Official poster of Cork Folk Festival 2023 taking place 28th September until 1st October.

See who is playing Cork Folk Festival 2023

September 12, 2023September 13, 2023 The G-Man

The official launch of Cork Folk Festival takes place today, with a wonderful line-up of guests announced for the annual Cork festival.

One of Ireland’s longest running and most treasured folk festivals.
Cork Folk Festival

Cork Folk Festival 2023

The 44th edition of the Cork Folk Festival is officially launched today at St. Peter’s, with another huge line-up of folk and traditional players descending Lee-side for a long weekend of tunes, reels and more. Featuring over 40 concerts across various venues, the 2023 festival headliners come as the legendary triad that is Sharon Shannon, Mary Coughlan and Frances Black in Cork Opera House (Sunday, 1st October). Other highlights include the world premiere of Karan Casey‘s The Women, We Will Rise, a “theatrical song cycle” taking place in The Everyman; bluegrass banjo from Damien O’Kane & Ron Block (Alison Krauss); an afternoon Triskel concert with John Spillane & Conal Creedon; wonderful sean nós from Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh in accompaniment with Donal Ó’Connor and Gerry O’Beirne; and a special concert dedicated to Diarmuidín Ó Súilleabháin, The Diarmuidín Songbook.

Spotlight at An Spailpín

The Cork Folk Festival committee have also committed to a number of concerts “shining a spotlight on local styles” of various traditional instruments. Five different shows will take place at An Spailpín Fánach, focusing on fiddle, accordion, concertina, flute and song. For example, flautists and whistlers Aoife Granville (Dingle), Hammy Hamilton (Belfast), Conal O’Grada (Cork) and Caomhín Ó Fearghail (An Rinn) will perform a dedicated flute and whistle concert in An Spailpín Fánach at 2pm on Saturday 30th September. And we haven’t yet even mentioned any of the following:

Daoirí Farrell at An Spailpín Fánach; John Neville & Martin Leahy in Coughlans (Thursday 28th September)
Céilí Allstars and Paul Walker & Karen Pfeiffer at An Spailpín Fánach; Cormac Ó Caoimh & Martin Leahy in Coughlans (Friday 29th September)
Martin Carthy, Matt Cranitch & Jackie Daly at Triskel ; Steph Geremia Quartet & Boruma Trio at An Spailpín Fánach (Saturday 30th September)