Between July 4th and 6th, the music promoters Hibernacle will host their latest event at Orlagh House, Rathfarnham. The lineup features a diverse range of Irish acts, such as Villagers, Ye Vagabonds, Pillow Queens, Lisa Hannigan, and a rare hometown return from Jape.
Hibernacle was founded by the music promoter Úna Molloy, whose career emphasises consolidation within the Irish music scene, evident through her work with Hibernacle, Turning Pirate, and the Live Venue Collective, which aim to bring together the connections she has made during her nearly two decades of work, from the scrappy newcomers to the most commercially established, to make the industry stronger and more accessible.
“I think one of the big things in Ireland at the moment is the difference between what’s commercial and what’s funded,” says Úna. “So, there’s The Arts Council, that does all these funded theatres, and there’s these small venues that are sort of dying or finding it very tough to survive. They’ve been kind of subsidising smaller acts.
“You have an act that’s starting out, and Ray [Blackwell] at De Barra’s puts up a guarantee for five hundred quid, and they know they’re going to come down and play to even thirty people. That’s Ray putting five hundred quid on the line, yet he’s seen as a commercial entity.
“So, I think there’s this shift at the moment, where people are starting to see that there’s those festivals and those small, organic venues that have come from music lovers. Those people are the real heart and soul of a small town. They’re music lovers, they’ve grown up putting on shows, and I just see there’s another new layer of younger people.”
As Úna began in the industry through working the bar at Whelan’s, before expanding and learning on the job from mentors, which eventuated in her becoming a very successful promoter and tour manager, she thinks the seasoned must foster the up-and-comers; although, in some regards, she thinks the new generation are a little ahead, juxtaposing the formal education of BIMM alumni with their professional spreadsheets to the autodidacts of yesteryear, who would scribble important schematics and figures on beer-stained coasters and cigarette papers.
Úna often decides her event lineups based on who she thinks are sound and would get along, a consideration that extends to this upcoming festival. “My hope is that it will build onto something,” she says. “I’m always going to keep things small. I don’t think I’m ever going to be one of those people who puts on a 30,000-capacity festival. I love that idea that everybody’s hanging out together.
“I love the idea of it being this broad, lovely atmosphere, and hoping that people will support it and get into it. The lineup has loads of ladies and loads of queer acts, as well, and that was completely by accident. It was just down to me picking people who are really nice, and people who I just know are going to hang out well together.”
The venue, Orlagh House, is sentimental for Úna, as she grew up in Rathfarnham and has childhood memories of her mother taking her and her eight siblings there for days out. She has hosted several events there in the past and is looking forward to this festival, as the location has the perfect blend of bucolic beauty and urban infrastructure, which makes transport to and from the city centre accessible.
On the festival, Úna says, “My hope is that we’re going to have the main stage, which is in this beautiful green area, right in front of the house and, during the changeovers, we’re going to have pop-up acoustic-y stuff, there’s a little secret garden off to the side, and we’re going to have a bit of busking around.
“There’s really nice food vendors and a bar. It’s only eight hundred people, so everyone will know each other by the end of the weekend, I think!”
Words: Aaron Kavanagh
Feature Image: Lisa Hannigan by Rich Gilligan
Wallis Bird by Tobias Ortmann
Hibernacle at Orlagh House takes place between July 4th and 6th. Tickets and information can be found at hibernacle.ie
Hibernacle will also feature exclusive late-night after-show sessions on both Friday and Saturday evenings. For just €20 (plus booking fee), festival-goers can purchase a wristband for exclusive access to these intimate after-hours performances inside Orlagh House. Whether it’s DJ sets in the main room or a cosy trad session in the sitting room, these after-hours gatherings are the perfect way to wind down or keep dancing late into the night.
Just 30 minutes from Dublin City Centre and five minutes from the M50, Orlagh House is easily accessible — a short taxi from Bray, nearby suburbs, or the city itself. Return bus tickets from a central Dublin pick-up point are available as an optional add-on when booking. Buses will run after the main outdoor programme each night, so if you’re planning to stay for the late-night aftershows, Orlagh House is just a quick taxi ride back to town. A detailed travel map and info will be shared closer to the event.
