COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 12, 2026

QUESTION NO.27

QUESTION: Councillor A. Smyth

To ask the Chief Executive to provide a report on the Council's most recent Culture Night programme, including the number of events held and attendance figures.

REPLY: 

Culture Night 2026 took place on 18 September 2026 and delivered a diverse programme of free cultural activities across South Dublin County. The programme showcased a wide range of artistic disciplines including music, theatre, literature, visual arts, heritage, community participation and outdoor cultural experiences. Events took place in civic, heritage and community venues across the county, encouraging widespread engagement with arts and culture.

A major highlight of the programme was Parthalán, presented by NOISE Music and the South Dublin County Arts Office at County Hall, Tallaght. Created by acclaimed singer and composer Iarla Ó Lionáird, this immersive performance transformed the civic buildings through music, projection, lighting and live performance, drawing inspiration from Irish mythology and Tallaght's connection to the story of Parthalán.

Other Council-produced and Council supported events included:

• County Hall, Tallaght: Parthalán (Attendance: 200)
• Old Courthouse, Rathcoole: A Concert of Oriel Irish Traditional Music featuring renowned fiddle player Gerry O'Connor, accompanied by Paul Meehan on guitar (Attendance: 70)
• Lucan Village Culture Night 2026: the inaugural village-wide programme featuring music, spoken word, heritage tours, visual arts, theatre and exhibitions across multiple venues. Lucan Artists Network welcomed an estimated 1,150 attendees across its programming. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
  Attendance & Participant Breakdown: 
  Art Exhibition : 250
  Live Music (Methodist Church): 350
  Performances (Village Green): 150
  Historical Tour (Village Cemetery): 150
  Literary Trail (Main Street Lucan): 100
  Performers, Event Participants & Committee/Support 150
• Artscope Trail, Lucan: a visual arts trail delivered across six locations including Griffeen Park Playground, The Tram Café at Airlie Park, SoCoffee at Aura Lucan Leisure Centre, Airlie Park, Adamstown and Costa Coffee, Dodsboro (Attendance: 620)
• Civic Theatre: Eddi Reader Concert (Attendance: 300) and Tenderfoot Plays (Attendance: 185) giving a combined attendance of 485.
• Libraries Programme

The Council's library service also participated in Culture Night activities:

Venue	Event(s)	Attendance
Castletymon Library	Firhouse Ukulele Group Concert	38
Tallaght Library	Summer Stars Certificates, Freshly Ground Theatre - The Question of Parthalan, Classical Kids and Sarah Sparkles	120
Lucan Library	Indian Classical Music Society of Ireland	21

Attendance

The total recorded attendance at Council-produced and Council-supported Culture Night events was 2,704. This figure excludes attendance at a number of independently hosted events and partner-organised programmes where final attendance data was not available at the time of reporting.

The wider County programme also benefited from the participation of a number of cultural and heritage organisations across the county. Highlights included activities at Rua Red South Dublin Arts Centre, Rathfarnham Castle, Pearse Museum, Áras Chrónáin, The Well, Tallaght Village, and St. Maelruain's Church, Tallaght.

At Pearse Museum, Rathfarnham Theatre Group presented Tiny Plays, an evening of seven original short plays developed through a playwriting workshop and performed by a cast of 14 actors.

At St. Maelruain's Church, the Rector provided continuous guided tours of the historic site, including its links to early Christian Ireland, the Norman tower and the churchyard where notable artists Evie Hone and Oisín Kelly are buried.

The programme also extended into the Dublin Mountains through a guided Dublin Mountains Partnership Walk at the Hell Fire Club, connecting participants with the county's natural and cultural heritage.

Culture Night 2026 successfully activated cultural, civic, heritage and natural spaces throughout South Dublin County. The programme supported artists, engaged local communities, encouraged participation in the arts and showcased the county's rich cultural assets. The breadth of activity, from large-scale performances and concerts to heritage tours, theatre presentations and community events, demonstrated the continuing importance of Culture Night as a key annual cultural initiative within the county.