TradFest 2024: Stage times, ticket information, weather and more

Ireland’s largest traditional Irish and folk music festival is back and bigger than ever before. TradFest 2024 will see an extended line-up of acts from previous years including Lúnasa, Mary Black, Tom Paxton, Altan and Janis Ian.

More than 80 concerts will be held over five days in Dublin, so if you see crowds of geansaí-wearing trad lovers whizzing across the city, they’re probably between gigs.

A highlight will be legendary folk artist Janis Ian. She will speak about her life in a special event on Sunday evening. The event will feature Ian discussing her life and career. The event will not showcase a performance by Ian due to vocal fold scarring, but it will feature a rich programme celebrating her vast contributions to music with performances of her work by Mary Black, Wallis Bird, Aoife Scott and others.

Grammy award-winning Tom Paxton will take part in a special celebration gig on Thursday, joining Declan O’Rourke, Camille O’Sullivan and Lúnasa to celebrate the 80th birthday of legendary folk star Ralph McTell.

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[ Janis Ian: ‘It was astonishing to realise that At Seventeen applied to boys too’ ]

The festival will once again see a strong showing of women headliners, with one event showcasing the findings of research to help other festival organisers improve their gender representation on stage. In 2023, the festival achieved a male-woman artist ratio of 58:40.

When and where is it on?

Running from January 22nd-28th at venues across Dublin city centre and Fingal, TradFest hosts a line-up of nationally and internationally renowned artists. Venue information can be found for each event here.

Are there any tickets left?

Yes. Tickets for each event can be purchased on the festival website until 4pm on the day of the performance. If there are tickets left over they can be purchased at the venue doors.

[ Ralph McTell: ‘My room was like a little Catholic shrine. I had pictures of Jesus – that was the father figure I was seeking out' ]

Some of the higher-profile events, such as the Altan gig on Friday or the interview with folk star Janis Ian at the Séamus Ennis Arts Centre, are sold out. Festival organisers have announced some ticket giveaways on social media, so keep up to date on the festival social media accounts for live information as the weeks go on. Find information on Instagram, X, or Facebook. More than 50 of the gigs are free. There are no ticket refunds or ticket swaps.

[ Ralph McTell: ‘My room was like a little Catholic shrine. I had pictures of Jesus – that was the father figure I was seeking out’ ]

Who is playing and when?

Trad and folk artists will play in venues across the city and county. The venues are Button Factory, Castle Hall and Hibernia Conference Centre at Dublin Castle, Donabate Parish Hall, Draíocht, Malahide Castle, Collins Barracks, Skerries Mills, St Patrick’s Church Donabate, The Chapel at Swords Castle, The GPO Museum, The Grand Hotel, The Grand Social, The Millbank Theatre, The National Stadium, The Pepper Canister Church and The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre. See Smithwick’s Sessions on the festival website for free unticketed shows in Temple Bar. There are also Fringe Events on across the city and Fingal with walking tours, film talks and more on offer. There is a special line-up of events aimed at children too.

Monday, January 22nd

Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle

• 7pm: RTÉ radio 1′s Arena broadcast live from TradFest at Dublin Castle with live performances and interviews from TradFest headliners including Stockton’s Wing, Yankari, Strange Boy, Indeceltic and more.

Tuesday, January 23rd

Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle

• 7pm: RTÉ radio 1′s Arena broadcast live from TradFest at Dublin Castle with live performances and interviews from TradFest headliners including Janis Ian, Toshín, Ralph McTell, Aoife Scott, Neil Martin and Louise Mulcahy.

Wednesday, January 24th,

Collins Barracks

• 1pm: Molly Donnery

Castle Hall at Dublin Castle

• 1pm: Free Spirits of the Road: Music & Story in Traveller Culture (A talk)

Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle

• 7pm: Paddy Keenan & Guests

The Pepper Canister Church

• 7.30pm: Padraig Rynne / Tara Breen / Jim Murray

[ TradFest 2023 to showcase young Irish talent in ‘a celebration of who we are’ ]

St Patrick’s Cathedral

• 7.30pm: Women of Note

Draíocht

• 8pm: Remembering Ronnie with Phelim Drew through songs and stories

Button Factory

• 8.30pm: WeAreGriot presents Sthory

Thursday, January 25th

Collins Barracks

• 1pm: Angelina Carberry

Castle Hall at Dublin Castle

• 1pm: Free Spirits of the Road: Songs and Pipes (A Talk)
• 7pm: Steo Wall, Niamh Dunne & Sharyn Ward

Hibernia Conference Centre, Dublin Castle

• 7pm: Paddy Keenan & Guests

The National Stadium

• 7.30pm: Ralph McTell, Lúnasa, Declan O’Rourke, Camille O’Sullivan, Tom Paxton

St Patrick’s Cathedral

• 7.30pm: Julie Fowlis

The Pepper Canister Church

• 7.30pm: Maurice Lennon Trio

Button Factory

• 8.30pm: Dublin Pride Trad Géilí

The Grand Social

• 8.30pm: The Raines

The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre

• 8.30pm: In Conversation with Janis Ian

Friday, January 26th

Malahide Castle

• 1pm: Niwel Tsumbu
• 5pm: Michelle Mulcahy

The Chapel, Swords Castle

• 1pm: Indeceltic
• 5pm: Liam Ó Maonlaí

Collins Barracks

• 1pm: Tara Howley

Castle Hall at Dublin Castle

• 7pm: Alannah Thornburgh

The Pepper Canister Church

• 7.30pm: Altan

The National Stadium

• 7.30pm: Féile Kíla le Práis with Yankari

St Patrick’s Cathedral

• 7.30pm: Allison Russell

The Grand Hotel

• 8pm: Stockton’s Wing

Button Factory

• 8.30pm: Strange Boy

The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre

• 8.30pm: In Conversation with Ralph McTell

The Grand Social

• 8.30pm: Ispíní Na hÉireann

Saturday, January 27th

Collins Barracks

• 1pm: Oisín Morrison
• Music therapy with Tommy Hayes, for up to 10 years old, 10-17 years old and adults

Malahide Castle

• 1pm: Sive
• 5pm: Laoise Kelly

The Pepper Canister Church

• 1pm: Niamh Farrell / Varo
• 4pm: Cuas / Padraig Jack
• 7.30pm: Máirtín O’Connor Trio

The Chapel, Swords Castle

• 1pm: Nuala Kennedy / Tara Breen / Tony Byrne
• 5pm: Zoë Conway and John Mc Intyre

The Millbank Theatre

• 1pm: Bríd Harper
• 5pm: Gerry O’Connor, Tony Byrne, Fiach O’Connor

Castle Hall at Dublin Castle

• 7pm: David Howley

St Patrick’s Cathedral

• 7.30pm: Carlos Núñez

The National Stadium

• 7.30pm: Transatlantic Women: Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Alison Brown, Aoife O’Donovan, Eileen Ivers

The Grand Social

• 8.30pm: The Deadlians

The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre

• 8.30pm: Timothy O’Grady: I Could Read the Sky ft. Cathy Jordan, Louise & Michelle Mulcahy

Sunday, January 28th

Malahide Castle

• 1pm: Farah Elle
• 5pm: Niamh Bury

The Chapel, Swords Castle

• 1pm: Síle Denvir
• 5pm: Cathy Jordan & Feargal Murray

The Millbank Theatre

• 1pm: Brian Kennedy
• 5pm: Freddie White

Skerries Mills

• 1pm: Aisling Lyons
• 5pm: Shane Hennessy

Donabate Parish Hall

• 1pm: Gerry O’Connor and friends (matinee)
• 4pm: Gerry O’Connor and friends

The Pepper Canister Church

• 2pm: Brigid Mae Power
• 6pm: Lumiere

The Séamus Ennis Arts Centre

• 2pm: Brenda Castles & friends – Plight of the Bumble Bee

St Patrick’s Church, Donabate

• 6pm: Ocean Child – The Tragic Tale of the RMS Tayleur – ‘The First Titanic’

The National Stadium

• 7.30pm: Janis Ian – A Life Between the Lines

What time should I arrive?

Doors for all concerts open 30 minutes before the start time. Seating in the venues is unallocated and works on a first come first served basis.

How do I get there?

Events are spread out across Dublin. To ensure swift access to the venue consider taking public transport and leaving plenty of time for arrival, especially with venues located in the city centre.

Mobility-impaired access: All venues other than Collins Barracks and The Grand Social are wheelchair accessible. Contact festival organisers in advance to arrange early arrival and assistance at a venue.

Do I have to pay for a babysitter?

Not necessarily. Children can attend selected events, including the National Stadium concerts, which can be found on the festival website. Gigs at The Grand Social and Button Factory are strictly over 18s.

What’s the weather going to be like?

It’s going to be a mixed bag according to Met Éireann forecasts. Wednesday will be dry and cloudy, peaking at 10 degrees (a far cry from the ice last week). Thursday is set to see scattered showers across Dublin, and Friday and Saturday are forecast to be a little cooler and drier. So wherever you’re planning to head, best to bring a warm and waterproof jacket.