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festivals · Wednesday 23 September 2026 · Various 
New Ross Piano Festival
At St Mary's Church · New Ross, Co. Wexford
At St Mary's Church · New Ross, Co. Wexford
Five days of world-class piano in a medieval church on the River Barrow - the New Ross Piano Festival has been quietly punching above its weight since 2006, and the 20th anniversary edition in September 2026 is the most ambitious yet. This is a proper international classical music festival, one that critics have placed alongside the best of its kind anywhere, brought to a small Wexford town with real care and no pretension. If you love piano music, or you’re curious but not yet a devotee, this is the kind of event that converts people.
The festival runs Tuesday 23 to Sunday 27 September at St Mary’s Church in New Ross - a striking 800-year-old venue whose acoustic and atmosphere suit chamber and orchestral music better than most purpose-built halls. Artistic Director Finghin Collins has assembled an exceptional lineup for the anniversary year, ranging from French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet and Ukrainian virtuoso Anna Fedorova to Grammy-nominated jazz pianist Judy Carmichael and rising Irish talent Jamie Duffy. The RTÉ Concert Orchestra joins for the closing concert on Sunday.
The programme mixes full evening concerts with daytime Coffee Concerts - shorter, more informal events that make a good entry point if you’ve never been. Saturday’s programme is a good example of the range: a morning session on African Pianism with Rebeca Omordia, an afternoon jazz set with Judy Carmichael, and an evening concert featuring Anna Fedorova and Finghin Collins performing Bach. The festival also premieres “The Isness of Being,” a new commission written to mark 20 years. Masterclasses run alongside the public concerts, giving a behind-the-scenes look at how the music is made.
Tickets sell out across the week, so booking ahead is strongly recommended. Priority access goes to Friends of the festival - details at newrosspianofestival.com.
New Ross sits on the River Barrow in west Wexford, about 34 kilometres from Wexford town and well connected by road. The N25 runs along the south of the county and connects from Waterford to the west; the N30 brings you in from the north. From Dublin, the M11 south to Enniscorthy and then the N30 west is the most direct route - roughly two hours in ordinary traffic.
By bus, Bus Éireann and Wexford Bus both serve New Ross from Wexford town (around 35-40 minutes, services roughly every two hours). St Mary’s Church is in the town centre, a short walk from wherever the bus drops you on South Quay.
Parking in New Ross is available on South Street and around the quays, with larger car parks near the Ros Tapestry Centre. Evening concerts tend to draw full houses, so arriving 30-40 minutes early is sensible.
The town sits on a sweep of the Barrow with the Dunbrody Famine Ship moored at the quay - a full-scale replica emigrant vessel that is one of the more affecting visitor experiences in the southeast. The John F. Kennedy Arboretum is a short drive out of town and worth the detour if the weather holds. There is more to see in New Ross and across Co. Wexford.
Heading to St Mary's Church in New Ross? Wexford has plenty more to see. Read the New Ross area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.