AbhainnChara Festival
Schedule
Fri, 19 Sep, 2025 at 07:00 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Mccarthy's Pub Kilbeacanty Co Galway | Galway, GY
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🌿 AbhainnChara Festival 2025 🌿Celebrating Life in the Slieve Aughties
An Ancient Future, Rooted in Land, Music, and Story
Kilbeacanty & Gort | 19–21 September 2025
🌿 About the Festival
AbhainnChara Festival is a weekend of music, culture, community, and rewilding in the heart of the Slieve Aughties.
We gather to celebrate our rivers and forests, to listen to voices both old and new, and to imagine together an ancient future where culture and ecology are deeply intertwined.
The festival brings people together around music, storytelling, and dialogue, weaving tradition with contemporary creativity, and linking community spirit with ecological restoration.
It’s more than a festival: it’s an invitation to reimagine our relationship with the land, the water, and with one another.
🌿 FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
* FRIDAY 19 September | McCarthy’s Pub, Kilbeacanty
7:00 PM – Woodland Restoration Talk with Dr. Jenni Roche (NPWS) & Ecologist/writer and activist Pádraic Fógarty (Free).
Join Dr. Jenni Roche (NPWS), an expert in woodland restoration and Ireland’s Nature Restoration Plan, alongside Pádraic Fógarty, ecologist, writer, and activist, for an insightful evening exploring the future of our native forests.
8:30 PM – Theatre Culture night!!: Zeitgeist Jukebox with the inimitable John Nee – a feast of wit, theatre & song
Step into a world of wit, theatre, and song with the inimitable John Nee. Zeitgeist Jukebox is a captivating mix of storytelling, music, and sharp humour, a performance that entertains, surprises, and connects us through the shared joy of live art.
10 PM – Trad & Tales, As If Trees Could Speak
As evening falls, gather beneath the trees for an intimate celebration of music, poetry, and storytelling with
Bríd Nic Conmara agus a cairde ceoil. Experience the rich textures of sean-nós singing, traditional music, and heartfelt local tales, a true reflection of the creativity and spirit of our community.
* SATURDAY 20 September | McCarthy’s Pub, Kilbeacanty
11:00 AM – Information Morning: “Measures to restore fish stocks in the Owendalluleagh River and tributaries” with LAWPRO, Blue Dot Catchments Programme & ASSAP. (Tea & coffee served).
The Owendalluleagh is a Blue Dot river, one of very few ecologically pristine rivers remaining in Ireland. It only fails to reach High Status in one stretch, and this is because fish stocks in this region do not meet the standards required. A project will shortly get underway to begin measures to restore fish populations. Community involvement is key. If you are interested in getting involved, please make sure to attend this event.
8:30 PM – Festival Concert:
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Band – one of Ireland’s most celebrated contemporary sean-nós voices, bringing his full band for a night of soaring, powerful songs that blend tradition, innovation, and dance!
10:00 PM – megaTRAD – an explosive high-energy trio reshaping trad with rhythm, improvisation, and fire.
Two full acts, back-to-back, for a full night of magic and dancing! A festival night to remember!
* SUNDAY 21 September | Gort Town Hall
7:00 PM – Film Screening: Loch Gréine: A Bright Vision by Marina Levitina with music by Martin Hayes, followed by Q&A with Marina
Loch Gréine: A Bright Vision is more than a film, it’s a love letter to place. Through the lens of filmmaker Marina Levitina and the music of Martin Hayes, this documentary reveals the living beauty, heritage, and resilience of East Clare’s Graney Valley. It is a call to remember what sustains us, to cherish the landscapes that hold our stories, and to imagine the brighter future that can emerge when community and nature thrive together.
A perfect close to the Festival, leaving us with a deep sense of celebration, of the land, the people, and the possibilities we can create together.
🌿 FESTIVAL TICKETS:
Secure your spot here: Book Now - only 250 tickets
Fill up the form and make your payment.
Two ways of buying your tickets:
1- Filling this form and making your payment here: https://forms.gle/NeWjYga8dVZB48dh6
2- Local angels-shops where you can buy your tickets:
McCarthy's Pub, Kilbeacanty, Open Sesame Health shop in Gort & The Grainy Health shop in Scarriff - Tickets available from Friday 29th of August.
We want to make it easy for everyone to join - no online booking fees! get your tickets in our local shops or simply use the form and pay by bank transfer/Paypal; you’ll receive a personal confirmation.
Advance Booking:
· Full Festival Pass (2–3 Days): €40
· Friday: €15
· Saturday: €30
· Sunday: Free
At the Door:
· Friday: €17
· Saturday: €32
· Sunday: Free
Celebrate music, culture, and community while supporting the restoration of our rivers and forests.
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Where is it happening?
Mccarthy's Pub Kilbeacanty Co Galway, McCarthy's Pub, R353, Gaillimh, County Galway, Éire, Galway, IrelandEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
