Opening night at Slane Castle – Photo Credit: Andrej Grilc
Boyne Music Festival 2026 has wrapped up after four days of chamber music, workshops and special events across some of the Boyne Valley’s most historic venues.
This year’s theme, Forgotten Spaces, explored the region’s architectural heritage and the issue of dereliction, with performances and discussions taking place at venues including Slane Castle, Townley Hall and St Peter’s Church in Drogheda.
One of the festival highlights came at Townley Hall, where Philip Denvir’s film Leave Only Footprints was screened, followed by a discussion on dereliction with Dr Frank O’Connor and Jude Sherry of the Derelict Ireland campaign.
The festival also featured a photography exhibition by Pete Irvine and the premiere of a new chamber work by composer Samuel Kane, created in response to Denvir’s film.
Across the weekend, audiences enjoyed classical and contemporary performances alongside family events, poetry, children’s workshops and sessions for amateur musicians.
Festival Director Julie-Anne Manning said:
“We were thrilled by the response to this year’s festival, from the fantastic opening night at Slane Castle to the wonderful turnouts at all our concerts, workshops and family events. For me, the most rewarding part is seeing such exceptional musicians connecting with audiences in these special places.”
Planning is already underway for Boyne Music Festival 2027, with further details to be announced.
For more information, visit www.boynemusicfestival.ie or follow Boyne Music Festival on social media.
