Quiet Lights Festival to shine a light on talent across Cork City

Quiet Lights, the winter festival with a big heart, returns at the end of November to venues across Cork City.

The festival aims to shine a light on the new wave of Irish and international folk, traditional, and experimental talent that are quietly forging new paths, recollecting old tales, and creating new stories.

Festival director Jonathan Pearson said it was good to be back to a full festival after Covid restrictions had curtailed last year’s events.

“We’d like to welcome everyone back into some of Cork’s venues to witness the amazing musicians that we have coming to our little festival this year,” Mr Pearson said.

“We’re very proud of our line-up showcasing some of Ireland’s most exciting artists, as well as some international artists joining us from the US and Canada.” Highlights this year include Martin Hayes and John Francis Flynn, presented with festival partners Live at St. Luke’s.

There will be a free lunchtime concert at UCC in association with FUAIM, curated by Raelach Records label founder Jack Talty, on the Friday of the festival.

Quiet Lights will welcome artists Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Aoife Nessa Frances, who both have new albums on the way.

The programme also features international artists such as Ora Cogan from Canada and Cinder Well from the US.

Máire Carroll performs a concert of Philip Glass’ Etudes on the Triskel’s Steinway piano as the festival’s opening show this year.

SlapBang (Lina Andonovska and Matthew Jacobson) and Cúar (Neil Ó Loclainn) will bring some experimental brilliance to plugd records, as well as The Bonk and Rachael Lavelle who are coming to town.

Another highlight will be Myles O’Reilly’s Ambient Pharmacy at St Peter’s, where Myles and his fellow artists Simon O’Reilly and Gareth Quinn Redmond will create a three-hour soundbath that people can wander in and out of as they wish on the Sunday.

The full line-up will be announced soon.