unforgettable cultural experiences infused with the unique creative energy of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way.
Festivals and events coming up
Ireland’s finest chamber music festival unfolds from morning to night in stunning settings from Bantry House to the West Cork islands, with world-class concerts, conversations, and masterclasses at every turn.
A cornerstone of Ireland’s classical music calendar, this renowned festival — curated by West Cork Music — attracts internationally acclaimed musicians and passionate music lovers from across the globe to the wild beauty of West Cork’s coastline. Intimate performances, candle-lit concerts, and open rehearsals, along with relaxed fringe events, set this festival experience apart.
The 2026 festival programme runs from 26 June to 5 July.
Chamber Music Festival
Chamber Music Festival
Explore the West Cork Literary Festival programme and immerse yourself in an inclusive 8-day celebration of words and ideas in Bantry, on Ireland’s southwest coastline.
A landmark on Ireland’s literary calendar, this renowned and ambitious festival – curated by West Cork Music – attracts established and emerging international and Irish writers, and audiences from across the world, to take part in readings, conversations, workshops, and events staged across West Cork’s towns, islands, and peninsulas.
The 2026 festival programme line-up – 10 to 17 July – is designed to delight and inspire book lovers and aspiring writers of all ages.
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Literary Festival
Be part of a world-class trad music festival that celebrates the cream of Irish musicianship, emerging talent, and innovation. Directed by the extraordinary Martin Hayes, Masters of Tradition — presented by West Cork Music — is an intimate and ambitious festival that weaves in sean-nós, dance, international traditions, and lively conversations about the past and future of traditional music in Ireland and beyond.
The 2026 Masters of Tradition festival programme unfolds in characterful venues across Bantry from 19 to 23 August.
Experience the finest classical and contemporary music in Bantry throughout the year with West Cork Music Presents — our year-round concert series.
Explore the programme to discover live music performances and microfestivals featuring international chamber musicians and Ireland’s leading singer-songwriters, all set in intimate and atmospheric venues around the harbour town of Bantry.
Concert Series
Join us, across six glorious weeks each summer, as West Cork Music celebrates the best of chamber music, literature, and traditional Irish music through its world-class festivals at the edge of Europe.
Take part in fun, hands-on, and free events for people of all ages that connect you with words, music, ideas, as well as West Cork’s beauty and creative communities.
Our free fringe events bring timeless music and exciting ideas to stunning locations across West Cork.
Our family events bring wonderful stories and thrilling music to audiences of all ages.
Outside our festival-filled summer season, we are growing an eclectic music events programme featuring exciting classical music performances and contemporary sounds from established and emerging artists across genres.
WCM has an intriguing past and an exciting future! As a grassroots rural arts organisation, we’ve been curating West Cork festivals and cultivating artistic excellence on Ireland’s southwest coastline since the 1990s. Our vision has always been to create a permanent home and hub for the arts right here in Bantry.
Now, we have exciting plans to create a stunning multifunctional space for performance and learning from beginner to elite levels.
Bantry - a welcoming harbour town set at the head of Bantry Bay - is the home and hub for our West Cork Music festivals and events.
We have exciting plans to create a dedicated multifunctional space for the arts — a vibrant home for performance, creativity, and education in the heart of Bantry. Together with an Education Hub and welcoming public plaza, and sitting alongside Bantry’s iconic library, our arts venue, designed by McCullough Mulvin Architects will form a new cultural quarter for our region.
The Dutch Foundation for Literature invites applications from Irish writers to join the Dwaalgasten (Wanderers) exchange project. The...
West Cork Music wishes many congratulations to Stephanie, Patrick, and Tuulia and best of luck in this new...
