Ireland’s biggest trad and folk festival is back for its 18th year in Dublin City and beyond.
TradFest Temple Bar has an incredible lineup of trad and folk for its 2023 festival, and will be taking place from January 25 to 29.
Traditional music is a part of Irish culture both at home and abroad.
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From modest beginnings in 2005, where small and often spontaneous sessions in pubs spilled out onto the cobbled streets of Temple Bar, TradFest has become a leading cultural event in Dublin.
The festival showcases the best of established and emerging musical talent. The celebration of culture is reimagining and redefining Irish music and bringing it to growing Irish and international audiences.
A much anticipated highlight of the programme are the Smithwick’s Sessions, where audiences are invited to enjoy free, live music in some of the best pubs and cosiest lounges of Temple Bar.
Where will there be gigs?
TradFest Temple Bar will take place across Dublin city with performances in a range of venues including The National Stadium, National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin Castle, St Patrick’s Cathedral, The Pepper Canister Church, GPO Museum, The Button Factory and The Grand Social.
This year for the first time ever, Tradfest will be going further afield and hosting events in Fingal, with weekend performances in Swords Castle Chapel & The Great Hall at Malahide Castle.
What acts will be playing?
Fintan Warfield, Cailíní Lua, Dubh Lee, Leila Jane, Lorraine Nash, Bróna Keogh, The Kilkennys, Tulua, Nóiníní, Laytha, Paddy Casey, Stockton's Wing, Drops of Green, Síomha, The Finns, MEGA-Trad, The Jeremiahs, The Colonials, SuperCéilí, The Henry Girls, Ukulele Tuesday and Polly Barrett.
In 2023, TradFest Temple Bar will celebrate the Mná na hÉireann featuring a number of female led and curated Trad and Folk performances.
TradFest aims to greatly increase women’s participation across the festival programme, building balanced representation in terms of pure numbers.
The festival also continues to welcome new voices and works in ways to increase accessibility and diversity across the programme and in trad and folk.
As well as the fantastic music on offer, audiences can also enjoy film screenings in the IFI, family fun in The Ark, an opportunity to trace your family history at the Family History Centre and explore Epic, The Irish Emigration Museum.
How do I get tickets?
There are unticketed events on a first come basis on the evening.
Tickets for other events are also on sale now at tradfesttemplebar.com
The Smithwick’s Sessions line-up in more detail
Wednesday 25 January
Fintan Warfield - 6pm Fitzsimons
Dubh Lee - 6pm The Auld Dubliner
Leila Jane - 6pm The Fleet Hotel
Lorraine Nash - 6pm The Morgan
Bróna Keogh - 6pm The Norseman
The Kilkennys - 6pm The Old Storehouse
Tulua - 6pm Gogartys
Nóiníní - 5:30pm The Temple Bar
Laytha - 6pm The Bad Ass Cafe
Paddy Casey - 6pm The Porterhouse
Thursday 26 January
Stockton’s Wing - 6pm Arlington O'Connell St
Drops of Green - 6pm Fitzsimons
The Kilkennys - 6pm The Auld Dubliner
Síomha - 6pm The Fleet Hotel
The Finns - 6pm The Morgan
MEGA-Trad - 6pm The Norseman
Tulua - 6pm The Old Storehouse
Paddy Casey - 6pm Gogartys
Nóiníní - 6pm The Bad Ass Cafe
The Jeremiahs - 6pm The Porterhouse
The Colonials - 6pm The Temple Bar
Friday 27 January
SuperCéilí - 6pm Fitzsimons
Stockton’s Wing - 6pm Gogartys
The Jeremiahs - 6pm The Auld Dubliner
The Henry Girls - 6pm The Fleet Hotel
Síomha - 6pm The Morgan
The Colonials - 6pm The Norseman
Tulua - 6pm The Bad Ass Cafe
Drops of Green - 6pm The Temple Bar
Saturday 28 January
Ukulele Tuesday - 4pm Arlington O'Connell St
SuperCéilí - 6pm Fitzsimons
Drops of Green - 4pm Gogartys
The Finns - 4pm The Auld Dubliner
Polly Barrett - 4pm The Fleet Hotel
The Henry Girls - 4pm The Morgan
The Jeremiahs - 4pm The Norseman
Paddy Casey - 4pm The Old Storehouse
Tulua - 4pm The Porterhouse
Stockton’s Wing - 4pm The Bad Ass Cafe
The Kilkennys - 4pm The Temple Bar
Sunday 29 January
Cailíní Lua - 3pm Arlington O'Connell St
Stockton’s Wing - 3pm Fitzsimons
Drops of Green - 3pm The Auld Dubliner
The Henry Girls - 3pm Gogartys
The Finns - 3pm The Fleet Hotel
Polly Barrett - 3pm The Morgan
Nóiníní - 3pm The Norseman
Ukulele Tuesday - 3pm The Old Storehouse
The Kilkennys - 3pm The Porterhouse
The Jeremiahs - 3pm The Bad Ass Cafe
Paddy Casey - 3pm The Temple Bar
TradFest Temple Bar is produced by The Temple Bar Company and with support The Arts Council, Diageo (Smithwicks), Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council. Culture Ireland, The OPW and RTE Supporting the Arts.
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