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seasonal · Saturday 27 June 2026 · Various 
Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre Summer Concerts
At Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre · Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny
At Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre · Kilmanagh, Co. Kilkenny
The Ballykeeffe Amphitheatre summer concert series is one of the more unusual live music experiences in Ireland. The venue sits inside an old limestone quarry in Kilmanagh, a few miles outside Kilkenny city, and the natural stone walls form the auditorium around the stage. It holds around 850 people and, on a good summer evening, the setting makes it feel genuinely special. This is not a festival field or a civic hall - it is a place with its own character, built over decades by community volunteers who cleared out abandoned cars and rubble to create something lasting. The 2026 programme runs June to August, with a deliberately mixed lineup: the opening night on 27 June features Susan O’Neill and Mick Flannery, two of Ireland’s finest singer-songwriters in a setting perfectly suited to that kind of music.
The series opens on 27 June with Susan O’Neill and Mick Flannery. The season continues with Heaven Can Wait - a Meat Loaf concert experience (18 July), REBEL REBEL (25 July), Hothouse Flowers (8 August), and Derek Ryan and Guests (15 August). Each show is a standalone ticketed event. The stage was installed in 2011, purpose-built for the quarry setting. Past acts at Ballykeeffe have included the Saw Doctors, Bagatelle, and Maria Doyle Kennedy, which gives a sense of the range the venue draws. Bring a layer - even in July the quarry can hold a chill once the sun drops.
Kilmanagh is about 14 km south-west of Kilkenny city, reachable via the R697 or R695 - roughly 20 minutes from the city centre. By car is the practical option; public transport to Kilmanagh is limited. From Dublin, the M9 motorway brings you to Kilkenny in under two hours. From Cork, the N8 or N25/N24 route north takes around 90 minutes. On-site or roadside parking is generally available for concerts; follow signage on the night.
A concert at Ballykeeffe pairs well with a day in Kilkenny city - the castle, the medieval mile, a meal on Parliament Street. The county also has plenty of walking, good food producers, and quiet countryside that rewards a slower visit. 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.