Donegal Town included for the first time as Earagail Arts Festival reveal 2025 plans

Donegal’s premier summer event, Earagail Arts Festival has unveiled its full programme for 2025 -  and it's coming to Donegal Town for the very first time.

With a family-orientated, participatory and engaging programme from the Gaeltacht islands off the West Donegal coast to East Donegal and the Inishowen peninsula, and Donegal Town, Earagail Arts Festival has something for all ages and backgrounds.

The festival features an expanded programme of circus, street arts performances and camps as part of its annual Wild Atlantic Weekends, returning to Castlefinn, as well as a brand new location in Gaoth Dobhair, at Ionad Cois Locha in Dunlewey.

In light of the continuing cost-of living crisis, the festival continues to keep its prices as low as possible and offers discounts when itcan! Be sure to keep an eye out on discounts throughout the programme including the newly-reduced family prices (Only €30 for a Family of five) for the circus shows in Castlefinn, Gaoth Dobhair and Letterkenny.

On Sunday July 13 and Monday 14, No Fit State presents its high-impact, high-skilled circus production, Bamboo, at Castle Grove Country House outside Letterkenny.

Inhabited by world-class circus artists and acrobats, Bamboo is a meaningful, joyful circus performance with live music, comedy and amazing feats of strength and agility, using only bamboo and human bodies.

Spend another afternoon in the company of some of the most extraordinary death-defying aerialists, hilarious comedians and mind-boggling acrobats Ireland has to offer, when Tumble Circus plus Dr Jones & Professor Barnard Medicine Show appear in the Big Top at the CPI Centre, Castlefinn for the first Wild Atlantic Weekend from Thursday 17th July – Saturday 19th July.

Then, from Thursday, July 24 – Saturday, 24, the Wild Atlantic Weekend rolls into Gaoth Dobhair and its brand new location of Ionad Cois Locha Dunlewey, where Tumble Circus and Mo Cheol an Sorcas will be the stars of the show.

There will also be Circus Camps in Gaoth Dobhair and Castlefinn where some of Ireland’s most skilled circus performers will introduce children, aged 7-11, to some neat acrobatic and circus skills, in one hour-long workshops.

Earagail Arts Festival presents a stellar line-up of music, from international acts Gonora Sounds (Zimbabwe), DJ Big Cheeks (Rwanda), Macalla, a show blending Middle Eastern and traditional Irish music, Session Americana (USA), The Truffle Valley Boys (USA), Lord Of The Isles & Ellen Renton (Scotland)and Irish artists such as Poor Creature, featuring Ruth Clinton (Landless), Cormac Mac Diarmada (Lankum) and John Dermody (The Jimmy Cake), Lisa Lambe & Steve Cooney,Maighread agus Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Réalta, The Outcasts, Inishowen Gospel Choir, Duke Special, The Henry Girls, Aobha Ní Aragáin, Paul Harrigan & Cairde, The Pox Men, The Breeze and Ramper.

The festival line-up features a host of theatre, dance and spoken word events with highlights including The Journals Fleadh in Rathmullan and Ramelton, Cosán Ghleann Bheatha – Siúlóid Filíochta agus Cheoil, an art and poetry walk in Glenveagh followed by a free evening of spoken word and song, Oíche Airneáil Ghleann Bheatha, in The Glenveagh Inn, An Tearmann, free performances by contemporary Irish dance company Ériu/Na Mic Ua gCorra and solo performer Kristyn Fontanella on Gola Island, Lisdoon Nirvana, the new play starring Frankie McCafferty, and The Human Library® in Letterkenny.

Earagail Arts Festival is delighted to be working with RAMP - Rathmullan Music Project and Irish Aerial Dance Fest which will also present an exciting line-up of events in July, including the EAF co-commissioned Hip H’Opera, H.O.M.E.

As well as fantastic live events the festival also showcases an extensive visual arts programme, working with Artlink Fort Dunree, Donegal County Museum, An Gailearaí, Crolly Distillery, An Grianan Theatre, and Regional Cultural Centre. The visual arts programme will showcase the work of both established and emerging artists from Ireland and beyond.

The festival runs from July 12 to July 26. Visit eaf.ie for more information and bookings.