Nollaig na mBan festival announces 2024 line up featuring Mary Coughlan and Maria Doyle Kennedy

The Nollaig na mBan Festival returns for its second year in Dublin’s North East Inner City, Ballybough, North Strand & Clonliffe  on Saturday, 6 January 2024.

The sophomore offering of Dublin’s Nollaig na mBan festival hopes to celebrate outstanding local women and presents an exciting line-up of events including unique musical performances by Mary Coughlan & her band, and Maria Doyle Kennedy, along with the extraordinary story of Dr Katriona O’Sullivan, author of Poor and former local resident being celebrated at the awards ceremony.

Traditionally a day for Irish women to “put the feet up” after the tiresome work involved in the Christmas festivities, ‘Nollaig na mBan’ or ‘Women’s Christmas’ / ‘Little Christmas’ on 6 January, gave women the opportunity to get together and enjoy some time off with their female relatives and friends

However, there's no such leisure for the extraordinary women announced for this year's Nollaig na mBan festival,  Dr Katriona O'Sullivan is set to be interviewed by Aoife Barry, journalist and author of Social Capital. The interview will be back to back event at the Charleville Mall Library, where the awards ceremony is billed to take place too.

The awards ceremony is one of the most significant events as it will honour 10 inspirational women who have contributed to the inner North community. Each heroine will receive a certificate scroll inspired by local artist Adelle Hickey's "Hearts of Ireland" and a bouquet.

A series of portraits of this year’s honourees will also be displayed across the streets of the north east inner city, truly celebrating these women's achievements which often go unrecognised. Among these women are poet Paula Meehan, former principal of St. Columba's National School Ann Creaner, and carer Ann-Marie Morrison.

Emerging from a series of informal gatherings in the north east inner city over many years, the festival was established in 2023 to formally honour the contribution of exceptional women to the local area, provide an evening of entertainment and also raise money for Sonas Services, which supports women and children experiencing domestic violence.

In association with Dublin City Council and NEIC along with RTE Supporting the Arts and Dublin Port, Nollaig na mBan 2024’s festival will take place in multiple venues across the north east inner city on Saturday the 6th of January- throughout the afternoon and evening.

Other events taking place as part of the programme include  a fundraising raffle will also raise money for Sonas Services as well as St. Francis Hospice, Raheny and a pub crawl across the area with live bands and karaoke.

For the full programme of events visit: www.nollaignamban.ie