FEST CITY IN THE WORLD

Celebrate the arts in Kilkenny

- Mark Kavanagh

THE Kilkenny Arts Festival 2025 kicks off last night and for the next 10 days the medieval city will be transformed into a hub of artistic activity.

The festival will feature a diverse range of events such as music, theatre, literature and the visual arts, all taking place within historic venues, streets and surprising locations.

Artists from around Ireland and the world will gather to perform and collaborate, creating musical memories to last a lifetime.

We've chosen some of the musical highlights in store.

• Aoife Ni Bhriain & Cormac McCarthy, first played together at KAF in 2022 and went on to create an album together. They take the music they grew up with and mould it into something unique. (Set Theatre, Sunday, August 10)

• Maria Ryan & Lucia Mac Partlin - two superb contemporary / classical violinists / traditional fiddlers who play as a duo (Cleere's Theatre 11th August), and also as part of contemporary Irish Music Ensemble Strung. (St. John's Priory, Monday, August 11)