Festivals in Clare in 2023
Festivals Fest! All year round there are festivals in some part of County Clare.
Many, but not all, are centred around traditional music and culture but if you are interested in food, drama, Jazz, history or gardening you will find festivals in Clare in 2023 to suit you.
Here is our selection of the best of festivals in Clare in 2023
February
Russell Festival 2023
Date: 23rd February – 27th February
Venue: Doolin Village
A weekend of music, song and dance celebrating the life and music of Russell family, Micho, Packie and Gussie Russell, the world-famous traditional musicians from the area.
Web: www.michorussellweekend.ie
March
Corofin Trad Festival 2023
Date: 2nd – 5th March 2023
Venue: Corofin
Traditional music, workshops, masterclasses, talks, sessions recitals and concerts with many of Clare’s best traditional musicians.
Web: http://corofintradfest.ie/
Tedfest
Date: 2nd – 5th March 2023
Venue: Craggy Island/Inis Mór
A mad celebration of Fr. Ted with lots of fun frolics food and drink and more on Inis Mór
Web: http://tedfest.org/
Ennis Book Club Festival
Date: 3rd – 5th March 2023
Venue: Ennis
Each year, readers both from Ireland and further afield, come to Ennis to share the joy of reading. Eavan Boland, Seán O’Driscoll, Flor McCarthy, Aislinn O’Loughlinand more. Readings, workshops, theatre, food.
Web: https://ennisbookclubfestival.com/
West Clare Drama Festival
Date: 4th – 12th March 2023
Venue: Doonbeg
Ten nights of plays from different drama groups from around the country as part of the qualifying rounds for the Amateur Drama Ireland finals.
Web: https://westclaredramafestivaldoonbeg.com/
Full Programme HERE
St. Patricks Day Festival
Date: 17th March
Venue: Various
St. Patricks Day family festival in Ennis and other towns throughout the County with many free events, parades, music, fun and entertainment for all the family.
April
Consairtín, The National Concertina Convention
Date: 13th – 16th April 2023
Venue: Various venues in Ennis
Concerts, classes, workshops, recitals and sessions all celebrating the concertina in Irish Traditional Music.
Web: www.consairtin.ie
Kilfenora Traditional Music Festival
Date: 21st – 24th April 2023
Venue: Kilfenora
The festival is noted for great concerts and céilís, plus cracking CD launches and pub sessions. It is intended to adopt a similar format to previous years with events and sessions.
Web: www.kilfernoraclare.com
Clare Garden Festival
Date: 30th April 2023
Venue: Ennis Showgrounds
Clare Garden Festival is a for vegetable and flower gardeners with over 70 stalls with plants and food of all sorts.
Web: www.claregardenfestival.com
May
Carrigaholt Oyster and Traditional Music Festival
Date: May Bank Holiday weekend
Venue: Carrigaholt
More traditional Irish music, this time with oysters and Guinness. Sample lots of different oyster recipes and enter the Oyster eating competition.
Bodyke Annual Festival
Date: 29th April – 1st May 2023 (TBC)
Venue: Bodyke
Annual May Bank Holiday Weekend Festival of music and entertainment in the village of Bodyke.
Burren in Bloom
Date: 29th April – 28th May 2023
Venue: Burren Area
Guided walks, talks, workshops, demos and other events in and around The Burren organised by Burrenbeo Trust.
Events for Burren in Bloom 2023 will take place on weekends throughout the month of May starting from the May bank holiday weekend (Fri 28th April – Sunday 30th April). Details of events coming soon
W: www.burreninbloom.com
Corofin Festival of Finn
Date: 29th April – 1st May 2023 (TBC)
Venue: Corofin
The Festival of Finn is a festival of fun for all the family. Markets, fancy dress parade, treasure hunt, heritage trail music and lots more.
Clare Food & Drink Fleadh
Date: 5th – 7th May
Venue: Ennis
This is Clare’s Food Festival. Clare Food & Drink Fleadh showcases the best of County Clare’s food products and cooking.
Also craft beers, gins and other spirits.
Web: https://clarefooddrinkfleadh.ie/
Burren Slow Food Festival
Date: 19th – 21st May, 2023 (TBC)
Venue: Lisdoonvarna
The three day event showcases the best elements of food culture in Clare from the local growers, producers and traders near The Burren that make Clare such a unique and dynamic food destination.
Web: www.slowfoodclare.com
Tulla Traditional Music Festival 2023
Date: Dates to be confirmed
Venue: Tulla
Féile Chnoc na Gaoithe is a festival organised by Tulla Comhaltas Cultural Centre to promote Irish traditional music, song and dance with céilís, workshops, singing and music sessions. The Tulla Céilí Band and Cnoc na Gaoithe Céilí Band will perform.
Web: www.cnocnagaoithe.com
Mountshannon Arts Festival 2023
Date: to be confirmed
Venue: Mountshannon
Visit various art galleries, poetry readings, and enjoy theatre, puppetry, music and workshops.
Web: www.mountshannonarts.net
Fleadh Nua 2023
Date: 27th May – 5th June 2023
Venue: Various venues in Ennis
Full to the brim with Concerts, Céilis, Sessions, CD Launches, Recitals, Sean-Nós Dancing and Street Entertainment.
Web: www.fleadhnua.com
Doonbeg International Jazz Festival2023
Date: 29th May – 1st June
Venue: Doonbeg
Moving away from traditional Irish music Doonbeg has been showcasing the best of Irish and international Jazz musicians at this festival. All performances are free! Watch out for this year’s line up later.
Facebook: Doonbeg Jazz
June
Killaloe Chamber Music Festival
Date: 2nd – 4th June 2023
Venue: Killaloe
Four days of brilliant chamber music from some of the best of Irish and International musicians.
W: www.killaloemusicfestival.com
Fleadh Cheoil an Chláir 2023
Date: 10th , 11th, 17th, 18th June 2023
Venue: Ennis/Lisdoonvarna
Dancing, music, singing competitions.
Doolin Folk Festival 2023
Date: 9th – 11th June 2023
Venue: Doolin
This has become a favourite on the summer festival calendar. It usually features some big names on the folk/trad scene. Sharon Shannon, Finbarr Furey, Luka Bloom, De Danann and others have appeared in the past.
Web: https://www.doolinarts.ie/events
July
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy 2023
Date: 1st – 9th July 2023
Venue: Milltown Malbay
The Willie Clancy Summer School is probably the best known traditional music festival in the country. As well as being a school providing tuition on Irish traditional music, song and dance, it is a week of concerts, céilís and numerous music sessions on the streets, in the pubs and any spot where a group of musicians can get together.
Web: www.scoilsamraidhwillieclancy.com
Feakle International Traditional Music Festival 2023
Date: 9th – 14th August 2023
Venue: Feakle
Traditional music moves to East Clare as the village of Feakle is abuzz with the sound of the music of the local area. ‘The very best of traditional music in a very traditional Irish village’. Concerts, talks, workshops, sessions.
Web: www.feaklefestival.ie
Scariff Harbour Festival
Date: Dates for 2023 to be confirmed
Venue: Scariff
The Scariff Harbour Festival is inspired by Lough Derg and Irish Waterways and has a very diverse programme of arts, music and entertainment with lots of walks, talks, kids entertainment, fishing, food and lots more.
Web: www.scariffharbourfestival.ie
Kilmihil Festival of Fun
Date: Dates for 2023 to be announced.
Venue: Kilmihil Village
A very varied programme of fun events including pig racing, fun at the lake, a vintage rally as well as fitness activities including 5km runs, walks, soccer and football matches.
August
Rose of Clare Festival 2023
Date: Beginning of August 2023 (dates to be announced)
Venue: Cooraclare
Not as well known as The Rose of Tralee Festival but similar. This is the festival which picks a Rose of Clare from all the contestants representing different parishes in County Clare. Lots of other fun events throughout the week with music song and dance.
Dan Furey Weekend of Set Dancing 2023
Date: To be announced
Venue: Labasheeda
There is a large number of set dancing enthusiasts in the country. Many of them try to attend as many set dancing get togethers as possible and quite a few will descend on Labasheeda for the Dan Furey Weekend. Dan Furey was a famous Irish dance teacher and fiddle player from Labasheeda.
Kilmurry Harvest Festival 2023
Date: To be announced
Venue: Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge
The Kilmurry Harvest Festival is a festival of fun events including a vintage show, quiz night, live music, bingo, hurling, football soccer and lots more.
W: www.kilmurry.com
Crotty Galvin Traditional Music Weekend 2023
Date: To be announced
Venue: Moyasta Village
The festival takes place over three days each year, to promote and nurture local traditional music, song and dance, while bringing generations together.
It isnamed in honour of Ellen (Nell) Galvin who was a famous local fiddler and concertina player and PJ Crotty and his brother Peadar who were flute players from Moyasta.
Web: Facebook
September
Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival 2023
Date: September 2023
Venue: Lisdoonvarna
This 160 years old festival attracts up to 60,000 people from all over Ireland and abroad who come for the music, dancing and to find love.
Dancing ‘ballroom of romance style’ is the big thing here.
Famous matchmaker Willie Daly will be on hand to help aspiring couples get together.
Web: www.matchmakerireland.com
Ennis Trad Festival
Date: 9th – 13th Nov 2023
Venue: Ennis
Ennis has a long and illustrious tradition in Irish music, and this annual event is one of the premier dates in the traditional music calendar, bringing together the very best of Irish traditional musicians in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.
This is our list of festivals in Clare in 2023! Has any other county as many?
We will be adding further events during the year as they are announced.
If anybody wants to have an event listed here please send details (name of event, brief description, venue and dates as well as a photo if possible) to info@stayinclare.com
