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The big draw this week has to be the Cork Folk Festival, with over 50 events happening in the city. It starts tonight with the Noel Brazil Song Competition in Coughlan’s.
The most interesting event for us in the festival is ‘Tuning the Radio’ on Saturday in the Triskel. It traces the history of traditional music on Irish radio from the launch of 2RN, the predecessor to RTÉ, in 1926 to the present day.
For something different, you can also see a free folk concert on the outdoor stage at Elizabeth Fort this Sunday!
• Follow Cork Circle on Instagram for updates during the week.
Here’s Health Wellness Event Passes
We’ve got two passes for the Here’s Health Wellness Event this Sunday, October 11th, at Rochestown Park Hotel. To be considered, just reply to this email with: Wellness
For another entry, head to our Instagram post, follow @corkcircle.ie and @hereshealth, like the post, and tag who you’d bring.
If you enter on Instagram too, include your handle in reply to get the extra entry. Entries close this Friday, October 9th at 1pm and the selected reader will be contacted.
Well done to Sue Ellen, who was picked for last week’s comedy passes.
Discounts & Deals
Cork Circle Exclusive: 10% off Mahers Coffee products with our code CIRCLE10
Shop Mahers Coffee
✈️ Cork Airport Flight Deals Found This Week
Gran Canaria - €56 (usually €115+)* | 📅 Sun Nov 15 - Thurs Nov 19 | View fare →
Milan - €129 (usually €247+)* | 📅 Fri Oct 16 - Fri Oct 23 | View fare →
*Usually = the average return price from Ryanair’s month-view fares.
What’s On This Week
Across The Week
🎻 Cork Folk Festival | Various Cork City venues | Wed 7– Sun 11 Oct | 🎟 Prices vary |
Folk festival with 150+ musicians across 50+ events, headlined by Altan, with Máirtín Ó Connor, John Spillane and a special centenary concert celebrating traditional music on Irish radio.
Wednesday October 7
🍽️ Book launch: Heat, Shelter, Water Food by Harrison Gardner | Waterstones Cork | 6:30pm | 🎟 Free |
Book launch featuring eco-builder discussing home resilience, sustainability, and practical self-reliance strategies.
📅 Noel Brazil Song Competition | Coughlan's | 🎟 Free |
Cork folk festival song competition for emerging songwriters and musicians.
Thursday October 8
🤝 RebelCon Tech Conference | Marina Market | 9am | 🎟 Free |
Full-day tech conference with talks, lightning sessions and networking covering AI, careers, wellbeing and social innovation.
🍷 The Montenotte Wine Club: An Evening with Clarence Dillon and Clarendelle | The Montenotte Hotel | 6:30pm | 🎟 €99 |
Bordeaux wine tasting with four-course menu and expert pairings.
🎸 Jake Xerxes Fussell | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €27.50 |
Guitarist interpreting nineteenth and twentieth-century vernacular folk songs and archival field recordings.
💼 Book Launch - Once Upon A Road: The History & Times of an Irish Butter Road | The Butter Museum | 7pm | 🎟 Free |
Joe Harrington explores the history and economic significance of an Irish butter trade route.
🎵 Mairtín O'Connor, Cathal Hayden & Seamie O'Dowd | Triskel Arts Centre | 8pm | 🎟 €25 |
Accordionists, bodhrán, and fiddle players perform Galway-influenced traditional Irish music.
📅 Declan O’Rourke | Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €39 |
Eighth studio album exploring memory, loss, and emotional growth.
Friday October 9
🎸 John Spillane | Triskel Arts Centre | 1pm | 🎟 €25 | Singer-songwriter performs folk and traditional music with storytelling themes.
🎸 Absolute Eagles - A Tribute to The Eagles | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €27.50 |
Tribute band performs Eagles hits with five-part vocals and guitar harmonies.
🎸 Altan | Triskel Arts Centre | 8pm | 🎟 €29 |
Traditional Irish music ensemble with fiddles, bouzouki, guitar, and accordion.
🎵 Qween – It’s A Kinda Queen | Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €34 |
Queen tribute band performs greatest hits with theatrical production and special effects.
📅 MDR | Coughlan's | 🎟 €10 |
Emerging Cork and Tipperary band blend alternative indie-rock with heartland rock and emotionally charged songwriting.
Saturday October 10
📅 Cork Card Show | Marina Market | 9:30am | 🎟 Free |
Trading card game collectors and traders gather to buy, sell, and exchange cards.
🎨 The Once Upon a Time Workshop | The Workshop Cork | 10am | 🎟 €38 | Creative journalling workshop using storytelling and symbolism techniques for self-reflection.
🎻 Raja Quartet – A World of Quartets | Triskel Arts Centre | 1pm | 🎟 €18 |
String quartet performs works from Ukraine, Argentina, and early twentieth-century Ireland.
🎤 Gals at Play | Coughlan’s | 5pm | 🎟 €20 |
Songwriters Mary Greene, Míde Houlihan, Suzanne Rowe, Aoibheann Carey-Philpott and Leah Sohorta perform an intimate collaborative set.
🎨 Urban Hip-Hop Beginners Dance Workshop (Cork Pop-Up) | Method Fitness | 6pm | 🎟 €20.28 |
Hip-hop dance workshop teaching foundations and basic choreography to beginners.
🎸 The Quiet Club: Danny McCarthy and Mick O'Shea | Sirius Arts Centre | 7pm | 🎟 €12.50 |
Experimental music performance with improvised instruments, movement and cello.
🎭 The Field - A theatre production from Hunters Moon | Ballymaloe Grainstore | 8pm | 🎟 €26.97 |
The famous play is performed by the Hunters Moon Theatre Group.
🎵 Tuning the Radio: 100 Years of Traditional Music on Irish Radio | Triskel Arts Centre | 8pm | 🎟 €25 |
Gala concert featuring traditional musicians celebrating Irish radio broadcasting history.
🎵 Thunder Rolls – A Garth Brooks Tribute | Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €32.50 |
Country music tribute show with seven-piece live band performing Garth Brooks hits.
🎵 80s Icons Show | The Everyman | 8pm | 🎟 €33 |
Concert tribute to 1980s pop and new wave music from that era.
🎧 Mark Blair | Cyprus Avenue | 11pm | 🎟 €16.50 |
DJ and producer performs techno with grime and hip-hop influences for the dance floor.
Sunday October 11
🌿 Here’s Health Wellness Event 2026 | Rochestown Park Hotel | Doors 10:30am | 🎟 €20 |
Wellness event with 30+ exhibitors, guest speakers Sophie Morris and Patrick Holford, demonstrations, treatments and nutrition consultations.
🎻 Fiddle Recital | Triskel Arts Centre | 1pm | 🎟 €15 |
Traditional fiddle recital featuring Geertien O’Leary, Nigel Gufferty, Heather Martin Bixler and Niall Crehan.
🎻 Folk Fest in the Fort | Elizabeth Fort | 2pm–5pm | 🎟 Free |
Community folk concert with Fiona Kennedy, Douglas Comhaltas, Kalyna Ukrainian Choir, Club Ceoil Ballyphehane and Mexican dance performances.
🎨 Drama and Improvisation Sessions with Micheál | South Parish Community Centre Cork | 5:15pm | 🎟 €9 |
Drama and improvisation workshop for beginners and experienced participants using playful learning methods.
😂 Sean Burke | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €22 |
Irish internet comedian Sean Burke brings his debut live show to Cork.
🎶 Tribute to Ron Kavana with Thomas McCarthy | Triskel Arts Centre | 8pm | 🎟 €20, €18 concession |
Cork Folk Festival tribute celebrating Ron Kavana’s music and life through songs, tunes and stories.
🎶 The Four Italian Tenors | Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €36 |
Tenors perform Italian opera and song with piano accompaniment.
Monday October 12
😂 Alan Davies – Think Ahead | Cork Opera House | 8pm | 🎟 €32.50 |
Stand-up exploring middle age, family life, and ageing observations.
🌿 Seed Talks: History Of Mermaids, Sea Spirits and Women | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €16 |
Talk exploring mermaid mythology, water spirits, and their cultural representations.
Tuesday October 13
🤝 Connections that Count – Business Networking Event | AIB Bank | 6pm | 🎟 Free |
Business networking event featuring bridge walks and indoor networking in Banking Hall.
📅 An Evening With Kristin Hersh | Cyprus Avenue | 7pm | 🎟 €30.26 |
The Throwing Muses frontwoman performs solo material spanning alternative rock, intimate songwriting and experimental textures.
🎭 Myra's Story | The Everyman | Tue 13 – Wed 14 Oct, 8pm | 🎟 €30 |
Theatre performance depicting a homeless woman's life and backstory through character monologues.
Kids Events
🎃 Pick-A-Pumpkin Harvest Festival | Field of Dreams, Clash Road | Sun 11 Oct, 10am–3:30pm | 🎟 €10 entry, €20 incl. pumpkin, €40 family/group |
Family pumpkin-picking festival supporting Down Syndrome Ireland Cork, with timed picking slots throughout both Sundays.
😂 Joe the Magician – Live | The Everyman | Sun, Oct 11, 3pm | 🎟 €18 | Children's comedy magic and illusion show with live special effects.
Planning Ahead
🥁 Yussef Dayes + Xmunshe | Cork Opera House | Thu 22 Oct, 7pm | 🎟 €49.50 standing, €55 seated |
South London drummer and producer brings his acclaimed jazz-fusion live show to Cork Jazz Festival.
😂 David O’Doherty: Highway to the David Zone | Ballymaloe Grainstore | Fri 6 Nov, 8pm | 🎟 From €36.09 |
David O’Doherty brings a new comedy show mixing stand-up, songs and his trademark keyboard-driven absurdity.
🎧 Todd Terje | Savoy | Fri 18 Dec, 10:30pm | 🎟 €38.62 |
Norwegian DJ and producer blends house, disco, funk and synth-heavy dance music.
Old Cork
Keane’s Jewellers on Oliver Plunkett Street in the 1960s. They moved into this location in 1950 and are still there today.
Image attribution: Anthony Barry Photographic Archive
