Galway Folk Festival has revealed a major expansion to its 2026 programme, announcing that over 80 acts will perform across 11 venues in Galway city from June 3rd to 7th, as the festival marks its 5th year.
Following the initial headline announcement, more than 50 additional artists have now been added to the line-up, further extending what is already the festival’s most ambitious edition to date. Newly announced highlights include Dylan Flynn & The Dead Poets, Chris Brain, Driven Snow, Kenan Flannery, Roving Crows, Tessio, and Yonder Boys.
Since launching in 2022, Galway Folk Festival has steadily built a reputation as a key gathering point for folk, roots and traditional music. The 2026 edition reflects that growth, both in scale and scope, with performances now spanning 11 venues across the city.
Alongside established festival locations such as Monroe’s Live, Town Hall Theatre and the Black Box, four new venues – Leisureland, St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, Taylor’s Bar and Carroll’s Bar – will join the programme, staging performances across the weekend.
Across 5 days, the festival will present a mix of headline concerts, intimate seated shows, late-night sessions and a wide-ranging FREE daytime programme. The headline artists for 2026 include The Divine Comedy, Richard Thompson, Damien Dempsey, Lisa O’Neill and Jamie McIntyre, alongside returning Festival friends Hothouse Flowers, Niall McCabe, CLADA and Seán Keane.
The expanded line-up brings together a broad range of Irish and international artists, including Muireann Bradley, Flyte, RÓIS, Bill Ryder-Jones, Brìghde Chaimbeul, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, Ríognach Connolly & Honeyfeet, Nadia Reid, Padraig Jack, Without Willow and many more.
The festival’s FREE daytime programme will again play a central role, with the return of Cuppa Tea TV, who will host an outdoor stage across Saturday and Sunday. Tony Clayton-Lea also returns for a 5th consecutive year with Culture Vultures, curating a series of conversations and events across the weekend. Additional elements of the daytime programme include Westend Sessions and Youth in Music.
2026 LINE-UP:
THE DIVINE COMEDY
RICHARD THOMPSON * DAMIEN DEMPSEY
LISA O’NEILL * HOTHOUSE FLOWERS
MUIREANN BRADLEY * FLYTE * RÓIS
JAMIE MCINTYRE * SEÁN KEANE
BILL RYDER-JONES * BRÍGHDE CHAIMBEUL
CLADA * NIALL MCCABE * MUIREANN NIC AMHLAOIBH
RÍOGHNACH CONNOLLY & HONEYFEET * NOTIFY
SEANCHOÍCHE * DYLAN FLYNN & THE DEAD POETS
ALAN DANIEL TOBIN * ALDER * ALL THINGS EVE * BEC O’MALLEY
BLESSED AMONGST WOMEN * BIG LOVE CAR WASH * BIG TOOTH
BILLY TRACEY & THE SCOPE * BOG JAZZ * BRID * CAOILIAN SHERLOCK
CARA COYLE * CARDINEAU SIN * CHRIS BRAIN * D. CULLEN
DAVID SLATTERY, CLARA BUTELER & ADRIAN RAHILL * DELYRA * DOGPOND * DON STIFFE
DORA GOLA * DRIVEN SNOW * ELIZABETH DAVIDSON-BLYTHE & DANIEL QUAYLE * EZMAY GRACE
FEEDBACK * FLAVIE MIALON * GREENSHINE * GROEV * HÁNT * HERON RED * HOW I BECAME A WAVE
KATE PRENDERGAST * KENAN FLANNERY * LIAM CARROLL & CO * LILY LYONS * LÚAN * MICHAEL MCGOVERN
MICK N FLICK * MICKY O’LYNN * MUSKETEER * NADIA REID * NIAMH KEANE * PADRAIG JACK * PAURIC O’MEARA
ROVING CROWS * SABBAGES * SARA GERDINE * SEÁN LYONS * SEÁNIE Ó’LOINGSIGH * SHANI
SLOW CREATURES * SONA * SPENCER JO * TESSIO * THE EVERGREEN BROTHERS * THE HIDDEN MAPLE *
THE WOOD OF O * THUNDER & RAIN * TRACY BRUEN * WHISKEY DRAM * WILL SOFTLY * WITHOUT WILLOW * YONDER BOYS
CULTURE VULTURES WITH TONY CLAYTON-LEA * CUPPA TEA TV * WESTEND SESSIONS * YOUTH IN MUSIC
Festival Director Peter O’Sullivan comments:
“Reaching our 5th year is a huge moment for the festival. Galway Folk Festival has always been about community, connection and great music, and for 2026 we wanted to celebrate that by inviting back some familiar faces while continuing to introduce new artists to Galway audiences.”
Festival Director Gary Monroe further comments:
“This feels like a real milestone year for us. We hope you’ll come celebrate with us.”
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