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music · Saturday 4 July 2026 · 3:00pm 
The Dublin Trio at Music in the Forest
At Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary · Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow
At Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary · Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow
Three of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians take to the woods on a July afternoon for one of the most distinctive concert experiences in the country. The Dublin Trio - Kevin Conneff of The Chieftains, uilleann piper and whistler Joe McKenna, and guitarist Tony Byrne - perform in Dorlindon’s open-air “Cathedral of Trees”, a natural forest amphitheatre carved out of the Wicklow countryside. If you have never sat among the trees listening to slow airs and dance tunes drift through a forest, this is the occasion to try it.
The concert runs from 3pm to 5pm and the set draws on the full range of Irish traditional music - expressive slow airs that fill the forest air, lively jigs and reels, and traditional song. Between them the three musicians cover uilleann pipes, low whistles, guitar, bodhrán, button accordion and vocals, so the sound is rich and varied rather than a single-instrument showcase.
Kevin Conneff is best known as the bodhrán player and vocalist with The Chieftains, the group that spent decades bringing Irish traditional music to concert halls across the world. Joe McKenna has long been regarded as one of the leading uilleann pipers and flute players of his generation. Tony Byrne’s guitar underpins the whole with a steady, earthy accompaniment.
Dorlindon is described as a nature sanctuary and the concert space is roughly ten minutes’ walk from the entrance along forest tracks. The atmosphere is deliberate - no amplification competing with the trees, no festival-size crowds. A share of ticket proceeds goes to the Children’s Health Foundation.
If the weather turns, the organisers move the performance to a sheltered area of the forest, so the concert goes ahead rain or shine.
Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary is on the outskirts of Kilmacanogue, a small village on the N11 at the foot of the Wicklow Mountains, about 30km south of Dublin city centre. By car, take the N11 south and follow signs for Kilmacanogue; the journey from Dublin takes around 35 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. Parking on site is limited and restricted to ticket holders - gates open at 2pm and close at 6pm. The organisers strongly encourage carpooling because spaces are tight.
There is no direct public transport to the sanctuary itself, but Bus Eireann services on the N11 corridor stop in Kilmacanogue village, from where it is a short distance to the site. Check the Bus Eireann timetable before you travel if you plan to come without a car.
Wear proper outdoor footwear; the forest tracks are uneven and will be muddy after rain. Bring a layer and an umbrella regardless of the forecast - July in Wicklow can turn quickly.
The village sits right at the gateway to the Wicklow Mountains, with the Great Sugar Loaf visible from the road and a network of walking trails a short drive further south. There is more to see in Kilmacanogue and across Co. Wicklow.
Heading to Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary in Kilmacanogue? Wicklow has plenty more to see. Read the Kilmacanogue area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.