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music · Saturday 27 June 2026 · 7:30pm 
Mick Flannery & Susan O'Neill at Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre
At Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre · Ballykeeffe, Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny
At Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre · Ballykeeffe, Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny
Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill performing together is one of the more special things Irish folk music has produced in recent years. Their 2021 collaborative album In the Game went to number one on the Independent Album Chart and the pair have been playing together on and off since - their voices and writing styles are a remarkably good match. Seeing them in a limestone quarry in rural Kilkenny on a June evening, accompanied by a full band, is the kind of night that gets talked about for a while afterwards. This one suits fans of either artist, anyone who likes proper songwriting, and people happy to sit outside with a good crowd and let the music do the work.
The show takes place at Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre, an 850-seat outdoor venue carved out of a disused slate quarry near Kilmanagh. Volunteers from the local KBK Enterprise group transformed the site from an abandoned and overgrown quarry - full of old furniture and dumped cars - into a functioning amphitheatre, with the first concerts held in 2000 and a purpose-built outdoor stage added in 2011. The steep quarry walls form a natural acoustic bowl that works genuinely well for live music. Flannery and O’Neill will play material from In the Game alongside pieces from their own individual catalogues. Joined by a full band, expect a set that moves between Flannery’s gravelly Cork storytelling and O’Neill’s more expansive, atmospheric style. Bring a layer - even in late June, an outdoor quarry venue gets cool once the sun drops.
Ballykeeffe is in Kilmanagh, roughly 12km south-west of Kilkenny city. From Kilkenny, take the R699 south towards Callan and follow signs for Kilmanagh - the amphitheatre is well signposted locally. By car from Dublin, Kilkenny is around 1 hour 40 minutes via the M9 motorway; from Cork, allow about 1 hour 30 minutes via the N8 and M8. Irish Rail runs regular services into Kilkenny MacDonagh Station from Dublin Heuston and Waterford. The venue itself is a rural site so a car or pre-arranged lift is the practical option from Kilkenny city - on-site parking is available.
The county rewards a longer stay. Kilkenny city has a compact medieval core, a working castle and a clutch of good pubs and restaurants that make a Saturday evening out worth extending. There is more to see in Kilkenny and across Co. Kilkenny.
Heading to Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre in Kilkenny? Kilkenny has plenty more to see. Read the Kilkenny area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.