– Popular festival launches as new cultural mainstay in Irish calendar-

Mary Coughlan, Orla Gartland, Una Healy, Lemoncello, Lisa O’Neill & Megan O’Neill among the first names announced.

After the resounding success of the Brigid 1500 programme last year, which brought nearly 80,000 visitors to Kildare, Kildare County Council is thrilled to announce the internationally recognised festival will return for 2025.

 

Kildare County Council, Brigid 2025, Spirit of Kildare organisers hope the festival will continue to grow year on year as it becomes a festival mainstay in the Irish calendar.

 

The festival was launched on Wednesday, November 13th at Naas Library and Cultural Centre, with special guests Mary Coughlan and Megan O’ Neill.

 

This year’s festival promises a bigger, bolder, and more vibrant experience as it brings together performances, cultural events, and immersive celebrations that honour the enduring spirit of the saint.

 

Brigid 2025, Spirit of Kildare will take place from 24th January – 3rd February and will commemorate St Brigid through the theme “Her Spirit, Our Story”.

 

The festival continues to highlight the values St Brigid championed, such as spirituality, peace, sustainability, arts and culture, social justice, hospitality, and education, and their relevance in the world today.

 

Artists confirmed to take part across the festival include Mary Coughlan, Orla Gartland, Una Healy,  Lemoncello, Lisa O’Neill, and Megan O’Neill with many more to be announced.

 

The programme includes several special St. Brigid’s day concerts and events in collaboration with Hot Press which will honour the life of Brigid.

• Nothing Compares – A Celebration of Irish Women Artists at The Moat Theatre. A night of extraordinary, genre-spanning music by Irish women, will celebrate the boundless range and talent of Ireland’s contemporary female artists

• He for She, at Dreamland Ballroom. The concert will bring together some of Ireland’s leading artists to celebrate the ‘He for She’ ideal, adding a new dimension to the Brigid’s Day proceedings in which men share the festival, and its core message, of female empowerment.

• Mother Earth at The Wonderful Barn. A star-studded show featuring songs on the theme of ‘Mother Earth’ a line-up of Ireland’s leading female artists will link the spirit of Brigid with the primal power of Mother Earth. 

Other programme highlights will include:

• Written In The Soul: An Evening of Song at St. Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare. This specially curated, ticketed event will draw from the well of spiritual music, choral music, soul music and the Irish tradition to deliver an event that stirs the soul and the spirit alike. 

• Warriors! Celebrating Ireland’s Sportswomen at The Curragh Racecourse. A fun, sport-filled day at The Curragh for all the family and an evening event featuring a very special musical guest taking to the main stage for a celebratory performance!

• Inclusive Family Fun Days throughout the county.

Speaking at the event Sonya Kavanagh, Chief Executive, Kildare County Council said “Revered for her miracles and visions, Brigid carved out her own independent path and was a powerful inspiration for many people. This is the powerful legacy that Brigid 2025 – Spirit of Kildare keeps alive.”

 

“With Brigid 2025 – Spirit of Kildare, we’re carrying forward the momentum of last year’s success of Brigid 1500 and building a festival that promises to be even bigger and better. This was established as an inclusive celebration honouring the life and legacy of St Brigid, and designed to bring her story to life in new, inspiring ways for people of all ages and backgrounds.”

 

“We are aiming to deepen our collective connection to this powerful historical figure. Brigid 2025 – Spirit of Kildare is an initiative that invites everyone to engage with Kildare’s heritage throughout the festival.  We hope this connection and this celebration continues for years to come.”

 

“Thanks to the incredible support, and attendance of thousands at last year’s events, we are confident that this festival has resonated and will continue to resonate with those who call Ireland home and those who are visiting.”

 

Hot Press Editor, Niall Stokes commented; “It has been a real pleasure for everyone in Hot Press, working on the development of the festival in Kildare over the past two years. The theme of celebrating Irish women artists has resonated powerfully with the artists themselves, and with audiences. Since Brigid’s Day was announced as a national holiday in 2023, we’ve enjoyed some of the most special nights of music imaginable in Kildare – reflecting the extraordinary sense of solidarity, mutual support and community that exists among Ireland’s female singers, songwriters and performers. 

 

With that in mind, we are looking forward with great anticipation to ten days of wonderful music in towns across the county as January turns into February, to celebrate the indomitable Irish female spirit – the spirit of Brigid.”

 

Further festival details, including ticketing and event locations, will be available soon. For more information on Brigid 2025, please visit www.spiritofbrigid.ie and follow Spirit of Brigid on social media channels.