Beatles fans get set to welcome the very first Kinsale Beatles Festival, presented in association with Bulmers Ireland, taking place this St. Brigid’s Bank Holiday weekend from Friday, January 31st, to Sunday, February 2nd, in Kinsale Cork.
This special weekend will see various Beatles-inspired events, from art exhibitions to DJs, to panel discussions and of course, live music. Kinsale has long been known for its diverse festivals celebrating food, music, and culture, and this exciting new event is set to be a standout addition to the town’s vibrant calendar. Anticipation is building ahead of the bank holiday weekend. Beatlemania has well and truly begun!
For an art fix, pop into the Blue Haven Hotel Kinsale this weekend to view The Beatles Art Exhibition by Georgina Flood. Georgina will officially open the exhibition on Friday at 11 am with a talk about her work. For some live music, check out Carlo Poddighe, who is at Hamlets on Sunday at 7 pm. While Something Simple, a Beatles Tribute act plays in Dalton’s Bar on Saturday and Sunday evenings. These events are free of charge and require no booking.
Brush up on your Beatles knowledge by joining a public talk at 10 am on Saturday with Deirdre Kelly, author of Fashioning The Beatles, which will take place at Prim’s Bookshop: Bibliotherapy. Later on Saturday afternoon, join Susan Ryan and Dr Holly Tessler as they speak about The Women Who Shaped The Beatles, which takes place at 2:30 pm in Blue Haven. Both talks are free to attend, space must be booked via the Eventbrite page.
There are also still tickets available for The Beatles 1965: Reeling in the Years Walking Tour, which starts from the Tourist Office on Pier Road on Saturday from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm. Led by expert guides, this tour takes you on a journey through Beatlemania, sharing captivating stories along the way. Additionally, Jane Hayward will recount the intriguing story of Dornish Island, purchased by John Lennon, at the Blue Haven Hotel on Saturday, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
Join The Wine Buff on Main Street for a screening of The Beatles 1965 hit film Help! on Saturday, from 4 pm to 6 pm with a complimentary glass of wine. On Sunday, at 11 am, Peter Doggett in conversation with Steven Cockcroft from The Nothing is Real Podcast chats all things Beatles in Prim’s Bookshop: Bibliotherapy. All tickets for the above events are €11.70, available on Eventbrite including the booking fee.
The last remaining tickets are still available for Let It Be-atles with a pre-show interview featuring Paul Muldoon & Dave Fanning at the White Lady, tickets are €17.07 and are available on the Eventbrite page. The Beatlebums will host two gigs this weekend in The Blue Haven on Friday and Sunday, both commencing at 10 pm, while Pure Class will bring music to the streets all weekend as they busk around town, and will perform live at Sam’s Bar on Sunday evening. These events are free of charge and require no booking.
Sold-out events include a candlelit performance of The Beatles by The Munster String Quartet at St. Catherine’s and The Beatless – Live at Prim’s Bookshop.
The remaining tickets for all events are available on Eventbrite here, with the full programme and more information available to view on kinsalebeatlesfest.com.
