Major Irish acts added to Night and Day music festival 2026 lineup

Night and Day has announced another wave of exciting musical acts to its line-up for this year’s festival. The festival, now entering its fifth year, takes place from the 29-31 of May at Lough Key Forest Park.  

Among the new additions is Imelda May, who brings her unmistakable voice, poetic songwriting, and magnetic stage presence to the Queen Medb stage on Night and Day.

 With a range spanning rockabilly, blues, and deeply personal contemporary folk, her live shows are renowned for their energy, intimacy, and connection with audiences.

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Also added to the Queen Medb stage are legendary Irish collective Kíla, whose explosive fusion of traditional Irish music with global rhythms has made them one of the country’s most beloved live acts. 

Known for their powerful musicianship and infectious stagecraft, Kíla’s performance will add a vibrant, celebratory dimension to the programme and will take to the stage on Friday night of the festival.

These new additions The Saw Doctors, The Boomtown Rats, Hothouse Flowers, Jenny Greene, Richard Thompson, Big Country, Paddy Casey, Soda Blonde and Cardinals who are already on the line up for the festival. 

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Festival Director Brendan Hurley said: “We’re delighted to be bringing some more iconic Irish acts to Night and Day 2026. We’re committed to showcasing the best talent the country has to offer, and this announcement is another important step in delivering on that,” he said. 

The festival is strictly an over-20s event, but also caters to families with lots of family-focused activities available at the cultural site, and festivalgoers can also explore the beautiful grounds and campsite at Lough Key Forest Park. Families will also be able to avail of the on-site activities such as zip-lining courses, forest trails and the tree-top walk.