← All events
heritage · Friday 21 August 2026 · Evening 
Ceili at Cavan Adventure Centre - Heritage Week
At Cavan Adventure Centre · Inishmore, Butlers Bridge, Co. Cavan
At Cavan Adventure Centre · Inishmore, Butlers Bridge, Co. Cavan
A free Heritage Week ceili on the shores of Lough Oughter is the sort of evening that is hard to come by. Cavan Adventure Centre opens its lakeside site at Inishmore, Butlers Bridge, for a relaxed gathering of traditional music, sean-nós singing, poetry, storytelling, and a BBQ of locally sourced produce. It suits anyone who enjoys Irish culture without the formality - families, visitors who want to experience something genuinely local, and anyone who has never set foot in a ceili and would like to try. Booking is essential, but the event is free.
The evening runs from 7 pm to 9 pm and takes in most of the traditional arts in one sitting. There is live music to dance or just listen to, sean-nós singing - the older, unaccompanied Irish vocal style - plus poetry and storytelling rooted in Cavan’s oral traditions. The BBQ of local produce gives it the feel of a community gathering rather than a ticketed show.
The setting does a lot of the work. Cavan Adventure Centre sits on the island of Inishmore, a Special Area of Conservation surrounded by the drumlin lakes of the Cavan-Leitrim Geopark. Clough Oughter Castle, the 13th-century circular tower that stands on a lake island, is visible by water from this stretch of Lough Oughter. By early evening the light on the water is good.
This is one of several Heritage Week events the centre hosts - the same week typically includes guided boat tours and outdoor bushcraft sessions - so it is worth checking their programme if you are making a trip of it.
Butlers Bridge is roughly 10 km north-east of Cavan town on the N3 towards Belturbet. The village is small and the Adventure Centre is signposted from the main road. From Dublin the drive is about 1 hour 40 minutes via the N3/M3. Bus Eireann runs services between Dublin and Cavan town (route 30), from where a taxi or car is needed for the final stretch to Butlers Bridge - there is no regular bus to the village. Parking is available at the centre.
Butlers Bridge sits on the River Annalee close to where it meets the broader Erne waterway system, and there are pleasant walks and cycle routes along the Cavan Way nearby. The town of Cavan itself, a short drive south, has a good range of cafes and restaurants if you want to eat before the evening begins. There is more to see in Cavan and across Co. Cavan.
Heading to Cavan Adventure Centre in Cavan? Cavan has plenty more to see. Read the Cavan area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.