Clonmel to host the magic of When Next We Meet again

An epic celebration of alternative Irish music, When Next We Meet is back for its second year this July 22 and 23 in the exquisite gardens of Clonmel’s Raheen House Hotel.

The hotel’s idyllic grounds will be given the When Next We Meet treatment for two exclusive nights, transforming the site into an epic outdoor summer party.
Artists and audiences come together over food and pints, united in their celebration of independent and alternative Irish music in a festival that feels simultaneously intimate as it does spectacular.
An old listed walled garden houses the main stage, accessed through an ivy-covered archway straight out of a C.S. Lewis novel.

For music lovers happy to go without the normal chaos of crowds and tents that we’ve come to expect, When Next We Meet instead offers a high-end experience of food, bars and amenities while retaining all of the character and magic of those hidden nooks within bigger festivals.

At risk of becoming known as the festival with the fanciest portaloos, the weekend itself is an informal hang out for audiences and artists, seen chatting together over pints across the sprawling lawns or dancing side by side at the after party.
Building on last year’s launch which brought headliners Soda Blonde, John Francis Flynn, HousePlants and Elaine Mai to Clonmel, the organisers are excited to announce this year’s line-up soon, welcoming even more national headliners to the Suir valley town. The addition of a second stage will give a platform to Tipperary based artists, who are encouraged to get in touch with the organisers through their website www.whennextwemeet.ie.

For now, save the dates July 22 and 23 and get ready to discover your new Irish music obsessions, or reconnect with established favourites, in this enthralling weekend – a rare gem on the calendar of Ireland’s summer festivals, on our own doorstep.

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“It’s been described as ‘glamping without the camping’. It’s a bit bougee and offers a touch of exclusivity alright, but it is anything but pretentious. What we’ve created here is a closing of the gap between artists and audiences. There’s no hierarchy. Last year looking around the festival you’d see MayKay and a few locals having a natter, or the Soda Blonde gang standing in the crowd enjoying John Francis Flynn’s set. The artists loved it, the audience couldn’t believe they were still in Clonmel.

There’s an appetite for big night’s out here and we’re determined to keep building this very special thing we’ve got,” said Kate Twohig, organiser.