CMAT, Dermot Kennedy, Madra Salach and more to be showcased on NPR's World Cafe in the US

National Public Radio will showcase Irish acts such as CMAT, Dermot Kennedy and Madra Salach in the US as part of their World Cafe music programme.

The World Cafe’s Sense of Place series will dedicate two weeks to Dublin, from August 24 to September 4.

“You don’t need me to tell you that Dublin has a long, rich history of great storytellers and songwriters,” said World Cafe host Raina Douris. “But what moved me most when we recorded these sessions is just how much history is still alive in the newer generation of artists coming up in the city.”

“From indie rock to hip-hop to punk-influenced to traditional – each artist in this series draws inspiration from Dublin’s past while telling vibrant stories of Ireland’s present and future.”

The radio series is also set to feature The Chieftains, Florence Road, Hozier, KhakiKid, Loah, Pillow Queens, SPRINTS, U2, the late Sinéad O'Connor and more.

World Cafe Sense of Place: Dublin arrives as the programme looks toward their 35^th anniversary this autumn.

“The year World Cafe turned 20, we launched our Sense of Place series with a trip to Ireland,” said senior producer Kimberly Junod. “Now, 15 years later, as we head into our 35^th anniversary, we are so excited to return to a music scene that continues to be a global highlight.”

Earlier this year, World Cafe earned a New York Festivals 2026 Radio Award for “There’s a Missing Piece to Montreal’s Jazz History”, a feature that aired as part of its Sense of Place: Montreal series.

Past installments of the series have profiled US cities such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Denver, Fort Collins and Provo, as well as Rome, Montreal and Tokyo internationally.