Forbidden Fruit, one of the first big festivals of the summer, returns to Dublin this Saturday and Sunday. With a scorcher of a weekend forecast, expect the grounds of Royal Hospital Kilmainham, home of the Irish Museum of Modern Art, to metamorphosis into another world.
Saturday, June 3rd, includes Central Cee, Annie Mac, DJ EZ and Jen Payne. Sunday, June 4th, is similarly stacked, with DJs Eric Prydz, Honey Dijon and FJAAK headlining. Also on Sunday’s bill is the fan favourite Jazzy, whose debut single, Giving Me, reached number one in Ireland – she was the first Irish woman to do so in 14 years.
Some social-media users have posted about their dismay that their favourite acts, including Dijon, Prydz and Fjaak, are performing on different stages at the same time. Such is the tragedy of a music festival: you can never see them all.
After the on-site music comes Forbidden Fruit Night – ticket-only events, with a festival wristband – comprising a rake of official after-parties in city-centre locations. Running until the early hours of Sunday and Monday, these after-parties will include DJ collectives joined by artists from the festival line-up, including Pretty Girl and Musing (Bow Lane, Saturday, June 3rd) and DJ Pierr, Dr Flamer and very special guests (Pygmalion, Sunday, June 4th).
The weekend will also include art, food and all the other festival distractions that Dubliners have grown to know and love. Stamina will be required.
When and where is it on?
Forbidden Fruit takes place at the grounds of Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin 8, on Saturday, June 3rd, and Sunday, June 4th.
Are there any tickets left?
Just a few remain: you’ll find them on Ticketmaster or via the festival website. Buy tickets from accredited sources only, and add yours to your phone’s wallet, too, to keep it handy. Forbidden Fruit is a cashless event, so bring your cards or a power bank to keep your phone charged.
Who is playing and when?
Saturday, June 3rd
Main stage
- 9.30-10.45pm Central Cee
- 8-9pm Rina Sawayama
- 6.30-7.30pm Knucks
- 4.55-5.55pm Sudan Archives
- 3.30-4.30pm Trinity Orchestra
Undergrowth stage
- 9.15-10.45pm Annie Mac
- 8-9.15pm Ben Bohmer (live)
- 6.15-7.45pm George FitzGerald (live)
- 5-6pm Olivia Dean
- 3.45-4.30pm Rachel Chinouriri
- 2.45-3.30pm Chris Wong
Lighthouse stage
- 9.15-10.45pm DJ EZ
- 8-9.15pm Interplanetary Criminal
- 6.30-8pm southstar
- 5.15-6.30pm Pretty Girl (live)
- 4-5.15pm p-rallel
- 3-4pm SHEE
- 2-3pm Bodytonic (DJs)
RTÉ 2FM Live
- 9-10pm Jen Payne
- 8-9pm Dave Treacy
- 7-7.45pm April
- 5.30-6.30pm Aby Coulibaly
- 4.15-5pm Sweetlemondae
- 3.15-4pm Aonair
Someplace Else stage
- 8.15-9.30pm LOST (DJs)
- 7-8.15pm Slim
- 5.45-6.45pm Joshwha
- 5.45-6.45pm JaVill
- 3.10-3.40pm Ten Hail Marys
- 2.30-3pm Really Red
Forbidden Fruit Night
Extra gigs will be played across the city on Saturday, which can be booked at forbiddenfruit.ie. These shows are ticket-only events, exclusively for those attending the festival by day. Ticket checks will be in operation.
- Bow Lane: Pretty Girl and Musing. Room two: Slim and Fiddy1 [Human Error]
- Centre Point: Interplanetary Criminal and SHEE
- Here&Now: George FitzGerald and Tyvion Valentine. Room two: Nocturnal Animals [Index]
- Racket: p-rallel and guests [AE86]
- Tengu: DJ Boring and Collie [Hidden Agenda]
- Wigwam: KI/KI, Aero and guests [Sense]
- Pygmalion: Pushee and January Winters
Sunday, June 4th
Main stage
- 9.30-10.45pm Eric Prydz
- 7.45-9.15pm KETTAMA b2b Mall Grab
- 6.30-7.30pm Channel Tres
- 4.55-5.55pm Wesley Joseph
- 3.30-4.30pm Malaki
Undergrowth stage
- 9.15-10.45pm Honey Dijon
- 8-9.15pm ROMY
- 6.30-8pm Eliza Rose
- 5.15-6.30pm Jazzy
- 4-5.45pm TBA
- 3-4pm Bullhorris
Lighthouse stage
- 9.15-10.45pm FJAAK (DJ)
- 8-9.15pm SHERELLE
- 6.30-8pm X CLUB.
- 5.15-6.30pm Yung Singh
- 4-5.15pm Surusinghe
- 3-4pm LUXE
- 2-3pm Speedy P
RTÉ 2FM Live
- 9-10pm January Winters
- 7.45-8.45pm 49th & Main
- 6.15-7.15pm KhaKiKid
- 5-5.45pm Negro Impacto
- 3.55-4.40pm Still Blue
- 2.55-3.40pm Winnie Ama
Someplace Else stage
- 8.15-9.30pm Collie
- 7-8.15pm Bella Festa
- 5.45-6.45pm Fuaim
- 4.15-5pm Jessica Doolan
- 3.10-3.40pm Greg Tisdall
- 2.30-3pm ESSIRAY
Forbidden Fruit Night
- Bow Lane: Theo Kottis and Jack Thompson. Room two: DJ Deece [Hidden Agenda]
- Centre Point: Special guests
- Here&Now: X CLUB and Surusinghe [Index]
- Racket: Yung Singh and Prozak
- Tengu: SHERELLE and EMA [Human Error]
- Soundhouse: LUXE and Fuaim DJs [Fuaim]
- Wigwam: Shampain and Shed Residents [The Shed Residents]
- Pygmalion: DJ Pierr, Dr. Flamer and very special guests
What time should I arrive?
Gates open at 2pm each day. Final entry to the festival is at 9.30pm. The last acts will finish at about 10.45pm.
How do I get there?
By foot: Pedestrian access is via East Gate, Military Road, and West Gate, James Street.
By car: There is no parking at the venue. Traffic restrictions will be in place on Military Road and Kilmainham Lane. The nearest public car park is Park Rite Smithfield, at 7 Queen Street, Dublin 7.
- From the west: Off the N4 towards Heuston Station
- From the north: Off the M1 towards Heuston Station
- From the south: Off the N7 towards Heuston Station
By bus from the city centre:
- Routes 40, 123, 13 from Upper O’Connell Street/College Green (every 10-15 minutes on Saturday, 20-30 minutes on Sunday): take the 40 towards Liffey Valley; 123 towards Walkinstown; 13 towards Grange Castle. Get off at the St James’s Hospital stop.
- Routes 79 and 79A from the city centre/Aston Quay, Temple Bar (every 15-20 minutes on Saturday and Sunday): take the 79 towards Spiddal Park. Get off at the St John’s Road West stop.
- Route 25A from the city centre/Wellington Quay, Temple Bar (every 20 minutes on Saturday, 30 minutes on Sunday): take the 25A towards Lucan shopping centre. Get of at the Heuston Station stop.
- Routes 25A and 66A from Palmerstown towards Kilmainham.
By train:
- From Celbridge: exit at Heuston Station; five-minute walk from Heuston Station.
- From Maynooth, Greystones and Balbriggan: go to Connolly Station and then take the Luas Red Line to Heuston Station. Check Dart timetables here.
By Luas: Take the Red Line from the Point towards Saggart or Tallaght, exit at Heuston Station; five-minute walk to East Gate entrance via Military Road. Check Dart timetables here.
Mobility-impaired access: Vehicles with a mobility-impaired badge will be permitted to approach the festival from James Road and Bow Lane, where they will be directed via Military Road to the East Gate and from there to the mobility-impaired car park. Display of mobility-impaired parking sticker in a visible position is necessary. Note: After the show, vehicles will be held until the vehicle curfew is tipped (approximately 30 minutes).
What’s the security?
No large bags will be permitted on to the concert site. Bags A4 size and smaller will be subject to security checks on entry. Those with no bags will be fast-tracked into the arena.
According to the festival website, the following items are banned: liquids, illegal drugs, fireworks, drones, professional recording equipment, pets. Also: no smoking in enclosed spaces, no parking at the venue, no re-entry with day tickets, no wristband tempering.
Bar and catering facilities are available; a Challenge 25 policy will be in operation at bars, so anyone who looks 25 years or younger can expect to be asked for ID.
Organisers encourage festivalgoers to take regular breaks, practise active consent, write down their group’s phone numbers in case some members lose their phone or get lost. Attendees are also encouraged to note and locate the wellness-area icons and visit the medics if feeling unwell.
What’s the weather going to be like?
It’s going to be a sunny weekend in Dublin – queue some Bagatelle on the playlist. Met Éireann is forecasting Saturday and Sunday to be warm with clear skies and afternoon highs of between 18 and 24 degrees. Dress appropriately for volatile Irish summer weather, though – it’s an outdoor event. Organisers are advising sun cream, hats, sunglasses and plenty of hydration throughout the day.