Tipperary festival announces jam-packed schedule of events ahead of opening day

Clonmel Junction Arts Festival celebrates 25th festival with launch of exciting programme for 2025 Clonmel Junction Arts Festival’s theme for 2025 is ‘Encounters’ and there promises to be something for everyone in the packed programme, which encourages engagement with the arts through a wide variety of ‘Encounters’.

Clonmel Junction Arts Festival also launched its redesigned website on June 6, www.junctionfestival.com.

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Highlights at the festival include The Vincent Hanley Summer School, a symposium and vital opportunity to celebrate one of Ireland’s significant celebrities and cultural figures, Vincent Hanley, a Clonmel native.

The Vincent Hanley Summer School will run over three days from July 4 to 6 at a specially designed 1980s-style TV set in the Showgrounds Shopping Centre with a fantastic line-up of presenters, speakers and bands: 8pm on Friday, July 4: A discussion of the music legacy of Vincent Hanley with Conor McAnally and guest speakers.

Presenter: Conor McAnally (Irish television writer, producer and director);
Speaker: Billy McGrath (Filmmaker and Irish TV veteran);
Speaker: Jim Carroll (music journalist and editor of RTÉ’s Brainstorm);
Music from The Waheys.

8pm on Saturday, July 5: A discussion of Vincent Hanley and LGBTQ+ rights with Tonie Walsh and guest speakers.
Presenter: Tonie Walsh (civil rights activist and curator of the Irish Queer Archive);
Speaker: Dr Páraic Kerrigan (Professor in Media Studies at UCD and author of Reeling in The Queers);
Speaker: Anna Nolan, current chair of the National LGBT Federation and former Big Brother contestant; Music from Garage Inc.

6pm on Sunday, July 6: Conor McAnally, Tonie Walsh and Micky Mac (RTÉ Gold Radio DJ and colleague of Vincent’s at RTÉ Radio 2) in conversation with Helen Carroll (Irish TV presenter and journalist); Music from Zrazy.

Nth Degree Productions’ mysterious and comic tale ‘Mr Bergmann of Deadman’s Point’ (July 10) at STAC Chapel, Clonmel.

Ireland’s most famous unidentified man, Peter Bergmann, appears on stage in Clonmel for one night only.

After three mysterious days in Sligo town involving fake names, non-existent addresses and a vanishing act for all his possessions, he’s found deceased in Deadman’s Point, Sligo.

The performance is brought to you by the multi-award-winning Nth Degree Productions.

Irish singer-songwriter Oisín Leech headlines on Friday, July 11 in Old St Mary’s Church.

Playing at Glastonbury just before he comes to Clonmel, Oisín is “really looking forward to gigging Clonmel Junction Arts Festival and to bringing the Cold Sea songs to Clonmel for the very first time.”

Releasing his debut solo album ‘Cold Sea’ to worldwide acclaim in 2024, it was awarded BBC Radio 6 Music Album Of The Year (as chosen by Cerys Matthews) while MOJO, UNCUT, and The Irish Times chose it as one of their Albums Of The Year.

Recorded on the Atlantic coast of Donegal by Brooklyn musician Steve Gunn the album features many luminaries including Dónal Lunny, Tony Garnier (Bob Dylan’s bassist since 1989), M Ward and Roisin McGrory.

Since its release last year Oisín has performed at The Royal Albert Hall and has shared the stage with many including Tindersticks, Richard Hawley, Vashti Bunyan, M Ward, Lisa O’Neill, and Gaz Coombes of Supergrass.

In the summer of 2025 Oisín has been invited to perform at Glastonbury, Green Man and other selected festivals soon to be announced.

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Another musical highlight of the festival is Lemoncello’s concert again in Old St Mary’s Church on Saturday July 12.

Laura Quirke and Claire Kinsella’s collaboration charms audiences into a world of intimate observations and uncomfortable questions with irresistible chemistry, charisma, and humour.

The rare alchemy of the duo’s voices together cuts through a minimal and dramatic soundscape; coloured by the warmth and grit of Kinsella’s cello and distinctly underpinned by Quirke’s cyclical, trance-like guitar playing.

Other highlights include: new theatre and works in progress from Eve O’Mahony, Aoife Delany Reade and Anseo Anois Theatre, Gonora Sounds (July 10) in Baker’s Bar, Clonmel at 9pm, the Zimbabwean band has been entertaining thousands of commuters with their street beat since 2004, ConTempo concert (July 13) at STAC Chapel, Clonmel, Family Fun Days on Saturday, July 5 and Saturday, July 12 featuring Sanita Circus and Cikada Circus, Des Dillon Puppet Show, SPLASH Lab and Music Generation showcases (see www.junctionfestival.com for the full programme for each day) on Kickham Plaza, Clonmel, Crime Night with Patricia Gibney (July 9) at STAC Chapel, Clonmel, Irish Modern Dance Theatre’s ‘Hyperactive’ (July 5) at STAC Chapel, Clonmel, Eamon O’Malley’s concert (July 5 and 13) including 24:09, a new work for piano and electronics inspired by Sean Kelly’s legendary 1985 time trial in the Nissan Classic at STAC Chapel, Clonmel.

Artistic Director of Clonmel Junction Arts Festival, Rebecca Lenehan said: “You can see how difficult it is to select a particular highlight as there are so many. There really is something for everyone in our busy 10-day programme, so delve in and try something new, bring your friends and family and gather at the many events held in Clonmel’s historic venues and beautiful cultural spaces.”

Speaking at the brochure launch on June 5, Tipperary County Councillor Tom Acheson said: “The Junction Festival has very much become a fixture in the summer calendar for Clonmel and indeed much further afield.

As can clearly be seen on a read through the very well laid out brochure there is something for everyone, young and old, catering to a variety of tastes with music, song and dance, spoken word and theatre.

“I wish Rebecca Lenehan the very best in her first year as Artistic Director and I sincerely hope the general public support Junction in large numbers. It’s fantastic to have such a festival here in our own town where we have some incredible venues.”

The many ‘Encounters’ with the arts at Clonmel Junction Arts Festival July 4 to 13 2025 include music, theatre, dance, circus, exhibitions, film, family events, architecture, comedy, literary events, talks and workshops (see www.junctionfestival.com for full details).