Few festivals on the island offer the kind of sustained, deep magic that Sounds from a Safe Harbour manages to conjure. Returning to Cork City from 11th to 14th September for its 10th edition, the festival remains one of Ireland’s most consistently rewarding fixtures – an unpredictable, collaborative gathering rooted in ritual, risk, and resonance.
This year’s edition opens with Remembering Talos, a poignant tribute to the late Eoin French at Cork Opera House, before the city blooms into life with performances, premieres, and unexpected encounters across multiple venues. Built around the 37d03d residency and curated by Mary Hickson, Cillian Murphy, Bryce Dessner, Max Porter and Billy Mag Fhlionn, SFSH continues to prioritise communion over convention.
Among the first ticketed announcements are big hitters – Ben Howard and Kate Stables, Rhiannon Giddens, Jon Hopkins with S. Carey, Efterklang, Lisa Hannigan, Beth Orton, Villagers (acoustic) – and Thin Air favourites also take centre-stage. There’s a special collaboration between Crash Ensemble, Rachel Lavelle and RÓIS, the spectral dream-pop of I Dreamed I Dream, the singular Elaine Howley, a thumping Bantum and Arveene team-up, and essential returns from Junior Brother, Black Country New Road, and Dáithí. With album launches, one-offs and new creative constellations throughout, it’s a festival that invites you to listen differently. Check out the full line-up below.
Tickets go on sale Friday 30th May at 12pm right here.
Photo by Bríd O’Donovan
