Live Report : Kodaline say a final Irish farewell at Malahide Castle

After over a decade of making music, Kodaline said a final farewell to Dublin, with their last Irish performance at Malahide Castle on Saturday.

On 9 October 2025, Kodaline announced that they would be splitting up, in what was an emotional Instagram video.

"After over a decade together, we’ve made the difficult decision to say goodbye to Kodaline," the band said. "We know this might come as a surprise, and it’s definitely bittersweet for us too. What we’ve shared with you has changed our lives forever. From busking on the streets of Dublin to selling out shows and arenas across the world, it really has been the stuff that dreams are made of."

In their words, it is 'bittersweet' to stand in the middle of the crowd at Malahide Castle and experience the full range of emotions that are coursing through the huge crowd in attendance. The sold-out venue is palpitating with both excitement for the concert and dread at this final goodbye.

Kodaline at Virgin Media Park on June 19, 2026. Copyright Trevor McGrath/hotpress.com

Nell Mescal kicks off the evening with a blend of indie pop that swings the audience to both sides of the emotional spectrum, via songs of heartbreaking situationships and terrible friendships. The use of violin and soft, trad-like beats brings up the pace of some of Nell's sadder songs, and her vocals stay pristine throughout the whole set.

The Academic introduce a bit of rock 'n' roll energy with their alternative rock songs, which channel bands like The Wombats and Vampire Weekend, but with a proper Irish twist. The band opened for Kodaline at the very start of their musical journey in 2015. Looking at them now, over a decade later, it’s impressive to see just how far these Westmeath boys have come.

Kodaline! The lights start to flash and highlight frontman Steve Garrigan, already singing his heart out at the piano; he seems as well prepared as ever, to take on this final challenge of a grand not-so-Irish exit.

They open with 'Wherever You Are', 'Brand New Day', and 'Ready', and this impressive 1-2-3 of high-energy songs inspires audience members to rush to the front, dancing and twirling around in celebration. It's a superb start to the set.

Next up, their 2017 hit 'Brother' slows things down, as a backdrop of animations of siblings helping each other up flashes on the big screens. 'Way Back When' is a wave of nostalgia – a slice of soft and light indie folk that transports the band back to their first-ever album. 'High Hopes' follows closely, and from the off Garrigan’s voice is drowned by the crowd singing along, and screaming the lyrics back at him.

Disappearing from the main stage, Garrigan reappears on a U2-style mini-stage in the middle of the crowd. It is a kind of intimate reunion with fans, with just a microphone, a guitar, and the man himself. Here, he points to his wife Diana, and their kids, in the crowd and brings the audience to near tears with the ballads 'The One' and 'Without You'.

Kodaline at Virgin Media Park on June 19, 2026. Copyright Trevor McGrath/hotpress.com

Despite this being their final Irish hometown show, little is said by the band. The weight of the moment, however, still manifests itself between songs, as the band members – Steve, Mark Prendergast, Vincent May and Jason Boland – throw warm, if on occasion slightly rueful, smiles each other's way. They too know that this is a last gathering of the tribe.

"Yesterday was emotional," reads a post written by Garrigan on Instagram, the following day. "The drive to soundcheck, a hug from my dad before walking on stage, my wife by my side, surrounded by family, friends, and 30,000 people singing their hearts out… at home in Dublin.

"After 20 years of gigging together, this was one hell of a send-off. I had chills. It’s very emotional, but I’m looking forward to the future, with plenty more music. I’ll never stop writing and performing."

And so it goes. While this may have been Kodaline's final Irish gig, they are gearing up to bring their farewell tour to Europe, Asia, and Australia. There is still work to be done...

The final song 'Love Like This' – starting with an instrumental rendering of 'Dirty Old Town', which rings out like an affectionate ode to Irish musical culture – sees the crowd erupt in chants, and at the end tears, as they eagerly call out for more, more, more.

After a short encore, the band reappear, this time engulfed in lights and confetti, tears and sweat, to perform their biggest hit, 'All I Want', bringing the emotional catharsis of this marvellous show home for the very last time.