Liverpool Irish Festival 2023 will take place from Thursday October 19 to Sunday October 29, 2023, across the city. The festival celebrates Irish culture and heritage through a variety of events, including music, theatre, film, spoken word, visual arts and academia.
Liverpool Irish Festival celebrate its 21st Festival this year. In honour of this, the theme for this year’s Festival is ‘anniversary’.
The line-up includes an array of Irish artists and contributors including internationally acclaimed Irish folk singer and actor, Lisa Lambe, who shares her new project, NightVisiting at The Tung Auditorium.
Fun activities for families can be enjoyed at Museum of Liverpool and the Liverpool Irish Centre on the Family Day and the Samhain Céilí.
Deep dives into anniversaries are made across the Festival:
- The London Lasses, one of the best traditional Irish bands on the scene today, kick off the Festival, following the official Festival launch (6pm, Thurs 19 Oct), themselves celebrating 25 years as a band and the release of their sixth album – LL25 – marking their milestone.
- The Good Friday Agreement’s 25-year anniversary is marked in an event, hosted in partnership with the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Irish Studies, followed by Green & Blue, Kabosh Theatre’s (Belfast) community developed two-hander about The Troubles (both Thurs 26 Oct).
- 100 years since his birth, Brendan Behan is celebrated in Fat Dan Productions’ Brendan: Son of Dublin (Sat 28 Oct). 90-years since the United States District Council ruled Ulysses to be publishable, we celebrate experimental writing with a half-day session with Pascal O’Loughlin, and National Poetry Librarian, Chis McCabe.
- Referencing the release of The Yellow Wallpaper, written 130 years ago, Dublin vocalist and composer Sue Rynhart returns to the Festival with her folk and jazz influences in what promises to be a dazzling performance at Sefton Park Palm House.
- The programme offers connection to poignant anniversaries, such as its commemoration of An Gorta Mór (The Great Hunger) with a memorial gathering (Sun 29 Oct). The Liverpool Irish Famine Trail (self-guided tour) reflects on Irish migration, settlement and legacy.
See here for the full line-up of events for Liverpool Irish Festival 2023.