Five days of music and culture in Newry as Iúr Cinn Fleadh returns

Iúr Cinn Fleadh returns to Newry for five days from Thursday 27 to Monday 31 August 2026, with events taking place at venues throughout the city. This year's festival is headlined by Hot House Flowers, who will perform at The Canal Court Hotel on Saturday 29 August supported by County Down's own The New Leaves, in an evening of timeless favourites and new improvisations.

Newry Museum will host a screening of the film "From a Forest to a Fiddle", which follows luthier Jim McKillop in Ravensdale as he creates a fiddle in his rural workshop for the last time. The film was directed by Patrick Conway, with a soundtrack of newly composed pieces performed by Zoe Conway on fiddle and John McIntrye on guitar.

The popular Trad cruises return from Thursday 27 August to Monday 31 August, featuring a variety of musicians performing for passengers during the journey. Passenger numbers on each cruise are very limited and early booking is essential given the event's popularity in previous years. The Trad trail, another established feature of the Fleadh, also returns, offering the chance to find Maggie's Boys and Grandpa Tommy's Ceilí Band performing in local hostelries, or to hear Mickey Murphy at one of the café gigs.

Other returning events include Beats on the Streets and Pancakes and Poetry at Newry Library. Sticky Fingers will host a range of children's events at McClelland Park and Newry Museum, including the "Wee Tree" workshop focused on the importance of habitat for wild Irish animals. Newry Variety Market will host a new event for children, while the Baptist Church on Catherine Street will see the return of bodhrán making and playing for children on Thursday 27 August.

A further new addition at Newry Variety Market on Friday 28 August will see a choir event featuring the Newry Community Choir and The Rock Choir from Lurgan. This will be followed by a ceili at 8pm at the same venue, open to both adults and children, with organisers hoping supporters of ceili dancing will come along to support its return to the fleadh.

A first ever driftwood search on local beaches will be followed by a return to a Newry venue, where participants can paint Irish words onto the driftwood they have collected, offering an opportunity to learn Irish or become reacquainted with the language. A pop up Gaeltacht will also take place on Saturday 29 August.

Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail in Newry will host an exhibition marking Comhaltas Uladh's centenary, featuring photographs of local Newry people connected to Ulster Gaels. Organisers say the exhibition is worth a visit for those interested in local history, and describe it as an opportunity for those who have not previously visited Gaeláras Mhic Ardghail to see what the organisation offers.

Newry Cathedral garden will host two puppet shows on Saturday 29 August, alongside a trad session featuring young musicians. Another new event this year will see a daytime performance from The Kelly Family, who are well known in the traditional music world and heavily involved in their local Comhaltas, alongside U3A's Gentlemen Singers performing songs including "Black Hills of Dakota" and "Running Bear".

The NM&D water festival also returns to the Albert Basin with an expanded programme for visitors.

A Fleadh guide will be available at venues and shops throughout the city. Further information is available at www.iurcinnfleadh.com, with tickets available at www.iurcinnfleadh/com/tickets.

You can also keep up to date at their Facebook page at iurcinnfleadh