song in various parts. Once practised, everyone will come together for a special recording of the final performance which will be shared across digital channels.

Find a full list of Culture Night events happening in your area right here.

Imagery via Culture Night.