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faith · Saturday 31 October 2026 · 6:00pm 
Night of a Thousand Praise
At Dunamaise Arts Centre · Church Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
At Dunamaise Arts Centre · Church Street, Portlaoise, Co. Laois
Dunamaise Arts Centre hosts Night of a Thousand Praise on Saturday, 31 October 2026, a free evening of gospel and worship music built around live vocalists and a full band rather than a single act. The venue bills it as “more than a concert,” with the emphasis on the room’s collective mood as much as the setlist itself, and it is pitched as open to anyone regardless of religious background. It falls on Halloween night this year, giving Portlaoise an alternative to the usual fright-night programming, a quieter, reflective option for anyone who would rather spend the evening listening than out trick-or-treating.
Professional vocalists and live instrumentation carry the evening, with the venue’s own description promising an atmosphere of “joy, hope, and togetherness” built through the music rather than through a sermon or formal liturgy. It sits closer to a gospel showcase than a church service: there is no suggestion of readings or preaching in the listing, just a resonant, communal concert experience in Dunamaise’s main auditorium. Doors are at 6pm for a two and a half hour show, making it an early-evening outing rather than a late one, which suits families and anyone who wants to be home well before the trick-or-treaters are out.
Dunamaise Arts Centre is on Church Street in Portlaoise, a short walk from Portlaoise train station on the Dublin to Cork and Limerick line, and close to the M7/N8 motorway junction for anyone driving in.
Portlaoise is Laois’s county town, with restaurants clustered around Church Street for a bite before the show. There is more to see in Portlaoise and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Dunamaise Arts Centre in Portlaoise? Laois has plenty more to see. Read the Portlaoise area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.