PROGRAMME
FOUR DAYS OF FESTIVAL FUN
Friday 14th March
Sharon Shannon In Concert Under The Moon
8pm
Experience an unforgettable evening with Sharon Shannon, one of the most iconic figures in Irish traditional music, as she performs live at Kilkenny Tradfest. This extraordinary concert takes place under the stunning Museum of the Moon at St. Canice’s Cathedral, creating an unparalleled atmosphere that blends music, history, and art.
Pop-Up Gaeltacht
Bollards Bar, Kieran St
8pm
Beidh an chéad Pop Up Gaeltacht eile ag tarlú i Bollard’s Bar Kilkenny Dé hAoine 14/3/24 ag 8i.n mar chuid de Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia agust Kilkenny Tradfest!
Bígí linn don chraic agus don chomhrá – agus beidh ceol beo le cloisteáil ann ar an oíche freisin! Fáilte roimh gach duine!
The next Pop Up Gaeltacht will take place in Bollard’s Bar Kilkenny on Friday the 14th of March at 8pm as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia and Kilkenny Tradfest!
Juanita’s Big Problem
3pm & 6pm
Festival HQ
Juanita is a clown who tackles the climate crisis with positivity and laughter, and she wants to lift the lid on your recycling bin. What should we do with all this plastic? Where does all that plastic we recycle actually go? What can we do to stop it? Juanita can’t answer these questions on her own – she needs you to help her. Suitable for ages 5-12.
On All Weekend
Kilkenny Tradfest
14th-17th March
Citywide
Kilkenny is famed for it’s fantastic pubs and venues and Kilkenny Tradfest is delighted to bring another fantastic programme of Irish traditional and folk music to the heart of Kilkenny this St. Patrick’s weekend. Nothing beats the magic of live music!
Filling each afternoon and evening with live music, there are some really special events at this years festival.
Festival Market on the Mayors Walk
Saturday 15th – Monday 17th March
11am – 8pm | 11am – 6pm
Kilkenny is home to many local food and craft producers. There is nothing quite like buying a locally made gift or enjoying lunch made fresh before your eyes. Work up an appetite enjoying the St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny festivities then stop by the Festival Market on the Mayor’s Walk (right beside The Parade Plaza in Kilkenny city) where vendors will be serving a range of street food and local crafts. Soak up the festive atmosphere, pick up a memento or feast on your food at the Festival benches.
The Big Bench
12-17th March
Kilkenny City
The Big Bench Installation is a larger-than-life festival highlight, bringing fun, creativity, and a touch of whimsy to St. Patrick’s celebrations. This oversized bench offers the perfect spot to relax, meet friends, and capture unforgettable festival moments.
Snap a picture or take a Tiktok/Reel on our #BigBenchKilkenny at #StPatricksFestivalKilkenny and Tag @stpatricksfestivalkilkenny for your chance to be featured on social media to be in with a chance to win a €50 Shop Kilkenny Voucher.
Medieval Moments – Kilkenny Evening Walking Tour
Fri 14th – Sun 16th March
Fri: 6.30 & 8pm | Sat & Sun: 5 & 6pm
Meet outside Kilkenny Castle
Explore the city by night and get a different perspective on this evening walking tour hosted by Nevin Cody from Shenanigans Walks as part of St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny 2025. This tour promises to be an entertaining, fun and informative adventure with a touch of magic and plenty of Shenanigans! Duration 1hr. Pre-booking advised.
Street Entertainment
STILTWALKERS | JUGGLERS | CURIOUS CHARACTERS
Street entertainment for all the family on the streets of Kilkenny. Watch out for the Stilt Walkers, The Gentleman Juggler, St. Patrick’s Snakes and more! Say hello and snap a pic with these friendly performers, if you ask nicely they might even show you a trick!
The Big Wheel
11am – 8pm
See Kilkenny from up high! Come down to the Parade and enjoy a spin on the Big Wheel and get birdseye views of Kilkenny’s Medieval city, Kilkenny Castle and the festival activities on The Parade plaza.
Prices: €6 General | €5 for children under 1.3m | €20 family of 4 (2 adults & 2 children under 1.3m)
Helter Skelter
11am – 8pm
Keep the fun going with the Helter Skelter funfair ride at this years St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny! Enjoy a touch of nostalgia and head for the tall spiral slide of the Helter Skelter. Entertainment for people of all ages! Located on The Parade Plaza in Kilkenny city alongside The Big Wheel and Vintage Carousel, with the Festival Market and Kids zone on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. €4 a go.
Vintage Carousel
11am – 8pm
Get in the carnival spirit and take a ride on this beautiful vintage carousel. This stunning ride will be in the centre of Festival activity, on the Parade, in the heart of Kilkenny city.
Rhythm Makers Drumming Workshops
Rose St. Inn, Kilkenny City
4pm & 5pm
Join Jeremy Hickey (of Rhythm Makers, Music Generation and R.S.A.G) for fun, relaxing and creatively stimulating drumming workshops, this St. Patrick’s Festival weekend. Taking place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the bank holiday weekend, these sessions will help develop unity and listening skills through active music making.
Drumming workshops are a natural team building activity and promote inclusion, reflection and mindfulness.
Spaces on these workshops are limited and pre-booking is essential – €5
Please note the time of your appropriate age session before booking:
Circus Gerbola
March 12th – 17th 2025
Old Mart Site, Castlecomer Road
Prepare for an unforgettable experience with Circus Gerbola! This incredible 1-hour 45-minute show is packed with jaw-dropping performances, stunning acrobatics, and non-stop entertainment
Museum Tour of James Stephens Barracks
15th, 16th and 17th March
11:30am – 1:00pm
Dive into Ireland’s rich military heritage with a guided tour of the James Stephens Military Barracks Museum, led by Comdt (retired) Larry Scallan. Explore this historic site and uncover the fascinating stories of Ireland’s Defence Forces and their contributions to the nation’s history.
Saturday 15th March
PYRO COLLECTIVE FIRE SHOW
8pm (Doors 7:30pm)
The Pyro Collective Fire Show comes to Kilkenny this March. Providing fiery festive entertainment in the heart of Kilkenny city. The show promises to take your breath away! Incorporating multiple fire performers and live drumming. The show will be an energetic, raw and a spectacular sight to behold!
Get your friends and family together and make an evening of it by visiting the St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny Market and funfair rides before the show. Gates open at 7.30pm with the show beginning at 8pm. This is an outdoor event so please dress appropriately for the weather.
The Big Dig with School of Irish Archaeology
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th March
11am – 5pm
‘The Big Dig’ presented by the School of Irish Archaeology (SIA). This unique, one-of-a-kind design is a practical, hands-on and fun event which is only found here in Ireland. The replica ‘Viking House’ and workshop excavation is designed for children aged 5-12 years and allows them to explore the Viking world through a simulated and controlled archaeological dig. ‘The Big Dig’ incorporates the dig experience with educational, engaging and interactive activities throughout the day.
Face Painting with Fantasy Face Art
Saturday 15th-Monday 17th March
11am-5pm
Facepainter Áine from Fantasy Face Art is excited to magically transform you with her range of colours and colourful characters. From fierce Kilkenny Cat faces to so much dazzling glitter in every shade you can imagine. Drop into her at the Kids Zone on the Parade Plaza, March 14th – 17th, and become part of the St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny celebrations!
Mr. Boom and Mr Rumble’s Bongo Party
Mr. BOOM and Mr. Rumble of Drum Dance Ireland will be leading through this interactive show making sure everybody gets involved and is part of this spectacle of noise agus craic. With over 50 drums and percussion instruments for the audience to get involved, this is a free interactive show that is fun for all ages.
The Absurdist Pipe Band
Saturday 15th, Sunday 16th, Monday 17th March
What’s that on the streets of Kilkenny ? A gang of musicians messing and entertaining ? It’s The Absurdist Pipe Band of course, who will be returning to Kilkenny for St. Patrick’s Festival 2025! An engaging blend of visual humour, bagpipes, drums, percussion and sound effects with occasional brass and accordion, The Absurdist Pipe Band is vibrant, entertaining and a real crowd pleaser. Playing anything from TV themes to 40′s swing, from pop hits to classical motifs and traditional tunes. They are guaranteed to surprise and bring a smile and a laugh.
Tom Treacy- Kilkenny’s Forgotten Commander
3pm
Parade Tower at Kilkenny Castle
This talk will detail Tom Treacy’s early life and explain his importance to the struggle for Irish independence from 1914 to 1922. We will discuss the founding of the Volunteers in Kilkenny, Easter 1916, and the development of the Irish Volunteers within Kilkenny to Brigade level under the leadership of Tom.
Illinois University Marching Band
12:00
Kilkenny Castle & The Parade
Don’t miss the Illinois State University Marching Band as they bring their high-energy performance to Kilkenny Castle and the streets of Kilkenny! The band will march through the city, showcasing their impressive musical talents with their BIG band sound!
Sunday March 16th
University of Central Florida – American Marching Band
12pm
The University of Central Florida (UCF) Marching Knights are the university’s premier athletic band, known for their dynamic performances and high-energy spirit at UCF football games and various university events. Nearly 100 students and alumni are representing the Marching Knights at Kilkenny Castle and the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin Ireland. Come enjoy our day of American Marching bands at Kilkenny Castle, Sunday 16th March 2025.
*please note that performances are subject to change and may be affected by the weather. Please check social media for updates ahead of the event.
Lady Desart Choir
6pm
Festival Stage
The Lady Desart Choir will grace the Festival Stage at The Parade with a captivating performance. This contemporary SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) choir, based in medieval Kilkenny, comprises 75 members ranging in age from 25 to 82.
Jeremy Hickey & Zahra Khodabacksh
7pm
Festival Stage
This special nighttime St. Patrick’s festival performance outside Kilkenny Castle on the Festival stage features drummer Jeremy Hickey from R.S.A.G and 2024 World Champion Irish dancer Zahra Khodabacksh from the Kilkenny Academy of Irish Dance.
Horizon High School Marching Band (USA)
3pm
Kilkenny Castle & The Parade
The Horizon High School Marching Band, is an award winning marching band from Horizon High School in Thornton, Colorado. Comprising winds, drumline, front ensemble, and colour guard, the band has a history of excellence, bringing home numerous state awards and honours.
Waukee High School Marching Band (USA)
11am
Kilkenny Castle & The Parade
Hailing from Waukee, Iowa, The Waukee High School Marching Band’s participation in Kilkenny’s St. Patrick’s Festival is a celebration of the cultural exchange between Ireland and the United States, bringing the tradition of American marching bands to the heart of Kilkenny.
Legacy Marching Band USA
10am
Kilkenny Castle & The Parade
The Legacy Marching Band is from Legacy High School in Broomfield, Colorado, USA and were previously in Kilkenny, Ireland in 2018. With a drumline that energises the crowd and brass instruments filling the air with rich, bold melodies, the Legacy Marching Band’s performance is sure to captivate audiences of all ages.
Bay Port High School (USA)
As part of the St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny, enjoy a stunning musical performance by the Bay Port High School Band that have travelled to Ireland from the USA. This talented group of young musicians will bring their harmonious sounds to the magnificent St. Canice’s Cathedral.
St. Patrick’s Day – 17th March
PRE-PARADE ENTERTAINMENT
12:45pm
Local Kilkenny Samba drumming group bringing fun beats to the streets this St. Patrick’s Day. Formed in 2020 as part of a St. Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny initiative, and lead by Jeremy Hickey (R.S.A.G) local professional drummer, Samba Katz has gone from strength to strength. Growing in size and performing at local festivals.
1.30pm
The 2025 Parade theme is ‘Bí Beo, Bí Linn’ – ‘Be with Us, Be Alive’ and be part of the celebration this St. Patrick’s Day at the Kilkenny St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The centre of every St. Patrick’s Festival, the Kilkenny St. Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on Monday March 17th at 1.30pm through the streets of Kilkenny. Putting Kilkenny centre stage the parade will weave through the medieval streets celebrating Irish culture, music and our diverse local community. With pageantry and entertainment, join our community this St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate Irish heritage, culture, creativity and community!
Festival Stage
3:30pm
A festival favourite, The Hit Machine, a Celtic Drumming ensemble are back to perform some of their mesmerising beats for some lively post parade entertainment. Powerful Celtic Drummers, clad in black kilts. The most energetic, raw, and hardworking group of drummers in Ireland. The Hit Machine Drummers have been entertaining the masses since 2013. Getting bigger, better, faster and louder from day 1. Expect jaw dropping choreography, toe-tapping grooves.
Festival Stage, The Parade
4:30pm
The Award-winning band, Kíla, are heralded as one of Ireland’s most innovative and exciting bands. Their unique sound has been ever-evolving; rooted in tradition yet inspired by a myriad of influences and ideas from all around the world. Kíla fuses the effects of their own melodies and Irish language lyrics, Irish folk instruments such as whistles, fiddles, Uilleann pipes, bones and bodhrán with djembe, congas, drums, mandolins, brass, and acoustic/electric/bass guitars.
Karbunklis
Canal Square
4pm
Colourful and entertaining dance performance by Karbunklis, a Latvian dancing group. If you didn’t catch their full Parade performance this is the perfect opportunity!
St. Patricks Brass and Reed Band
12:25pm at the Festival Stage
Founded in 1882, this esteemed ensemble has been a cornerstone of Kilkenny’s musical heritage for over a century. The band comprises approximately 30 members spanning various age groups, reflecting a rich tradition of community involvement and musical excellence. Throughout its history, the band has played a significant role in Kilkenny’s cultural events, including parading the Irish Volunteers to James Stephen Barracks during its handover to the Irish Free State in 1922.
Kildare Irish Figure Dancers Performance
3:30pm
Festival Stage
The Kildare Irish Figure Dancers will showcase their talents on the Festival Stage at The Parade. This voluntary-run organisation comprises five dance classes throughout Kildare, dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich tradition of Irish figure dancing.
Déise Medieval
11am-5pm
Castle Yard
Craft, combat and conversation. Déise Medieval is a Waterford-based amateur society for living history and medieval combat enthusiasts who aim to recreate and bring to life the crafts and skills of the early to mid-medieval period, encompassing both the Viking and Norman eras. Enter the Craft Yard through the arch at the Design Centre.
Golf Putting Green with Mount Juliet Estate and OFX Irish Legends Tour
11am – 6pm
The Parade, Kilkenny
Meet & Greet with your favourite golfers with 2025 OFX Irish Legends. The 2025 OFX Irish Legends will be hosted on the Mount Juliet Estate championship course in the week commencing 12th May 2025 at Mount Juliet Estate, which has previously been the venue for five Irish Open’s and two World Golf Championships.
Ceol agus Cór le Music Generation Kilkenny
3:30pm
St. Canice’s Cathedral
Building on their wonderful performance on Ireland AM and at St. Canice’s Cathedral as part of last year’s St. Patrick’s Day festival, the Castlecomer Trad Ensemble will be joined by young musicians from the Castlecomer TradHub, as well as young Uilleann Pipers.
