The 30th annual Mountshannon Arts Festival will take place from May 28th to June 1st next.
Very much rooted in the community, Mountshannon Arts Festival is open, accessible and family-friendly, but always with a strong artistic focus.
“This year’s programme brings all that together again, with events that connect people across generations,” said Mel White, Chairperson of the volunteer-led organising committee.
The Festival returns from 28 May to 1 June under the theme ‘FLIGHT’, marking its 30th edition and boasting a high-quality line-up across music, performance, literature and visual art.
The programme features musician, actor and storyteller Aindrias de Staic, performing at the official opening on Thursday, 28 May in the Church of Ireland. Other highlights include the close harmonies of Landless (Friday, 29 May, Church of Ireland), the nostalgic sound of Earl Okin (Saturday, 30 May, Community Hall) and Mikel Murfi with “I Hear You and Rejoice” (Sunday, 31 May, Community Hall).
Mountshannon Arts is excited to present the premiere of “Beneath My Garden”. Written by Liam Glass, this original production brings together local artists to create a musical odyssey – a fusion of traditional music, rock and storytelling (Monday, 1 June, Catholic Church).
Six-piece swing jazz group Pocket Jazz Orchestra, Mykology, Sive, Kenan Flannery and Patrick Stefan are among the acts in the new marquee in Aistear Park across Saturday and Sunday. Literature highlights feature Colm Keegan, Niall de Búrca, Lavie Olupona, June O’Sullivan, Kevin Curran and Noelle Lynskey, with a mix of readings, live work and participative events across the village.
Visual arts run throughout the festival, with exhibitions by Bonnie Boyle, Eibhlín Dunne, Reece Foster, Lily Harley, Michael Lewisohn, Yvonne Locke, Céline Mermier, Avia Gurman Murphy, Michelle Ryan, Caroline Eva Thomas and Danielle Martins Thomé, turning Mountshannon into a village-wide gallery.
A central strand of the 2026 programme is the community project Words in Flight, with mural artist Kevin Bohan and poet Dagogo Hart working with students from Scariff Community College, culminating in a live mural and public presentation.
Family and community elements include workshops, a community market on Saturday and Sunday, a raffle and a pop-up Gaeltacht, with a wide range of activities for all ages.
While some events are ticketed, much of the programme can be enjoyed with a festival wristband. Full details to come on the website.
Tickets for headline events are limited and selling fast – early booking is strongly advised.
Click here for more information.
Mountshannon Arts is a community-based, volunteer-led organisation dedicated to fostering creativity, supporting local and visiting artists, and enriching cultural life in East Clare. Through the annual Mountshannon Arts Festival, public art projects such as the Mountshannon Art Trail, and year-round collaborations with schools, community groups and international partners, the organisation aims to make art accessible to all and to celebrate the unique spirit of Mountshannon, East Clare and Lough Derg.