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festivals · Friday 21 August 2026 · Various 
The Shaking Bog Festival 2026
At The Schoolhouse for Art and Glencree Valley venues · Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
At The Schoolhouse for Art and Glencree Valley venues · Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow
The Shaking Bog Festival returns to Enniskerry and the Glencree Valley from Friday, 21 August to Sunday, 23 August 2026, three days built around nature writing and the outdoors rather than a conventional festival lineup. Based at the Schoolhouse for Art, with events spilling into the surrounding woods, fields and riverbanks, the festival brings together authors, poets and naturalists for readings, walks and conversations, several staged jointly with Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray. It suits readers and nature lovers more than casual festival-goers, though the outdoor walks are open to anyone.
The programme mixes indoor readings with events held outdoors across the valley. The 2026 line-up includes guided walks and talks on bats, bogs and native hedgerows led by ecologists, alongside author readings and conversations staged as Mermaid Arts Centre offsite events, among them a reading and conversation with nature writer Helen Macdonald, a session with poet Vahni Capildeo, and an evening with singer Mary Coughlan in concert and conversation with Alan Gilsenan. Bridge Street Books sets up on site through the weekend, selling work by the featured writers. The festival describes its own programming as fluid and responsive rather than a fixed lineup, so further events tend to be confirmed in the weeks before the weekend, making it worth checking the festival website close to the date before travelling for a specific session.
Enniskerry village is around 25 minutes by car from Bray or the M50, with Dublin Bus route 44 running from Dublin city centre. The Glencree Valley venues are spread beyond the village itself, so a car is the more practical option for reaching the walk-and-talk events.
The festival gives a reason to spend a weekend in one of Wicklow’s smaller villages, close to Powerscourt Estate and the Wicklow Way. There is more to see in Enniskerry and across Co. Wicklow.
Heading to The Schoolhouse for Art and Glencree Valley venues in Enniskerry? Wicklow has plenty more to see. Read the Enniskerry area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.
In town for The Schoolhouse for Art and Glencree Valley venues? These Wicklow tours book out in summer.