12 January 2026
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie.
Get ready to ‘Twist and Shout’ in Kinsale
Less than 3 weeks to go to the Kinsale Beatles Festival in association
with Murphys Irish Stout this February Bank Holiday Weekend – Jan 30th
to Feb 1st
Olen Cashman from Blackrock celebrating her birthday in Kinsale dances with Pure Class, a West Cork band featuring Dáire ODonovan (George), David Dodog (Ringo), Rory Carroll (Paul) and Tommy O’Brien (John) who were channelling their inner Fab Four with less than 3 weeks to go to the Kinsale Beatles Festival in association with Murphys Irish Stout this February Bank Holiday Weekend, Jan 30th to Feb 1st. Visit kinsalebeatlesfest.com for details.
Picture. John Allen
With less than 3 weeks to go to the Kinsale Beatles Festival in association with Murphys Irish Stout this February Bank Holiday Weekend, West Cork band Pure Class, Dáire ODonovan (George), David Dodog (Ringo), Rory Carroll (Paul) and Tommy O’Brien (John) were channelling their inner Fab Four on the streets of Kinsale.
Visit kinsalebeatlesfest.com for details.
Picture. John Allen
Beatles fans get set to welcome the return of the Kinsale Beatles
Festival, presented in association with new headline sponsor Murphys
Irish Stout, taking place this St. Brigid’s Bank Holiday.
After a hugely successful debut last year, this year’s festival will
see an even bigger line up of Beatles-inspired events all hosted by
broadcaster, musician and Beatles super-fan Tom Dunne.
From panel discussions with Ray Connolly, Mark Lewishon and Kenneth
Womack to live sessions with Dublin-based Let it Beatles and local duo
Rubber Soul, there’s something for everyone across an exciting weekend
of discussion, analysis, history and music.
The weekend kicks off with a 1966 review with UK musicologist Anna
Tharia followed by what is sure to be a fascinating evening with Ray
Connolly as he discusses his book Being John Lennon with Tom Dunne.
Friday night also offers the first opportunity to experience the
sensational Carlo Poddighe from Italy as he brings his incredible
one-man set to The Blue Haven – the first of several appearances from
Carlo over the weekend.
Other highlights on Saturday include the return of the hugely popular
Beatles History Walking Tour with local historian Barry Maloney and
Beatles historian Steve Bradley.
And Dublin-born Freda Kelly makes her debut at the festival on
Saturday with an interview with Tom Dunne and a screening of Good
Ol’Freda – the documentary film telling the story of Freda Kelly, the
Irish woman at the heart of The Beatles Official Fan Club in the
1960s.
Meanwhile, Steven Cockcroft and Jason Carty, founders of the wildly
successful podcast Nothing is Real, return to Kinsale on Saturday for
an evening of trivia and fun with the Nothing is Real Pub Quiz at The
Lord Kingsale.
Saturday’s program concludes at The White Lady hotel where Dublin band
Let It Beatles will bring the house down with all-new set. This
double-header gig features a supporting appearance by Carlo Poddighe
for those who missed him on Friday night or just want to re-live the
energy of his amazing one-man set.
Sunday morning sees two intimate events at Prim’s Bookshop on Main
Street where Dr Allison Bumstead and Dr Richard Mills will be in
conversation with Susan Ryan and Steven Cockcroft and the discussion
wraps up with a panel event featuring Mark Lewisohn, Kenneth Womack,
Ray Connolly and many more – all hosted by Tom Dunne.
Throughout the weekend, there will all be a number of free musical
events at participating venues including Sam’s Bar, Daltons, The White
House, Harry’s Bar, The Greyhound, The Bulman, Hamlets, Actons, The
Trident, Kitty O Sheas, The Blue Haven and many more.
Kindly supported by Cork County Council, Tickets are on sale now and
selling fast on Eventbrite via kinsalebeatlesfest.com