- The 30th Ballyhoura Walking Festival took place from 8 to 11 October 2026.
- More than 350 people participated in walking events.
- The event celebrated 30 years of the walking festival and 40 years of Ballyhoura Fáilte.
- The Joyce Brothers Music Festival featured Mick O’Brien and Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich.
- The 2027 festival takes place from 7 to 10 October.
The 30th Ballyhoura Walking Festival and Joyce Brothers Music Festival took place from 8 to 11 October 2026 with more than 350 people participating in walking events and an estimated 400 attendees at the music festival. The weekend featured more than 40 walks and experiences with traditional music local heritage and community hospitality.
The event celebrated 30 years of the Ballyhoura Walking Festival, 40 years of Ballyhoura Fáilte and 20 years of the Ballyhoura Mountain Bike Trails. Highlights included the Dawn Chorus Walk to Seefin and the Ballyhoura Marathon and Half-Marathon walks. The Joyce Brothers Music Festival featured uilleann piper Mick O’Brien and accordion maestro Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich.
Two descendants of Patrick Weston Joyce visited with great-grandson Patrick W. Joyce travelling from Liverpool and great-great-granddaughter Zoe Balogh from London. The festival is Ireland’s longest-running community-led walking festival. The 2027 festival takes place from 7 to 10 October.
Ciara Flanagan shared “There’s something very special about bringing walking and traditional music together in the place that inspired the Joyce Brothers. This year’s festival captured that connection beautifully, from the concerts and workshops to the informal sessions and conversations that continued throughout the weekend.”
Declan Clancy shared “There’s nothing quite like seeing people discover the Ballyhouras for the first time, whether it’s watching the sunrise from Seefin, taking on a mountain challenge or simply enjoying a walk and a chat along the way.”
