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heritage · Friday 10 July 2026 · TBC 
Clonmel Junction Festival
At Various venues in Clonmel · Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
At Various venues in Clonmel · Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
The Clonmel Junction Arts Festival has been running since 2001 and has grown into one of the most distinctive arts events in Munster. Over ten days in July, it transforms the streets and spaces of Clonmel into a rolling programme of theatre, circus, dance, music, comedy and visual art. The 2026 edition carries the theme of “Exchanges” - conversations about culture, identity and what we bring to and take from each other. It draws both visiting artists and local performers, and suits anyone who wants a proper arts fix away from the big city circuit.
The festival spreads across multiple venues around Clonmel - including STAC, the Platform, Old St. Mary’s Church and a number of the town’s pubs - so you tend to wander between shows rather than staying in one place all evening. The 2026 programme includes a performance from Muireann Bradley, the Edinburgh Fringe hit The Horse of Jenin, and Distillation by Luke Casserly, alongside work from David Geraghty, FeliSpeaks and others. Comedy, spoken word and music from the blues end of the dial all feature on the bill.
Free events are woven through the programme alongside ticketed shows, so a day at the festival does not have to cost much. Community work is a genuine strand - a 60-metre street installation on Mitchell Street grew out of a community engagement project, and a Plein Air painting event on the 4th and 5th of July opens the wider festival week to visual artists and observers alike. Youth workshops and family events make it accessible to younger attendees too.
Tickets go on sale through the festival box office at Unit 12a, Showgrounds Shopping Centre (open 11am-4pm, Monday to Saturday) as well as online. Individual event prices run from free up to roughly €20 for headline concerts.
Clonmel sits on the River Suir in South Tipperary, roughly 50km from Waterford and 90km from Cork city. The N24 brings you in from the Limerick and Waterford directions; the N8/M8 connects to Cork via Cahir. Bus Éireann runs services into Clonmel from Waterford, Limerick and Tipperary town. The town centre has car parks that are typically manageable during the day; evenings during the festival can be busier, so arriving early or walking in from a residential side street is worth considering.
The town is good walking territory - the riverside path along the Suir is a pleasant way to spend a morning before the evening’s shows kick in, and the Comeragh Mountains rise to the south if you want a proper drive or hike. Cashel and Cahir are both within 20 minutes for anyone who wants to add a castle to the itinerary. There is more to see in Clonmel and across Co. Tipperary.
Heading to Various venues in Clonmel in Clonmel? Tipperary has plenty more to see. Read the Clonmel area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.