Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival 2026

Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival brings professional storytellers from Ireland and around the world to Ireland’s southernmost inhabited island for a weekend of live spoken-word performance. Running from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 September 2026, this is the 32nd year of a festival that has become one of the more distinctive events in the West Cork calendar simply because of where it happens.

What to expect

Sessions take place across the island’s halls, pubs and, weather permitting, outdoor cliff-edge spots that turn the island itself into part of the performance. The programme mixes traditional Irish storytelling with international guest tellers, and sessions run through the day and into the evening across the weekend. Because the island is small and the festival draws a loyal, returning crowd, it has an intimate, festival-community feel rather than the scale of Cork’s city-centre events - most people who go, go for the whole weekend rather than a single session.

Getting there

Cape Clear is reached by ferry from Baltimore or Schull, both around an hour and a half from Cork City by car via the N71 and R595. Sailing times are limited, especially outside peak summer months, so check the ferry timetable before travelling and book crossings in advance over festival weekend as boats fill up. Accommodation on the island itself is limited - a small number of B&Bs and a hostel - so many visitors stay in Baltimore or Schull and travel over for the day. Bring a raincoat: some sessions are held outdoors regardless of West Cork’s unpredictable September weather.

Good to know

• Dates: 4 to 6 September 2026, Cape Clear Island, West Cork
• Access: Ferry required from Baltimore or Schull; check sailing times in advance
• Price: Ticketed sessions; see the festival website for pricing
• Tickets and programme: capeclearstorytelling.com