Folly Festival returns July 5th and 6th to the intimate Nancy’s Yard, beneath the towering ruins of Cullohill Castle, Cullohill, Co Laois. Following the massive success of last year’s sellout festival, the lineup for this year’s edition has been announced with early bird tickets on sale now.

Unveiled today, the headliners include singer-songwriter Darren Kiely on Friday and Dublin rock four-piece The Scratch on Saturday night. Other performers include festival-favourite Róisín O, all-female Belfast trio Dea Matrona as well as Oscar Blue, Jessica Doolan, Saibh Skelly, Paddy Keys, Dooley Brothers, Cullohill Comhaltas, Garda Band and many more.

It is not just a music festival, however, with comedy, arts and culture also at the forefront. Performances are punctuated by a series of daytime events for attendees of all ages. The festivities kick off with the scenic Cullohill Mountain Walk and continues throughout the day, with everything from artisan food and crafts, family activities, children’s entertainment at Nancy’s Yard and much more. Festival tickets are not required to take part in the daytime events around Cullohill.

Today’s announcement makes Folly Festival the first-ever gender-balanced lineup for an Irish musical festival, which in 2018 first addressed the discrepancy within the entertainment industry, where male artists outnumbered female artists 5:1. In selecting performers, Folly Festival sought to actively promote gender-balance, arranging the line-up accordingly with an equal number of male and female acts.

Early bird tickets are on sale now from €64.20 [25% off original price] and are available to purchase for a limited time via the festival website.