Dublin City Council Luke Kelly Festival

A free outdoor festival in Smithfield Square celebrating Luke Kelly and Dublin folk music. Families can move between live music on the Luke Kelly Stage, ballad sessions in O’Donoghue’s Tent, talks and workshops in The Bailey, and hands-on crafts for kids. Children can make orange Luke Kelly hair or beards, draw an I’ll Tell Me Ma comic-book page, help paint a Dubliners skyline tableau, make a biscuit-themed harmonica, or try penalty shootouts, football games and crazy golf. Expect a busy open-square festival with amplified music, crowds and weather exposure.

Saturday 23 May 2026

Luke Kelly Stage

• 13:00–14:00 — Luke Kelly Bursary Award Winners introduced by George Murphy: Aoife Maguire, Johnny Joyce, Christina Collins, Daniel Doherty
• 15:00–16:00 — a lazarus soul
• 17:00–18:00 — Gemma Dunleavey

O’Donoghue’s Tent

• 12:00–13:00 — Ballad Session with Hank Byrne and Friends
• 14:00–15:00 — Ballad Session with Hank Byrne and Friends
• 16:00–17:00 — Ballad Session with Hank Byrne and Friends

The Bailey

• 12:00–13:00 — Bódhran Workshop
• 14:00–15:00 — Freedom Come All Ye with Steve Byrne, Iona Fyfe and Donal Fallon
• 16:00–17:00 — Luke and the Beautiful Game with Dermot Bolger, Declan Lynch and Donal Fallon

Arts and Crafts

• 12:00–15:00 — Strings & Skyline: a paint-by-numbers tableau of five Dubliners against the Dublin skyline
• 12:00–13:00 — Wearable Luke Kelly hair and beard
• 14:00–15:00 — I’ll Tell Me Ma comic-book page
• 16:00–17:00 — Jacob’s Kimberly or Mikado harmonica
• 16:00–18:00 — Strings & Skyline continues

The Centre Half

• 12:00–18:00 — Football Field: Mega Football Penalty Shootout, Junior Penalty Shootout and Air Jets Football Game Table
• 12:00–18:00 — Golf Corner: Chip Shot golf game and 9-hole crazy golf

Lighthouse Cinema

• 18:30 — Celtic Utopia

Sunday 24 May 2026

Luke Kelly Stage

• 13:00–14:00 — Luke Kelly Bursary Award Winners introduced by George Murphy: Jack Nico, Julia McCarthy Dillon, Jacqui Ní Fhaoláin, David Harris
• 15:00–16:00 — Muireann Bradley
• 17:00–18:00 — The Dubliners Encore

O’Donoghue’s Tent

• 12:00–13:00 — Ballad Session with Hank Byrne and Friends
• 14:00–15:00 — Ballad Session with Hank Byrne and Friends
• 16:00–17:00 — Ballad Session with Hank Byrne and Friends

The Bailey

• 12:00–13:00 — Banjo Workshop
• 14:00–15:00 — The Sun is Burning with Tommy Sands and Dermot Bolger
• 16:00–17:00 — Sabina Higgins in Conversation with Donal Fallon

Arts and Crafts

• 12:00–15:00 — Strings & Skyline: a paint-by-numbers tableau of five Dubliners against the Dublin skyline
• 12:00–13:00 — Wearable Luke Kelly hair and beard
• 14:00–15:00 — I’ll Tell Me Ma comic-book page
• 16:00–17:00 — Jacob’s Kimberly or Mikado harmonica
• 16:00–18:00 — Strings & Skyline continues

The Centre Half

• 12:00–18:00 — Football Field: Mega Football Penalty Shootout, Junior Penalty Shootout and Air Jets Football Game Table
• 12:00–18:00 — Golf Corner: Chip Shot golf game and 9-hole crazy golf

Lighthouse Cinema

• 18:30 — In Time: Donal Lunny