The village of Howth will play host once again to the popular Féile Binn Éadair festival, a rebrand of what was once known as the Howth Trad and Folk Festival.
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The Howth festival will take place from May 23-25 across seven venues around the picturesque fishing village, which is known to locals as the Seafood Capital of Fingal.
The village is only 25 minutes from the center of Dublin via the DART.
Howth is among several seaside villages along the Dublin coast.
This year’s vibrant festival promises to be an unforgettable experience for music enthusiasts of all ages with its mix of free and ticketed shows.
Performances will range from pure trad and folk to modern takes on Irish music.
With almost 30 free gigs to choose from and sessions across five unique venues around the village, in addition to ticketed headline shows at the historic Abbey Tavern and Summit Inn, this year’s gig promises to be an unforgettable experience for visitors and locals alike.
Free shows include Lynn Thizzy, DJ Tradfest, Sweet Jayne, Keep Er Lit, The Deadlians, Sin A Deir Sí, Dabilla, The Outcast Crew, Billy Treacy & The Scope, The Jailbreak Irish Rock Show, The Macks, Solar Grove, Burnchurch, Gatehouse, Spoonfed, the Yum Yum String Band, Mursheen Durkin, The Beermats, Paddy from Cadi, The Dublin Rovers, The Dead Irish, Colm Óg, Whiskey Still, Sabbages, the Howth Chamber Orchestra, and Trad Session Trail.
What to Expect from the Headline Shows
Headliners this year include Altan, Sharon Shannon, Pogueology, Lemoncello, a double bill of Eoghan ÓCeannabháin with Saltaire, as well as an-all ages céilí with The Brian Ború Céilí Band.
Sharon Shannon
After her sell-out show at last year’s festival, Shannon is returning this time with piano virtuoso Alan Connor.
Shannon is renowned for her mastery of the accordion and her electrifying performances that blend traditional Irish music with influences from around the world.
Altan
This year’s Howth festival proudly welcomes Altan as one of the headlining acts, who mark 40 years as one of Ireland’s most iconic traditional bands.
Since their formation by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and her late husband Frankie Kennedy, no other traditional Irish band in the past three decades has had such a far-reaching impact, with over one million records sold.
Pogueology/The Dead Irish/Sabbages
The 9-piece band Pogueology in addition to two great new punk trad bands, The Dead Irish and Sabbages, will make up a mini trad punk festival that promises to be something special.
Expect a moving tribute to the late Shane MacGowan and the Pogues.
Lemoncello
A vital voice in the thriving alternative folk scene in Ireland, Lemoncello has in the past been nominated for Best Folk Song and Best Emerging Folk Act at the RTE Radio 1 Folk Awards.
Take a Dublin Mountain Pub Tour (small group Pub Crawl max 15 people)
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin & Saltaire
This double bill is sure to be captivating.
Winner of best singer and song at the RTE Folk Awards in 2024, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin was actually a highlight at last year’s Binn Éadair Festival.
Saltaire, who perform as Ó Ceannabháin’s backing band while also being members of De Danann, have a great reputation in their own right and feature the mesmerizing singer/cellist Kaitlin Cullen-Verhaus.
All Ages Céilí with The Brian Ború Céilí Band
With an admission price of €5 at the door, this is a must-do event for families. There will be a caller there to show people the steps and make it a fun afternoon for everyone.
Tickets for the headline acts can be purchased on tickets.ie.
For more information and updates, visit the festival website or follow the festival on Instagram and Facebook.