The always fascinating Culture Date with Dublin 8 Festival returns from May 4th to 10th 2026 with another captivating programme celebrating the unique heritage of this fabled Dublin district.
The festival’s eighth rendition features an extended seven-day-long schedule and a programme lineup guaranteed to pack a punch. This year, CDD8 strives to uncover the historical threads that envelop Dublin 8 – from the curious and the captivating, to the sentimental and moving – and understand what it means for us to reshape them in our shared contemporary psyche.
Central themes include exploring the Songlines of the City – uncovering pathways across the landscape that carry stories – and commemorating the 300th anniversary of Jonathan Swift’s novel ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, one of the most enduring and influential works of satire in literary history.
Showcases highlighting the localised practices of storytelling and spoken-word poetry will take place on both the Saturday and Sunday in the National Stadium.
These events will feature a competitive twist and a callback to Dan Donnelly, one of Dublin’s most renowned sporting celebrities of the nineteenth century, who had surprisingly strong connections to Dublin 8. The much anticipated event celebrating Dublin’s boxing legends includes a performance by Damien Dempsey at The National Stadium on Saturday, May 9th.
Elsewhere, Tom Dunne, Fiachna O’Braonáin and Alan Connor are set to perform in the Church of St. Catherine & St. James on Wednesday May 6th, followed by ‘Remembering Ronnie’ performed by singer Phelim Drew on Thursday May 7th. Kerry pop-folk band Simple Things is in action on Friday May 8th, while Friday, May 8th, also sees singer and actress Camille O’Sullivan live at Christ Church Cathedral.
In addition, the Late in D8 after dark series will see a showcase of BIMM College graduates alongside late night parties taking place in venues across the district. The majority of these events are free to attend.
The Culture Date with Dublin 8 Festival will take place from Monday May 4th – Sunday May 10th. For details, see culturedatewithdublin8.ie
Culture Date with Dublin 8 is an initiative led by the Dublin City Council South Central Area and Curator Grace McEvoy in collaboration with programme partners.
