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food-drink · Monday 3 August 2026 · Various throughout festival 
O'Carolan Harp Festival and Summer School 2026
At Keadue village · Keadue, Co. Roscommon
At Keadue village · Keadue, Co. Roscommon
Every August, the small Roscommon village of Keadue becomes the centre of the harp-playing world. The O’Carolan Harp Festival and Summer School runs for eight days over the August bank holiday, drawing musicians and music lovers from across Ireland and further afield to honour Turlough O’Carolan - the blind itinerant harper and composer who died in Keadue in 1738 and is buried in the local churchyard at Kilronan. This is one of Ireland’s longest-running festivals: serious musicians come for the workshops, families come for the street life, and plenty of people come simply because there is nowhere else quite like Keadue in festival week.
The festival runs two tracks at once. By day, the Summer School offers morning and afternoon workshop sessions covering harp, tin whistle, concertina, bodhrán, flute, button accordion, fiddle, traditional singing, set dancing and sean-nós dancing. A “Try the Harp” strand welcomes complete beginners. By evening, the focus shifts to performance. St. Ronan’s Hall hosts the main concerts, including the Tutors Concert at the official opening and a closing night with the internationally acclaimed group Téada. A separate recital at nearby Kilronan Castle celebrates O’Carolan’s own compositions - a fitting venue, as he composed much of his music for the Anglo-Irish gentry of this region. The annual Harp Competition attracts competitors from around the globe. Arts and crafts vendors and a food festival element run through the week. The Bank Holiday Monday finale brings the legendary Door Dancing competition and a parade through the village.
Keadue sits in north County Roscommon, roughly 10 km north of Boyle and about 40 km north of Roscommon town. By car, take the N4 to Boyle then local roads north through Croghan. Allow extra time during festival week when traffic is heavier than usual. Public parking is available in and around the village. Bus Eireann services from Dublin and Sligo serve Boyle, but you will need a car or taxi for the final leg - public transport direct to Keadue is limited.
O’Carolan’s grave at Kilronan Church is worth visiting any time of year and draws harpers and history enthusiasts from all over the world. Lough Meelagh nearby makes for a quiet, easy detour. There is more to see in Keadue and across Co. Roscommon.
Heading to Keadue village in Keadue? Roscommon has plenty more to see. Read the Keadue area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.