Event of the week
Dublin Theatre Festival
From Thursday, September 25th, until Sunday, October 12th, various venues, times and prices, dublintheatrefestival.ie
The 68th edition of Dublin Theatre Festival addresses issues both big and small, global and local in a programme that, according to artistic director Róise Goan, “pushes the boundaries of what theatre can be, and everything in between, without apology”. Must-sees include Druid’s production of Macbeth (with Marie Mullen and Marty Rea, Gaiety Theatre, September 25th-October 5th), Whitewashing (Project Arts Centre, September 25th-27th), The Boy (Abbey Theatre, September 27th-October 11th), Poor (Gate Theatre, September 26th-October 12th) and Three Sisters (Draíocht, October 4th). “Sometimes you might be pushed to even ask, Is it theatre?,” Goan adds. “We respect the canon, and we burst it open.”
Gigs
Dermot Kennedy
Sunday, September 21st, Ulster Hall, Belfast, 7pm, £60.50 (sold out); Monday, September 22nd, 3Olympia Theatre, 7pm, €61.35/€56.35 (sold out); Tuesday, September 23rd, 3Olympia Theatre, 7pm, €61.35/€56.35 (sold out), ticketmaster.ie
Dermot Kennedy returns to Ireland for a series of “special intimate” gigs. The singer-songwriter was last here a few weeks ago, at Electric Picnic, where he was the (genuinely surprising) special guest singer with members of The Cranberries. These solo shows form part of a broader UK and US tour that will see Kennedy preview new material from his forthcoming, as-yet-untitled album, a taster of which is the multimillion-streaming single Let Me In.
The Delines
Tuesday, September 23rd, Whelan’s, Dublin, 8pm, €35, whelanslive.com; Wednesday, September 24th, Cyprus Avenue, Cork, 7pm, €30, cyprusavenue.ie; Thursday, September 25th, Bank Lane, Waterford, 8pm, €32.50, banklane.ie
If you remember Richmond Fontaine, the four-piece from Portland, Oregon, you’ll probably recognise their connection with The Delines. It’s the acclaimed novelist and songwriter Willy Vlautin, whose evocative writing has won him accolades in each genre, including, most recently, the 2025 Joyce Carol Oates Prize. Fronted by Amy Boone, the band channels Vlautin’s Americana-fuelled loneliness and fearful, cheerless acceptance. At these gigs they’ll be performing selected songs from their six albums, including this year’s Mr Luck and Ms Doom.
Self Esteem
Wednesday, September 24th, 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin, 7pm, €44.20/€39.20, ticketmaster.ie
Self Esteem, aka Rebecca Lucy Taylor, has been a consistent cultural presence since she released the track I Do This All the Time, in 2021. She now has three albums under her belt, as well as a career in musicals – she played Sally Bowles in the West End revival of Cabaret. Alongside live shows, next month sees the publication of A Complicated Woman (also the title of her latest album), Taylor’s debut book of observational essays and vignettes.
RM Block
Dave Redmond All in Motion Quartet
Thursday, September 25th, Cooler, Smithfield, Dublin, 7.30pm, €18, improvisedmusic.ie; Friday, September 27th, Scott’s Jazz Club, Belfast, 8pm, £16.85, scottsjazzclub.com
Dave Redmond, the Irish bassist and composer, is a go-to jazzer for the likes of Van Morrison and Guy Barker – and when he leads, rather than collaborates, he’s in a compositional league of his own. Accompanied by George Colligan on piano, Stéphane Mercier on saxophone and Darren Beckett on drums, Redmond is plugging his new album, All in Motion, with a batch of tour dates you’re advised to take note of. (Also, Thursday, October 2nd, Solstice Arts Centre, Navan, Co Meath, 8pm, €15, solsticeartscentre.ie)
Classical
New Ross Piano Festival
From Wednesday, September 24th, until Sunday, September 28th, St Mary’s Church, New Ross, Co Wexford, newrosspianofestival.com
Expect an extended weekend of acclaimed soloists, duos and quartets; showcases for young pianists; collaborative masterclasses; emerging talent in the popular Coffee Concerts series; and performances by Irish virtuosos such as John O’Conor and Finghin Collins (the festival’s artistic director). The 19th edition also features two Irish debuts: the German-Greek pianist Danae Dörken and the Hungarian pianist Daniel Lebhardt. The latter will perform selections by Liszt in the festival’s finale, on Sunday, September 28th, which also features Collins and the Castalian Quartet performing Dvorak’s Piano Quintet.
Comedy
Stand Up for Gaza
Saturday, September 20th, Vicar Street, Dublin, 7pm, €30 (sold out), ticketmaster.ie
Facilitated by Irish Artists for Palestine, an alliance of artists raising funds to meet medical and humanitarian needs in Gaza, this performance features some of the biggest names in Irish comedy. Confirmed names so far include Aisling Bea, Kyla Cobbler, Peter McGann, Fiona Frawley, Duane Doogan and Rosie O’Donnell.
Visual art
Anna McKeever: Full Beam
From Thursday, September 25th, until Monday, October 20th, Gormleys Gallery, Dublin, free, gormleys.ie
Five years ago Anna McKeever switched careers from medicine – she was a doctor specialising in psychiatry – to art. Once she began posting images of her work on Instagram, it didn’t take long for inquiries to arrive about her big, vibrant, semi-abstract pieces, which delve into themes of identity, landscape, connection and myth. This is McKeever’s first significant solo exhibition in Dublin after several sell-out showings in Belfast.
Still running
Write by the Sea
From Friday, September 26th, until Sunday, September 28th, Kilmore Quay, Co Wexford, various venues, times and prices, writebythesea.ie
The waft of sea air and the wisdom of the written word inform this annual celebration of established and emerging authors. Now in its 10th year, this intimate literary festival features, among others, Claire Keegan, Garrett Carr, Lara Marlowe, Colum McCann, Joseph O’Connor, Dermot Bolger, Wendy Erskine, John Banville, Marian Keyes, Eimear McBride and Mike McCormick.
Book it this week
Galway Comedy Festival, October 21st-27th, galwaycomedyfestival.ie
Inhaler, Dublin Castle, December 31st, ticketmaster.ie
Top Hat, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin, January 27th-31st, ticketmaster.ie
David Gray, Live at the Marquee, Cork, June 13th-14th, ticketmaster.ie
