Music
10 Aug 26

Drogheda Songwriting Festival to return next month – with Áine Tyrrell, Colm Gavin and more joining team of mentors

Clockwise from right: Colm Gavin, Maria McCormack, Áine Tyrrell and David Hope

Tickets – which include admission for both days – are €50, and are available now through Eventbrite.

Ahead of its eagerly awaited third edition, the Drogheda Songwriting Festival has unveiled its 2026 programme. Taking place in Drogheda's Barbican Centre on Saturday, September 26, and Sunday, September 27, songwriters of all genres and abilities can look forward to two days of inspiration, collaboration, and the opportunity to create something new with top-class mentors.

This year, the festival has expanded its team of mentors – with insightful workshops delivered by world-class talent, including:

Colm Gavin: The Art of Writing to Pitch
Áine Tyrrell: Write To Rise
Maria McCormack: Transforming Real Life Stories into Powerful Songs
David Hope: Finding Fun in Creativity

Two of the team's most experienced mentors, SJ McArdle and Keith Burke, will be on hand on the Sunday, with their Song Surgery – to help songwriters polish off their works-in-progress.

Participants will get the chance to perform their new compositions at the Gala Concert, the festival's closing event. One song at the Gala Concert will be awarded the Clare Corrigan Perpetual Trophy, with the winner also receiving a day in a professional recording studio, with Daniel de Búrca of Jejune Studios.

Over the weekend, participants will also have the opportunity to team up and work on their brand new songs, with multiple rooms and spaces available in the Barbican Centre.

Drawing on the feedback received at the 2024 and 2025 editions, this is the first year that the festival will take place across two days, offering participants more time to work on their songs.

“We want to provide a space to the songwriting community in Ireland, to help more songwriters feel a part of it, and to provide them with a few new tools to get the most out of their raw talent and inspiration," says Darren Flynn, the festival's co-organiser. "There is an incredible depth of musical ability out there in Ireland, and our aim is to be a beacon for it.”

Tickets – which include admission for both days – are €50, and are available now through Eventbrite.

For more information, see droghedasongwritingfestival.com