Kilkenny set to prove 'festival capital' bona fides, with bumper year of events ahead

Kilkenny is gearing up for a bumper year of events and festivals as Covid restrictions lift, with delight for locals and visitors set to return — and with them, a boon for the local economy.

Calendar staples such as the St Patrick’s Festival and Kilkenny Roots (spring), Kilkenny Arts Festival (summer) and Savour Kilkenny (autumn) are set once again to have fully immersive, real-life programmes with crowds. The hugely-popular Kilkenomics, recent additions Kilkenny Animated and Kilkenny Day are also back, while Yulefest will cap off the year.

Meanwhile, not so much a festival but a hallowed date in January, the Goffs Thyestes Chase is under way in Gowran today with a busy crowd, having taken place behind closed doors last year. It was expected to have to limit numbers again in 2022, so a packed house will be a massive boost, the roar of the crowd confirming that things are truly getting back to normal.

Naoise Nunn, co-director of Schweppe Curtis Nunn, has been producing some of Kilkenny headline festivals since 1996, and says there is a huge amount to look forward to in 2022.

“I am really optimistic at the moment; the spring and the summer is going to be really busy for festivals and I think we will be back to full capacity,” said Mr Nunn.

“People will remain cautious, but the appetite for hanging out with people and meeting friends, as well as engaging with industry colleagues if you are in the business, is going to be absolutely huge. It’s going to be a great year for festivals,” he told the Kilkenny People.

Mr Nunn also confirmed that Kilkenomics and Kilkenny Animated will be going ahead in 2022. Kilkenomics will take place from November 3 - 6.Mr Nunn is programme director of Kilkenomics and has been involved in it since its debut in 2010. He describes Kilkenomics as is the world’s first festival of economics and comedy and says ‘bringing people together in person, in cosy environments in Kilkenny City to listen to and exchange ideas and have the craic is what we do’.

“We can’t wait to see everyone back in November in full capacity across the great Kilkenny venues,” he said.
Kilkenny Animated, which a festival of visual storytelling, in collaboration with Cartoon Saloon, will return on September 30 to October 2, 2022.

Meanwhile, Marian Flannery, who manages four Kilkenny festivals, has confirmed immensely-popular food festival Savour will be back.

“After two years of lockdown, I can’t wait for us to have our best venues in Kilkenny, indoor and outdoor, full of smiling, socialising, clapping and laughing,” she said.

“The people of Kilkenny warmly deserve an opportunity to get back out and enjoy the best of local and international music, food, discussions, theatre, comedy and debate and I can't wait to see the return of thousands of visitors from around Ireland and abroad to come and learn anew about all that outlets city and county has to offer. It will be great to have the buzz back.”