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Entertainment in Kilkenny - Weekly Gig and Event Guide

On this page, you will find:

  • Upcoming Events
  • Gig Guide (scroll down to see)

Festivals

  • The Gathering: Kilkenny - There are so many ways to get involved; whether it is organising family or clan gatherings; school or work reunions; sports competitions; community celebrations or business events - it’s about making sure everyone tells their family, friends and connections that 2013 is the perfect time to come to Ireland to join in celebrating the best of what Ireland has to offer.   kilkennytourism.ie
  • Bealtaine Festival - 1st to 31st May - Get inspired during Bealtaine at the Butler Gallery, with a series of specially programmed events celebrating creativity as we age throughout the month of May. Bealtaine is an Age & Opportunity initiative part-funded by the Arts Council and delivered by hundreds of organisations around the country
  • Sky Cats Laugh Comedy Festival - 30th May to 3rd June - Acts include Andrew Maxwell, Bernard O'Shea, David O'Doherty, Dylan Moran, Judah Friedlander (from 30 Rock), Kevin Bridges, Marcus Brigstoke, Neil Delamere, Rich Hall, Tony Law and 2nd series premiere of Moone Boy!
  • Happy Valley Festival - 30th May to 3rd June - A weeklong music & arts festival with live gigs, exhibitions, markets, art and craft workshops and other events for all the family.
  • International Gospel Choir Festival - 13th to 16th June - This will be the perfect opportunity for Choirs from across the world to share – Music – Performances – Experience, and above all our love of Gospel Music and all that it represents.
  • Abhainn Rí Festival - 28th July to 4th August - is an annual community festival for Callan and its rural hinterland. Aiming to celebrate the many riches in local heritage and interest, it brings together people interested in sport and food, heritage and music, theatre, arts and family fun, and whatever you might be interested in yourself!
  • Kilkenny Arts Festival - 9th to 18th August - Festival features the following art forms; Theatre & Dance, Classical Music, Music, Wired, Street, Literature, Visual Art and Craft. Underpinning the presentation of events is the commitment to bring work to Kilkenny that would not be seen outside the festival context, and a desire to commission and produce new work from Ireland and abroad.

 

Highlights

  • Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band - Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th July - Nowlan Park - The Boss comes to Kilkenny for the final two dates on the bands European tour in support of their 2012 album "Wrecking Ball". Support at the Saturday show is from Glen Hansard and Damien Dempsey. Support at the Sunday show is from Imelda May and LAPD (featuring Liam O’Flynn, Andy Irvine, Paddy Glackin & Dónal Lunny). Tickets on sale Thursday 7th February.   kilkennytourism.ie
  • Concerts taking place in Kilkenny over next few months
    • Saturday 22nd June - Simone Felice - Cleere's Theatre - 9.30pm, €20 - kilkennytourism.ie
    • Saturday 22nd June - Juliet Turner - Hole In The Wall - kilkennytourism.ie
    • Saturday 22nd June - Last Rose of Summer Bicentenary Celebration Concert - Jenkinstown Park - 8pm, €22.50 - kilkennytourism.ie
    • Saturday 22nd June - Donovan - Set Theatre - 8pm, €22 - kilkennytourism.ie
    • Monday 24th June - Gala Cabaret Dinner with Tommy Fleming, Red Hurley, Dickie Rock, Rebecca Storm, Cara O'Sullivan - Set Theatre - 8pm, €50 (incl dinner)
    • Tuesday 20th August - Daniel O'Donnell (with special guest Mary Duff) - Lyrath Estate Hotel - 7pm, €43.20 - kilkennytourism.ie
  • The Kilkenny Way - Ultimate Hurling Experience - Ready for a real Irish Cultural Experience? Interested in finding out more about Ireland's National Sport? Hurling is the world's fastest field sport. Our experience includes a walk to Nowlan Park, learning the basic skills of hurling, team photo at Kilkenny Castle and veiwing the craftsmanship of Hurling Making. Tours at 12pm and 2.30pm daily.    kilkennytourism.ie
  • Tynan Walking Tours - From 1st April, 10% for visitors taking Walking Tour if they use Code Word which will be on kilkennywalkingtours.ie web site on a weekly basis. Visitors go to walking tour web site search for this weeks code word and relay it to guide when paying for Walking Tour and get 10% discount.
  • Castlecomer Discovery Park - Tree Top Adventure Walk (10 metre above ground), Climbing Wall and Leap of Faith, Coal Mining Exhibtion, Woodland Trails (80 acres), Fishing, Craft, Playground, Jarrow Café and much more.    kilkennytourism.ie
  • Woodstock Gardens - Season Ticket for 2013 available now. Woodstock invites you to enjoy frequent visits to the gardens throughout the seasons: a magical place to escape, steeped in history. Whether it’s a brisk walk with the dog along the woodland trails, a family adventure or game of hide and seek in the woods, a gentle stroll in the walled garden or tea at the Tea Rooms in the wonderfully restored Turner conservatory; make Woodstock your own.  kilkennytourism.ie

 

Upcoming Musical / Theatre / Events

  • Charity Greyhound Racing Night - Friday 24th May - Kilkenny Dog Track, St James Park - in aid of Rehab Care Services, kclr96fm.com
  • Ultan Conlon & Band - Friday 24th May - Cleere's Theatre, Parliment St - Ultan combines common themes and familiar situations with coherent prose and wraps them around musical styles rooted deeply in traditional rock and roll, country and folk. There is no slick polish, flash or tricks to the songs, nor is there to the man himself
  • Audio Fires - Friday 24th May - Billy Byrnes, John St - 8pm - Audio Fires are a Kilkenny based Indie/Rock band, formed in mid 2012, Collectively the band have played in many different bands and through this played alongside many established acts including The Magic Numbers, The Coronas, Paramore, The View, The Stunning, etc. Support acts are CPNHGN, Jen and Elise Ramsbottom and Alex Clement Doyle.
  • The Hedge School - Friday 24th to Sunday 26th May - Castlecomer Discovery Park - 10am to 4pm - Think the only place for art is in a gallery? Think again. To celebrate this year’s Bealtaine theme ‘Grow Happy’, artists Jean Conroy and Tom Meskell will lead this 3-day workshop, encouraging participants to look to the land for inspiration. Participants will create art outside, using natural materials, kilkennytourism.ie
  • Kilkenny Book Fair - Saturday 25th May - Club House Hotel, Patrick St - 11am to 5pm, €2 (for charity) - You will find Irish, Antiquarian, Historical and General & Local Interest books for sale, kilkennytourism.ie
  • Adison Singers - Saturday 25th May - St Canices Cathedral - 1pm, free - Two young, local Irish singers – Aisling O’Carroll, soprano and Eric Heaslip, tenor will be joining Addison Singers from West London in the Irish premier of Bob Chilcott’s Requiem. 1 of only 2 gigs they will play in Ireland,  kilkennytourism.ie
  • Author Claire Nolan discuss's book "The Stone" - Saturday 25th May - Kytelers Inn, Kieran St - 4pm, free - Claire Nolan has started her summer long sessions on Alice Kyteler - based on Claire's novel "The Stone" with great success. The amazing story of Dame Alice never ceases to fascinate our ever increasing tourists. This is a unique opportunity for our guests to find out more from Claire - who looks the part in her flowing dark robes and flaming hair as she regales tales from history, kilkennytourism.ie
  • Catherine Redding (soprano) and Michael Quinn (piano) - Sunday 26th May - Castalia Hall, Ballytobin, Callan - 4pm, €15 - Music in Kilkenny presents - Experience an enchanting journey through the world of French song, from the belle époque to the 1930s. Featuring exquisite melodies by Fauré, Hahn and others, as well as charming arias from Bizet’s Pearl Fishers and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, and Debussy’s well-known ‘Clair de lune’, kilkennytourism.ie
  • Song Recital - On Wings of Song - Tuesday 28th May - Rothe House, Parliment St - 8pm, €10 - A song recital by ever popular soprano, Carmel Cashin with Martin O Reilly on Piano. Programme will include Mozart, Mendelssohn, Moore, Schumann, Fauré,Poulenc,Ireland, Grey, Quilter, and Novello. Proceeds in aid of the Rothe House Restoration Fund,   kilkennytourism.ie

 

Kilkenny Castle Events

  • The Book of Pottlerath - Friday 31st May - Kilkenny Castle is exhibiting framed exerts from The Book of Pottlerath until 31st May 2013 at the Castle Kitchen Corridor. The Book of Pottlerath is a rare and fascinating book, which forms a major part of Kilkenny’s past.  This 'Leabhar na Rátha' begun by James, the 4th Earl of Ormond, was completed by scribes commissioned by his nephew Edmund Butler in 1454 in Co. Kilkenny.  The exhibition is open free of charge to the public from 9:30am to 5pm daily.   kilkennycastle.ie

 

Watergate Theatre - Upcoming Shows

  • Children's Theatre: Croi A Mhuscailt - Awakening a Heart - Tuesday 21st & Wednesday 22nd May - 10am & 12pm, €5 - Grandad is not in his chair anymore. Granny packs away her life’s memories in boxes while the little girl takes them out again and breathes new life into them. Exquisitely told with puppetry, music and a wonderful chair we explore the relationship between young and old. Ages 7-12 Years. Presented by Branar Teatar, one of Ireland’s foremost Children’s Theatre Companies, kilkennytourism.ie
  • Jesters Stage Academy Celebrate 15 Years - Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th June - €12.50, 7.30pm - Jesters celebrates its 15th birthday with a nostalgic trip featuring highlights from their previous 15 productions. Prepare to be uplifted and entertained by young & old students, past & present, in a variety packed birthday show which showcases incredible talent,  kilkennytourism.ie
  • Spark Productions present 'BrownBread' - Thursday 20th June - 8pm, €10 - After a sold out run in Graiguenamanagh, Spark Productions make their debut at the Watergate Theatre with a classic comedy by Roddy Doyle, BrownBread. Three unemployed boys, a gun and a Bishop – What’s the worst that could happen? Set in Barrytown in Dublin, the year is 1987,  kilkennytourism.ie

 

Music In Kilkenny

  • Music in Kilkenny organises two series of concerts every year; an autumn series and a spring series. All concerts take place in Kilkenny. A ticket to access all shows is €100 or €15 for each show. Official site: www.musicinkilkenny.com/. Click on musician name for more information on the event.

Events for Kids

 

Gig in Ryan's Bar Kilkenny  

By night Kilkenny comes alive as visitors and locals alike enjoy the city's vibrant cultural and entertainment life. The city offers an eclectic mix of cosmopolitan designer bars, and traditional old style hostelries. What better way to spend an evening than enjoying a meal in one of the many restaurants throughout Kilkenny? Live music and theatre takes place throughout the week, so whether your taste is for dance music, poetry, theatre or rock! - Kilkenny has something to offer you.

Weekly Gig Listings are courtesy of Edwina Grace at the Kilkenny People Newpaper.
If you want to publicise events or gigs you can contact Edwina at EdwinaGrace@hotmail.com

you can also follow daily updates via Twitter @kilkenny
or on our FaceBook page Kilkenny Tourism Facebook

Full listing of what's happening in Kilkenny in the week starting Wednesday 22nd May until Tuesday 28th May, 2013

Wednesday 22nd May

Theatre: Croi A Mhuscailt - Awakening a Heart, Watergate Theatre, Parliment St, 10am & 12pm, €5, kilkennytourism.ie
Bealtaine Festival: Tour, Talk and Tea with artist Bridget O’Gorman, Butler Gallery, Kilkenny Castle, 11am, kilkennytourism.ie
Live Music: Matt's Mad Trad Session, Matt The Millers, John St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Irelands Tunes and Tales, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Learn to Swing Dance at "Happy Feet", every Wednesday upstairs, The Left Bank, 7pm
Film: When Your Strange (The Doors documentary), Billy Byrne's, John St, 8.30pm, Free
Live Music: Raglan Rogues - Trad & Ballad, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 8.30pm
Concert: Karan Casey & John Doyle, Cleere's Theatre, Parliment St, 9pm, €15, kilkennytourism.ie
Live Music: Ituned ft.Niamh Strong, The Field, High St, 9pm
Live Music: Traditional Folk and Ballad session, Dylan Whisky Bar, John St, 9pm
Live Music: Mighty Ghosts of Erin, Matt The Millers, John St, 9.30pm

Thursday 23rd May

KCEB Training: Business Planning, Abbey Business Centre, 9.30am-4.30pm, €50, kceb.ie
Campaign to put halt to food wastage by Environmental Department of Kilkenny CoCo, Castlecomer Library, 12pm
Beaujolais Wine Bar, Market Yard, 5pm
Live Music: The Reel Irish Session, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Wallop The Cat, Matt The Millers, John St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Raglan Rogues - Trad & Ballad, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 8.30pm
Live Irish Music by Cu Chulainn and Dancing with Gerard Hayes & Liz McCaliskey, Lanigan's, Rose Inn St, 9pm
Live Music: Seattle, The Field, High St, 9pm
Live Music: Ryans, Friary St, 9.30pm
Live Music: Pete Fagan & Davy Cashin followed by DJ Eddie Hughes, Matt the Millers, John St, 10pm
Live Music: Live Acoustic Session, The Pumphouse, Parliment St, 10pm
Live Music: Willie Maher, Kilford Arms, John St
Live Music: Alternative Thursday, Billy Byrne, John St
Entertainment: Big John’s Krazy Karaoke & Fun Night, Biddy Early’s, John St
Late Entertainment: O’Faolain’s Late Club, John St
Langton's Nightclub, John St, 10pm

Friday 24th May

2013 An Post Ras passes through Urlingford, Freshford, Ballyragget, Byrnesgrove, Castlecomer and Coon, kilkennypeople.ie
KCEB Training: Social Networking - Twitter, Kilkenny Education Centre, Seville Lodge, 9.30am-12.30pm, €25, kceb.ie
Bealtaine Festival: 3 day workshop on creating art outside using natural materials, The Hedge School, Castlecomer Discovery Park, 10am - 4pm, kilkennytourism.ie
Campaign to put halt to food wastage by Environmental Department of Kilkenny CoCo, Thomastown Library at 10.30am, Ferrybank Library at 2.30pm
Opening of "Design Intelligence - Living With Design & Making Things Better", National Craft Gallery, kilkennytourism.ie
After Work Club, Bridie’s Bar, John St, 5pm
Beaujolais Wine Bar, Market Yard, 5pm
Live Music: Anthony McCauley - Trad Session, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Live Trad Session, Matt The Millers, John St, 6.30pm
Concert: Audio Fires (support: CPNHGN, Jen & Elise Ramsbottom, Alex Clement Doyle), Billy Byrne's, John St, 8pm, kilkennytourism.ie
Charity Dog Night in aid of Rehab Care Services, Kilkenny Dog Track, 8pm, kclr96fm.com
Concert: Ultan Conlon & Band, Cleere's Theatre, Parliment St
Live Music: Trad Music session (musicians welcome), Bollard’s Bar, Kieran St, 9pm
Live Music: Divil the Bit followed by DJ Keith Osborne, Lanigans, Rose Inn St, 9pm
Friday Night Karaoke, An Poc Fada, Rose Inn St, 9pm
Live Music: Brand New Cadillac, DJ & late bar, The Field, High St, 9:30pm
Live Music: Loudest Whisper, Kilford Arms, John St
Live Music: The Acousticats - Trad & Ballad, Kyteler's Inn, Kieran St, 10pm
Live Music: Ryans Bar, Friary St, 10pm
Live Music: Divine Invention & DJ Eoin, Matt The Miller's, John St, 10pm
DJ Ronan, Morrison's Bar, Ormonde St, 10pm
DJ Matchstick Men - playing songs from 80's & 90's, Kyteler's Inn, Kieran St, 10pm

Saturday 25th May

Bealtaine Festival: 3 day workshop on creating art outside using natural materials, The Hedge School, Castlecomer Discovery Park, 10am - 4pm, kilkennytourism.ie
Kilkenny Book Fair, Club House Hotel, Patrick St, 11am - 5pm, €2, kilkennytourism.ie
Concert: Adison Singers - perform Bob Chilcott's 'Requiem', St Canices Cathedral, 1pm, free, kilkennytourism.ie
Author Claire Nolan talks about her book on Alice Kyteler, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 4pm, kilkennytourism.ie
The Bula Bus, Street Food Saturday, John St, 4pm till late
Beaujolais Wine Bar, Market Yard, 5pm
Live Music: Tomas Jackman (the human jukebox) - Ballad Session, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Live Trad Band, Lanigan's, Rose Inn St, 7-9pm
Live Music: Andrew McGuinness, An Poc Fada, Rose Inn St, 8-10pm
Live Music: Band, DJ & late bar, The Field, High St, 9:30pm
Live Music: Clubhouse Hotel, Patrick St, 10pm
Live Music: Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 10pm
Live Music: Seamus Nugent, Home Rule Club, John's Quay, 10pm
Live Music: Big Guns, Ryan's Bar, Friary St, 10pm
Live Music: AdamsLocker, An Poc Fada, Rose Inn St, 10pm
Live Music: Dylan Whisky Bar, John St
DJ's at Biddy Early’s(DJ ob1) & Morrisson’s(DJ Paul K) & Matt The Millers(DJ Eoin) & Brewery Corner(Replete)
Kilford Karaoke, PV’s Bar, O’Faolain’s
O’Faolain’s Late Club

Sunday 26th May

Bealtaine Festival: 3 day workshop on creating art outside using natural materials, The Hedge School, Castlecomer Discovery Park, 10am - 4pm, kilkennytourism.ie
Rith Beo GSO - 5km/10km, Gaelscoil Osrai, 12pm, activeglobal.com
Concert: Catherine Redding (soprano) and Michael Quinn (piano), Castalia Hall, Ballytobin, Callan, 4pm, €15, kilkennytourism.ie
Live Music: Ryans, Friary St, 6pm - 8pm
Live Music: Trad & Ballad Session, Matt The Millers, John St, 6pm
Live Music: Generation5 (aka O'Dwyer Brothers), Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6pm
Live Music: Trad Session, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Live Music: The Barflies, The Pumphouse, Parliment St, 9pm
Live Music: Tomas Jackman (the human jukebox) - Irish Songs & Ballads, Kyteler’s Inn, Kieran St, 9pm
Live Music: The Mighty Ghosts of Erin, Matt The Millers, John St, 9pm
Live Music: Shane O'Dwyer, An Poc Fada, Rose Inn St, 9.30pm
Live Music: Johnny Fean Band, Kilford Arms, John St
DJ Mattie, Morrison's Bar, Ormonde St, 10pm
Live Music: Domino Effect, The Field, High St, 10:30pm
O’Faolain’s Late Club

Monday 27th May

Live Music: Irish Beats with Damien Walsh, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Matt's Mad Trad Session, Matt The Millers, John St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Raglan Rogues - Trad & Ballad, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 8.30pm
Live Music: Trad Session, Cleere's, Parliment St, 9pm
Games Night: Playstation 3, Board Games, Chess and more, Billy Byrnes, John St, 9pm
Live Irish Music by Cu Chulainn and Dancing with Gerard Hayes & Liz McCaliskey, Lanigan's, Rose Inn St, 9pm
Live Music: The Briars & late bar, The Field, High St, 9:30pm
Live Music: AfterDark follwed by DJ Eddie Hughes, Matt the Millers, John St, 10pm
O’Faolain’s Late Club

Tuesday 28th May

Bealtaine Festival: Interest in Visual Art or Theatre - Culture Club Coffee Morning, Parade Tower, Kilkenny Castle, 11.30am, kilkennytourism.ie
Live Music: Irish Beats with Damien Walsh, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 6.30pm
Live Music: Wallop The Cat, Matt The Millers, John St, 6.30pm
Concert: Song Recital with Carmel Cashin(soprano) incl.Mozart, Schumann and more, Rothe House, Parliment St, 8pm, €10, kilkennytourism.ie
Live Music: The Raglan Rogues, Kytelers Inn, Kieran St, 8.30pm
Live Music: Traditional Folk and Ballad session, Dylan Whiskey Bar, John St, 9pm
Live Irish Dancing & Music with The Murphys, Lanigans, Rose Inn St, 9pm
Live Music: The Kilkennys, Matt the Millers, John St, 9.30pm
Live Music: Kiwi Paddy 'til late, The Field, High St, 9:30pm
Late Entertainment: Langton Club, 10pm

 

Anyday

Art exhibition by Els Borghart, Upstairs Gallery, Watergate Theatre, until 29th May, visualartists.ie

"We Are Suddenly Somewhere Else" by Bridget O'Gorman, Butler Gallery, until 9th June, kilkennytourism.ie/culture

Design Intelligence - Living With Design & Making Things Better, National Craft Gallery, from 24th May until 9th July, kilkennytourism.ie/culture

Exhibition: GAA/ICA Wall Hanging, Cillin Hill

Film: Kilkenny Cineplex has a wide variety of films to suit all ages and interests on show at a number of times each day

View This Weeks Kilkenny Film Listings From Entertainment.ie

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