Music of Mayo Festival returns for 4th edition in Castlebar this June
Three-day celebration of traditional music, song, storytelling and heritage to gather artists and communities from across Mayo and beyond
Traditional music and storytelling will once again fill the heart of Castlebar this summer as the Music of Mayo Festival (Féile Cheoil Mhaigh Eo) returns for its fourth annual edition from June 19–21, 2026.
Founded and curated by Mayo flute player and artistic director Emer Mayock, the festival will be hosted at the landmark venue Bridge St Bar & Venue.
The three-day festival has grown into a key event in Mayo’s cultural calendar, bringing together musicians, singers, storytellers, historians and communities to celebrate the county’s living traditions.
Music of Mayo is dedicated to promoting the county’s rich traditional arts heritage while creating meaningful opportunities for intergenerational learning, artistic collaboration and community engagement.
The 2026 programme includes concerts, workshops, talks, listening sessions, storytelling performances and archival showcases designed to honour the voices, histories and creative spirit that continue to shape Mayo’s cultural identity.
What to expect
Friday evening’s programme opens at 6pm with ‘Tunes in the Bar’, featuring performances from Ferdia Ó Mongáin, Marie McHugh and Séamus Ó Mongáin.
At 8pm, Fiddle Night will celebrate Mayo’s fiddle traditions past and present. Traditional music historian Richie Piggott will present ‘The Fiddle Traditions of Mayo’, including a tribute to the late fiddle player Jimmy Murphy of Meelick, Swinford, alongside the launch of a rare archival recording by Jimmy Murphy and James Murray. Hosted by Diarmuid Gielty, the event will include performances by a wide range of Mayo traditional musicians.
Saturday begins at noon with ‘The Music of Mayo Workshop’, led by Emer Mayock and open to all ages and instruments. Participants will explore tunes from the Music of Mayo collection, tracing a musical journey from melodies documented in the 18th century through to contemporary Mayo compositions.
At 2pm, audiences are invited to ‘Listen’, an immersive listening experience led by traditional artists including flute player Jillian O’Malley, uilleann piper and pipe maker John Butler, accordion player Tom Doherty and John Donegan, a founding member of Castlebar’s 1970s traditional group General Humbert.
Saturday evening continues with more ‘Tunes in the Bar’ before acclaimed storyteller and musician Aindrias de Staic presents ‘Echoes of the Mayo Collection’, a performance blending rhythmic storytelling and fiddle music inspired by the Mayo Collection of Folklore.
Sunday’s programme opens with ‘John ‘Twin’ McNamara: The Man and the Legacy’, a reflective gathering honouring the life and work of the renowned Achill musician, collector and cultural advocate. The event will introduce audiences to McNamara’s archive, preserved by Music of Mayo, while contributors who knew him personally will reflect on his enduring legacy.
At 4pm, Westport singer Elizabeth Healy will present ‘Beyond the Veil: Supernatural Songs of Death, Grief and Resilience’, exploring the little-known tradition of revenant songs and their place in folk understandings of grief, mourning and resilience.
The festival concludes at 6pm with ‘The Next Generation’ hosted by young traditional artist Peter Fox and showcasing emerging young performers in music, song and storytelling.
More
Speaking ahead of the festival, Emer Mayock said the event celebrates traditional arts not only as performance but as a lived cultural experience.
“The Music of Mayo Festival celebrates the depth of traditional arts in our county — not only on stage, but in homes, communities, personal archives and everyday life,” she said. “The festival creates a space where people can gather through music, song, story and shared cultural interest.”
Festival organisers said the event continues to foster meaningful connections between artists, audiences, archives and communities while ensuring Mayo’s living traditions are renewed and carried forward for future generations.
Organisers also extended thanks to lead sponsor Bridge St Bar & Venue, as well as supporters Creative Mayo and Mayo County Council for helping make the event possible.
The fourth annual Music of Mayo Festival will take place from June 19-21 at the Bridge St Bar & Venue in Castlebar. Tickets for the festival are now available.