47th International Cork Folk Festival 2026 Kicks Off

The treasured and long-running Cork Folk Festival is getting ready for it’s 47^th edition with dozens of events across Cork city featuring hundreds of musicians. It kicks off on Wednesday 8^th October and runs until Sunday the 11^th.

Headline gigs include Altan featuring Dingle sisters Aoife and Deirdre Granville. Driven by many critically acclaimed albums and a relentless touring schedule, the band Altan emerged during the 1990s as one of Ireland's premiere traditional musical groups and still remain one of the most sought after acts.

Breanndán Begley, Cáit Ní Riain, Colm Murphy play St. Peter’s Cork on North Main Street on Friday 9th October.

For early birds, Matt Cranich and Jackie Daly, play MTU School of Music on Union Quay on Saturday 10^th October at 11am.

After that you can hop-a-one-two along to the Céilí Mór, which will take place outside the Beamish Counting House (soon to become the new Cork City Library) on Saturday 10^th October at 1pm.

For uilleann pipes fans, the newly opened riverside bar, The Merchant on South Mall, formerly Electric, will very much be acoustic this weekend with a concert featuring six talented uilleann pipers presented by the Cork Pipers Club, featuring Néillidh Mulligan, Naoise Marron, Nicola Uí Aodhgáin, Stevie O Brien,Muireann O’ Connor, Feargus Walsh.  

The same South Mall venue hosts what’s sure to be a cracking concert on Sunday11th October with a gathering of five fine accordion and concertina players. Audiences will get a chance to hear different styles of playing from four regions of Ireland. Featuring Aidan Coffee who hails from Bunmahon Co. Waterford, Amhlaoibh Ó Síocháin from Fermoy Co. Cork, Ruby Falvey from Ballylongford Co. Kerry, Pádraig Mac Aodhgáin from Parkbridge Co. Wicklow and Gráinne Ahern from Youghal Co. Cork.

If you're planning on gonig to more than one ticketed event, the Cork Folk Festival's Season Ticket is excellent value and is available here.

Check out the full line up below.