“We envision an Ireland where older age is recognised as a time of opportunity and where all older people can be active, visible, creative, connected and confident about ageing.”
Bealtaine Festival 2026
Ireland’s national festival celebrating the arts and ageing
28 - 30 May 2026
As we welcome the light after winter, dive into Bealtaine’s rich mix of performances, workshops, discussions and exhibitions from Ireland’s incredible pool of artists and makers.
Bealtaine Festival is delighted to once again take over Project Arts Centre as the Flagship HQ. Join us for in-depth conversations with Cait O’Riordan, Paul Cleary, Miriam O’Callaghan, as well as thought provoking events with Poetry S.O.S and the Human Library. The festival weekend will then round everything off with the 6 O’Clock Rock party with Sing Along Social. The festival will also be showcasing exciting new voices such as Éireann and I (Temple Bar Gallery + Studio), plus much more!
The festival also takes place earlier in the month with events such as the Big Bealtaine Tea Party at IMMA and Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, at the International Literature Festival Dublin. See Bealtaine.ie for details of all flagship and national Bealtaine events throughout May.
View the festival programme coming to Project Arts Centre below.
Thursday 28 May
Lust for Poetry Workshop
28 May | 11am
Tickets: €12 | Upper Foyer
Bring a notebook and your love of poetry to our welcoming and interactive 90-minute poetry workshop run by Poetry Ireland’s former and current poets -in-residence, Anne Tannam and Sean Borodale. Open to all.
Retired – You Must Be Joking!
28 May | 1pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can (€5/10/15) | Cube
Join us for an afternoon of lively conversation on art, ageing, visibility and the ideas that matter now, hosted by Bealtaine Ambassadors, writer and former politician Liz McManus and musician Mike Hanrahan.
Bealtaine Film Retrospective
28 May | 2pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can (€5/10/15) | Space Upstairs
This is another chance to see some of the short films commissioned by the Festival, on the big screen. Featuring Where Do All The Old Gays Go by Cathy Dunne, Over/Pass by Shaun Dunne and Jessica Kennedy, Filmpoem by Anita Groener and Enda Wyley and Pom Boyd’s iconic Windy Lady. The films will be followed by a panel discussion with some of the artists and participants.
Miriam O’Callaghan in conversation with Susan McKay
28 May | 4pm
Tickets: €15 | Space Upstairs
Bealtaine Festival is delighted to feature one of Ireland’s best-loved broadcasters Miriam O’Callaghan talking about her exceptionally honest memoir Miriam: Life, Work, Everything.
Sex, (No) Drugs & Rock n Roll
28 May | 7:30pm
Tickets: €20 | Space Upstairs
Bass players Cait O’Riordan (The Pogues), Barry Devlin (Horslips) and special guest panelist join us for a wide- ranging and revealing conversation about music, show bands, punk, life, addiction, abstinence, tragedy, success plus the highs and lows of the road! Chaired by Nadine O’Regan.
Friday 29 May
ILU OSU West African Drumming Workshop
29 May | 10:30am
Tickets: €12 | Space Upstairs
Join our immersive West African drumming workshop for adults, where you’ll learn to play vibrant rhythms from Nigeria and Ghana through hands-on instruction and group ensemble playing. Drums will be provided.
Finding Your Voice – Memoir Workshop
29 May | 10:30am
Tickets: €12 | Space Upstairs
Join writers Phyl Herbert and Mary Rose Callaghan for an engaging 90-minute introduction to memoir writing.
F(AI)CT OR F(AI)CTION
29 May | 1pm
Tickets: €15 | Cube
A panel discussion chaired by Conor Kostick on the use of science fiction in literature, and on influential sci-fi or speculative fiction books which have informed real life and continue to spark the imagination. With AI becoming more ubiquitous in our daily lives, what does this mean for writers and readers? Panel includes writers Jan Carson, Joanna Walsh and Derek O’Connor.
Beginners DJ Workshop
29 May | 3pm
Tickets: €12 | Cube
Have you ever wondered what a DJ actually does and how they do it? Learn how to mix and blend music using DJ decks with a hands-on beginner DJ workshop with DJ Blkcnvs.
Choreographing Autonomy – Philip Connaughton & Marie Brett
29 May | 3:30pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can (€5/10/15) | Space Upstairs
A conversation between dance artist Philip Connaughton and visual artist Marie Brett on their collaboration in the making of Marie’s film Yes, But Do You Care? which uses dance as a medium to illustrate dementia experiences. The eleven-minute film will be screened as part of this event.
Johnny Got A Bus Pass – Little John Nee
29 May | 5:30pm
Tickets: €15 | Cube
One of Ireland’s iconic live entertainers proves that ageing doesn’t mean opting out — it means showing up and playing louder where it matters. Funny, heartfelt, musical, and celebratory memoir, state-of-the-nation and masterclass of the joys of being an elder punk.
Up Close & Personal: Paul Cleary in conversation with Tom Dunne
29 May | 7pm
Tickets: €20 | Space Upstairs
One of Ireland’s most successful singer/ songwriters, Paul’s legendary band, The Blades, was powered by a rich and memorable songbook including all-time classics Ghost of a Chance, Downmarket, and Revelations of Heartbreak. Paul is in conversation with broadcaster/ musician Tom Dunne (Something Happens).
Saturday 30 May
Poetry S.O.S.
30 May | 10:30am – 1pm
Tickets: Free, booking required | Dressing Room
Anne Tannam, poet and poetry pharmacist, will prescribe a poem for you, designed to help you feel better. Each session is ten minutes long, and pre-booking is essential. In partnership with Poetry Ireland.
Filmmaking on Your Phone Workshop
30 May | 10:30am
Tickets: €12 | Space Upstairs
Use your smartphone to create captivating films in this hands-on workshop designed for beginners.
Golden Grooves Workshop with Macushla Dance
30 May | 11am
Tickets: €12 | Cube
Explore musicality, enhance stamina and coordination, and collaborate to create dance sequences, all in a relaxed, supportive, fun environment. Aimed at dance enthusiasts 50+.
Carlo Gébler in conversation with Olivia O’Leary
30 May | 1pm
Tickets: €15 | Cube
Join writer and novelist Carlo Gébler in conversation with journalist Olivia O’Leary discussing his new memoir A Cold Eye: Notes from a Shared Island, 1989-2024. Their conversation will reflect on the impact of the Troubles, Peace Process, Celtic Tiger and Brexit from a personal and structurally compelling point of view, where one diary entry is selected from each of the 35 years in question.
The Human Library
30 May | 1:30pm – 4pm
Tickets: Free to attend, no booking required | Upper Foyer
At the Human Library you can borrow books just like any other library. However, the difference with this library is that the “books” are living people with personal stories and experiences from their own life. The Human Library creates a safe space where challenging and taboo subjects can be discussed in the open.
Not Dead Yet: Love, Romance & Intimacy in Later Life
30 May | 3pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can (€5/10/15) | Space Upstairs
Looking for love? You’ve come to the right place! This discussion will explore the emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of romantic relationships in later life, considering ageism, dating, social mores and representation— delivered with warmth and humor. Chaired by writer/ broadcaster Barbara Scully.
Bealtaine Mix n Mingle
30 May | 4:45pm
Tickets: Free to attend, no booking required | Upper Foyer
Following on from our discussion on love and dating in later life, Bealtaine will host a relaxed mixer upstairs in the Project bar. DJ Dandelion will provide some atmospheric tunes and artist Muireann Ryan will create a welcoming and informal place to meet new friends.
6 O’Clock Rock with Sing Along Social
30 May | 6pm
Tickets: Pay What You Can (€5/10/15) | Space Upstairs
Inspired by the feel-good vibes from 2024’s 4 O’Clock Rock with Sing Along Social, we will once again take to the dance floor for the closing event of the festival with a big intergenerational boogie that celebrates our Lust for Life. All welcome!
Festival Team
Karen Horgan: CEO, Age & Opportunity
Dr. Tara Byrne: Arts Programme Manager & Bealtaine Festival Artistic Director
Bridget Deevy: Arts Programme Assistant Manager & Bealtaine Festival Producer
Sarah Kelly: Arts Programme Administrator, Age & Opportunity
Órla Sheils: Communications Manager, Age & Opportunity
Anne Carroll: Communications Assistant, Age & Opportunity
Bealtaine Curators: Anne Hendrick, Billy McGrath & Valerie Bistany
Bealtaine Citizen Curators: Joe Maguire, Madge O’Callaghan & Peter Clarke
Bealtaine Ambassadors: Mike Hanrahan and Liz O’Donnell
Paridhi Jain: Social Media Volunteer
Graphic design: creatingmomentum.ie
With special thanks to all our invaluable volunteers!
About Age & Opportunity
Age & Opportunity is the national organisation working to enhance wellbeing for older people through participation in sport and physical activity, arts and creative engagement, personal development, community collaboration and active citizenship.
The Bealtaine Festival, an Age & Opportunity Arts initiative, is one of our flagship events. The festival continues to grow with the support and collaboration of our partners and hundreds of organisers throughout the country, as well as all those who attend a Bealtaine event. We are grateful to all those who organised events and look forward to another creative and inspiring year of Bealtaine Festival.
Funder Credits
Bealtaine Festival is an Age & Opportunity arts initiative funded by the Arts Council and the HSE.
Dates
28 - 30 May
Pre-Visit Documents
Click here to access the digital brochure for the festival.
Genres
Festival
https://vimeo.com/
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