Culture Night 2025 in Donegal: A celebration of arts, heritage, and community

Inishowen Carnival presents An Púca, a magical sculpture and performance trail through Letterkenny Town Park for Culture Night this Friday

placeholder image — Inishowen Carnival presents An Púca, a magical sculpture and performance trail through Letterkenny Town Park for Culture Night this Friday

Taking place on Friday, September 19, Culture Night is 'One Night For All' with events taking place across the county

Donegal County Council Culture Division is proud to present its 17th annual programme of events for Culture Night, the all-island public event that celebrates culture, creativity, and the arts.

Taking place on Friday, September 19, Culture Night is “One Night For All” with events taking place across the county.

Commenting on this year’s event, Donegal County Council Arts Officer Traolach Ó Fionnáin said: “As Culture Night 2025 gets closer, Donegal is ready to host one of its most exciting and welcoming programmes yet.

“It’s a night for everyone to come together and celebrate the culture that makes Donegal unique. This year’s programme has a great selection of in-person events from performance trails and concerts to walking tours and exhibitions taking place across the county. There are a host of events to celebrate Oíche Chultúir in our Gaeltacht areas too, which you can find online or in the programme. Culture Night is a great night to bring all your friends or family together, as all events are completely free to attend and there is something for everyone to enjoy. Please check the programme in advance to find out if booking is necessary for the events you hope to go to.”

Inishowen Carnival Presents AN PÚCA

In Letterkenny Town Park, Inishowen Carnival presents An Púca, a magical sculpture and performance trail through Letterkenny Town Park for Culture Night. A tribute to the mischief-making shapeshifters of Celtic folklore, An Púca celebrates the mysterious figures said to bring both good and bad fortune.

Most often associated with rural and coastal communities, these elusive creatures take many forms, changing depending on where in Ireland their stories are told – sometimes animal, sometimes human, always unpredictable. This year’s event will feature three striking large-scale Púca sculptures, a lantern and sculpture trail through the park, roaming characters, and live performances full of energy and wonder. As daylight fades, audiences will be treated to two spectacular showings of dance, music and fire (set for 8:00pm and 9:00pm), featuring Fusion Dance Company, Aishlingí Dance Academy and In Your Space Circus.

World Culture Open Air Performances

Exhibitions

In Donegal County Museum on the High Road, an exhibition entitled ‘Working Over By’ highlights the occupations, working conditions and work experiences of Donegal men and women in Scotland from 1940 to 1990. The Regional Cultural Centre (RCC) will also launch several exhibitions on Culture Night, including Another Time Undone, which explores how family, land and legacy shape artistic practice, along with Maria Gasol’s series of small gouache portraits, Mad, Bad, Sad: The Dark Side of Motherhood in Cinema, which explores film’s portrayal of dysfunctional motherhood. The Irish Guide Dogs Exhibition by Clay M8 features eight original artworks inspired by the Guide, Assistance, Ambassador, and Brood dogs of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, Donegal Branch.

Cabaret, Choirs and Orchestra

For music lovers, the RCC’s Culture Night Cabaret will bring a lively late-night celebration of music, dance and performance. The line-up includes Indian cultural dancers, African song, Irish dancing, a Ukrainian choir, world music DJ and MC, poetry and theatre. In Conwal Parish Church, join the Donegal Chamber Orchestra to experience the music of Bach, Handel, Sibelius and Bizet. Following that performance, The Conwal Singers will bring together over 60 choral singers for an evening of reflective choral music at 8pm.

Music and Dance in the Heart of Letterkenny

Líonra Leitir Ceanainn will host an evening of Traditional Music at the Market Square Bandstand on Letterkenny’s Main Street from 7.00pm. The ZoNa Dance Company will celebrate its 11th consecutive Culture Night with a showcase of innovative choreography featuring live performances, interactive workshops, and screenings of previously filmed dance pieces at their studio on Canal Road.

South Donegal and Inishowen Events

Donegal Town will also join in The Culture Night celebrations with When Three Choirs Meet, a performance that brings three diverse Donegal choirs – EnCor Tirconaill, The Donegal Abbey Singers and The Bluestack Chorale – together for a special choral celebration. Inkwell and Pretty Baked in Donegal Town are also coming together to host a poetry cafe. Buncrana’s Main Street comes alive for a Culture Night Trail, and in Ballyshannon, the Old Barracks Studios and Gallery — an artist-run space in Ballyshannon — invites the public to explore its newly acquired studios in the historic Old Barracks building.

Other events in this year’s programme include a special evening of art and activity at Cló & Co in Ramelton, Sound and Vision - A Culture Night Video Art Exhibition in The Cottage Bar, and Behind The Scenes In The Library, where over the past 30 years, the library staff have gathered every article, book and author associated with Donegal and have them on display.