Ballyhoura Walking Festival & Joyce Brothers Music Festival 2025 ‘promises something unforgettable’ this October

Ballyhoura Walking Festival & Joyce Brothers Music Festival 2025 ‘promises something unforgettable’ this October

Ireland’s longest-running walking festival, Ballyhoura Walking Festival, partners again with the Joyce Brothers Music Festival for a packed 2025 programme with something for everyone

As the hills turn gold and the air takes on the crisp promise of autumn, Ballyhoura invites you to lace up your boots, fill your lungs with fresh mountain air, and step into a weekend of outdoor adventure, music, and community spirit.

This unique weekend blends the joy of outdoor exploration with the rich traditions of Irish music, song, and dance – creating an experience that draws visitors from across Ireland and beyond.

Celebrating its 29th year, the Ballyhoura Walking Festival is Ireland’s longest-running walking festival, offering a diverse programme that caters to all abilities – from the early-morning adventurer to the gentle rambler. Many of the walks are led by members of the Ballyhoura Bears Walking Club, whose deep knowledge of the area’s heritage, wildlife, and folklore ensures every step is steeped in local insight.

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For the fifth consecutive year, the Walking Festival joins forces with the Joyce Brothers Music Festival, celebrating the legacy of PW and Robert Dwyer Joyce, natives of Glenosheen, whose collections of Irish music, songs, and stories are still treasured today. The music festival’s lively programme of concerts, sessions, workshops, and heritage walks perfectly complements the walking trails, adding a rich cultural dimension to the weekend.

This year’s walking programme spans the serene, the strenuous, and the soulful. Adventurers can take on the Sunrise to Sunset Ballyhoura Challenge, a full-day test of stamina covering over 42km of rugged trails and 1,500m of elevation, or the Half Marathon Hillwalk for a shorter but equally rewarding mountain experience.

Nature lovers can greet the day with the Dawn Chorus Sunrise Walk to Seefin, breathe deeply on a Yoga Walk along the Moor Abbey Loop, or explore the fascinating biodiversity of the Griston Bog Bug Safari with local environmentalist Albert Nolan. Families will adore the gentle Alpaca Walking & Farm Activities, where younger participants can get hands-on with friendly animals.

For something truly unique, join Anita Bennis for the Whistling Walk – a light-hearted and joyful stroll where participants learn to whistle a melody while wandering through the scenic landscapes of Ballyhoura, letting the hills carry the tune.

For those drawn to history, there’s the Kilmallock Medieval Town Guided Walk, Lough Gur – Walking Through Time, Mitchelstown Heritage Walk and the atmospheric Journey Through Time at Annes Grove Gardens & Doneraile Park. Meanwhile, heritage blends with scenery on the Castle Oliver Walk and the Molanna Loop, where ancient ruins and rolling hills tell their own stories.

The musical heartbeat of the weekend begins with a Gala Opening Night in the Old Chapel Rooms on Thursday, setting the tone for days filled with traditional concerts, toe-tapping sessions, and engaging workshops. Expect to hear the best of Irish traditional music spilling from pubs, halls, and street corners, with local and visiting musicians sharing their craft.

Amongst the great musicians, dancers and singers performing at this year’s festival are many who have made enduring contributions to Irish traditional music including  Matt Molloy (The Bothy Band,  The Chieftains), John Carty and John Faulkner.

Workshops will give festival-goers the chance to learn directly from seasoned performers, whether through instrument masterclasses, traditional singing, or sean-nós dancing. The festival’s unique Walk to the Joyce Homestead connects music, history, and place, ending with tunes at the very home where the brothers’ story began.

And for those who simply want to soak up the atmosphere, the evening sessions in local pubs – always free to attend – offer that rare magic where music, conversation, and community merge into one.

Adding a burst of colour and flavour to Saturday’s festivities, Kilfinane Community Council will host an Intercultural Food Fair from 1:30pm – 3:30pm on Saturday, 4th October. Residents of Kilfinane and surrounding areas will showcase dishes traditional to their cultures, offering festival-goers a chance to share in the warmth of community and discover new tastes from around the world.

Both festivals are deeply committed to Leave No Trace principles and regenerative tourism, encouraging visitors to support local cafés, craft producers, and accommodation providers. Every walk and tune helps sustain the communities that make Ballyhoura such a special place.

So whether your ideal weekend is a mountain sunrise, an afternoon in a Georgian garden, a pint in a music-filled pub, or a moonlit stroll under starry skies – Ballyhoura in October promises something unforgettable.

Full programme of events and booking information are available on Eventbrite for the Ballyhoura Walking Festival and Joyce Brothers Music Festival.

The 29th Ballyhoura Walking Festival is supported by Limerick City and County Council and Fáilte Ireland, while the Joyce Brothers Music Festival is funded by The Arts Council and Ballyhoura Comhaltas Ceoltoirí na hÉireann and the Kilfinane Intercultural Food Fair is supported by the Limerick Food Partnership.

Schedule: 2025 Ballyhoura Walking Festival & Joyce Brothers Festival

THURSDAY 2nd October

• 7:30pm: Gala Opening Night in Old Chapel Rooms  (Joyce Brothers Festival) – Feat: Ciarán Ó Gealbháin, with historian Angela Hennessy and special guests Tomás Ó Gealbháin, Caoimhín O Fearghail, Sean O Fearghail, Ciara Flanagan, Macdara Ó Faoláin and Victoria Adii

FRIDAY 3rd October

• 5pm: Whistling Walk with Anita Bennis (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 7:30pm: Traditional Concert with Highlights of Hup na Houra in Old Chapel Rooms (Joyce Brothers Festival) – Feat: John Faulkner, guitarist Frank Kilkelly and puppeteer Des Dillon
• 9pm: Traditional Irish Music Session in O’Seachnasaígh Bar (free event) (Joyce Brothers Festival)

SATURDAY 4th October

• 6am: Dawn Chorus Sunrise Walk (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 7am: Sunrise to Sunset Ballyhoura Challenge (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 9am: Half Marathon (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 10am: Castle Oliver Walk (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 10am: Molanna Walk (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 11am: Explore Georgian Mitchelstown Tour (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 11:30am-1pm: Beginners Music Workshop in Teach na Cille (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 11:30am-1pm: Advanced Music Workshop in Ó Céileachair’s (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 1:30pm-3:30pm: Intercultural Food Fair (Kilfinane Community Council)
• 2:30pm-4pm: Traditional Singing Workshop in Ó Céileachair’s (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 2:30pm-4pm: Sean Nós Dancing Workshop in Old Chapel Rooms (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 7pm: Moonlight Walk (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 7:30pm: Traditional Concert in Old Chapel Rooms (Joyce Brothers Festival) – Feat: Stephanie Keane, Derek Hickey, Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, Laoise kelly, John Carty, Matt Molloy and Brian McGrath
• 9pm: Traditional Sessions in McGraths Bar (free event) (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 9pm: Traditional Sessions in Ó Céilleachair’s Bar (free event) (Joyce Brothers Festival)

SUNDAY 5th October

• 10am: Yoga Walk Experience along Moor Abbey (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 10am/1pm/4pm:  Alpaca Walking and Farm Activities (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 11am: Kilmallock Medieval Town Guided Walk (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 11am: Mass featuring Traditional Music & Song at St. Andrews Church (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 11:30am: Journey Through Time at Annes Grove Gardens (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 12pm: Lough Gur – Walking through Time (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 1pm: Walk from Ballyorgan to the Joyce Homestead, Glenosheen (free event) (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 2pm: Family-Friendly Bug Safari at Griston Bog (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 2pm: Traditional Session in Nuala Mee’s Pub, Ballyorgan (free event) (Joyce Brothers Festival)
• 2:30pm: Guided Tour of Doneraile Park and Gardens (Ballyhoura Walking Festival)
• 5pm: Final Performance – Traditional session in Healy’s Bar (free event) (Joyce Brothers Festival)