BERE ISLAND Arts Festival has unveiled its 2025 programme, as it prepares to welcome artists, musicians, writers, and audiences for four unforgettable days of creativity, performance, and connection from September 18th to 21st.
Now in its third year, the festival continues to inspire, engage and delight both lifelong lovers of the arts and curious newcomers alike through its rich and diverse programme of events ranging from music, dance and theatre to literature and visual art.
Bere Island’s venues, each with their own storied histories, provide a unique backdrop for the festival’s rich, stimulating cultural experiences. These include a former military Drill Hall, the historic Camp Church, the island’s Heritage Centre, and the Wild Atlantic Glamping site overlooking the sea.
Highlights of this year’s festival include legends of Irish music, Stockton’s Wing; local writer Carina McNally’s debut of her new play; a special literary event honouring the poetic legacy of the late John O’Leary featuring Paula Meehan, Theo Dorgan, Annette Skade and Paddy O’ Conor; and a participatory workshop and the presentation of new work by acclaimed performance artist Amanda Coogan.
Other highlights include visual artists William Bock and Rachel Parry’s video and tactile installations of their work and a screening of Housewife of the Year, which will invite intergenerational reflection on Irish identity. An international poetry competition will also take place, opening a space for emerging voices to shine.
The Longtable Lunch, the choral performance at Sunday Mass, and Dancing at the Crossroads, quickly becoming cornerstones of Bere Island Arts Festival’s programme, will also make a welcome return this year.
Mary Sullivan of Bere Island Arts Festival said: ‘We are excited to present this year’s programme of events. All of us who call Bere Island home know what a special place it is, and for audiences and acts attending our festival, they will feel that too.
‘Our island will host local, national and international artists who are responding and adapting to the unique setting and landscape. As with every great festival, there’s a heartbeat beneath the schedule, a spirit of generosity, creativity, and welcome.’
The festival is supported by Creative Places West Cork Islands, the Arts Council, Poetry Ireland and Cork County Council. Tickets and the full programme are available on bereislandartsfestival.ie
BERE ISLAND Arts Festival has unveiled its 2025 programme, as it prepares to welcome artists, musicians, writers, and audiences for four unforgettable days of creativity, performance, and connection from September 18th to 21st.
Now in its third year, the festival continues to inspire, engage and delight both lifelong lovers of the arts and curious newcomers alike through its rich and diverse programme of events ranging from music, dance and theatre to literature and visual art.
Bere Island’s venues, each with their own storied histories, provide a unique backdrop for the festival’s rich, stimulating cultural experiences. These include a former military Drill Hall, the historic Camp Church, the island’s Heritage Centre, and the Wild Atlantic Glamping site overlooking the sea.
Highlights of this year’s festival include legends of Irish music, Stockton’s Wing; local writer Carina McNally’s debut of her new play; a special literary event honouring the poetic legacy of the late John O’Leary featuring Paula Meehan, Theo Dorgan, Annette Skade and Paddy O’ Conor; and a participatory workshop and the presentation of new work by acclaimed performance artist Amanda Coogan.
Other highlights include visual artists William Bock and Rachel Parry’s video and tactile installations of their work and a screening of Housewife of the Year, which will invite intergenerational reflection on Irish identity. An international poetry competition will also take place, opening a space for emerging voices to shine.
The Longtable Lunch, the choral performance at Sunday Mass, and Dancing at the Crossroads, quickly becoming cornerstones of Bere Island Arts Festival’s programme, will also make a welcome return this year.
Mary Sullivan of Bere Island Arts Festival said: ‘We are excited to present this year’s programme of events. All of us who call Bere Island home know what a special place it is, and for audiences and acts attending our festival, they will feel that too.
‘Our island will host local, national and international artists who are responding and adapting to the unique setting and landscape. As with every great festival, there’s a heartbeat beneath the schedule, a spirit of generosity, creativity, and welcome.’
The festival is supported by Creative Places West Cork Islands, the Arts Council, Poetry Ireland and Cork County Council. Tickets and the full programme are available on bereislandartsfestival.ie
