Choir Festivals in Ireland: Echoes in the Emerald Isle

Ireland is home to rich musical traditions and some of the friendliest and most welcoming people in the world. Ireland and Northern Ireland are perfect destinations for custom concert tours, and two of Music Contact International’s most popular choir festivals are hosted in Ireland: the Fingal International Festival of Voices and the Limerick Sings International Choral Festival.

Fingal International Festival of Voices – March

Set in the charming seaside town of Balbriggan, just outside Dublin, the Fingal International Festival of Voices is the perfect base for exploring Ireland’s breathtaking sights and rich culture. Each March, the Fingal festival brings together singers from around the world for workshops on traditional Irish music and dance, adjudicated performances, friendship concerts with local choristers, and a Sunday service performance for a welcoming Irish congregation. In addition, choirs enjoy sightseeing in Dublin and exploring the beautiful Wicklow Mountains to the south.

Ireland Tour Extensions

• Some choirs choose to enhance their Fingal Festival experience with an extension to the west coast to Killarney and Limerick when the choir festival concludes. This includes the opportunity to discover the Irish countryside with its green rolling hills lined with ancient stone walls and dotted with grazing sheep. These smaller cities offer intimate venues where exchanges with Irish choirs lead to fun evenings of music and socializing.
• Other choirs opt for an extension to Galway, the thriving bohemian city on Ireland’s west coast. This 500-year-old city is a popular seaside destination with a lively city center full of colorful shops, restaurants, and traditional Irish music echoing through the cobblestone streets. It is also one of the major centers of Gaelic studies, with store signs still written in the ancient language.

Limerick Sings International Choral Festival – June

Hosted in the city of Limerick, Ireland, where the River Shannon meets the western shores, the Limerick Sings International Choral Festival welcomes singers from around Europe, North America, and beyond to participate in the choir festival every June. The festival offers a combination of performance workshops at the University of Limerick, performances for audiences of locals and tourists alike, and ample time to explore the breathtaking Irish countryside. The festival venues range from historic churches, such as Limerick's Redemptorist Catholic Church, to the iconic Cliffs of Moher. We can also arrange additional days in other parts of Ireland to tour, explore, or perform some more! With one festival in the spring and one in early summer these two options give you the chance to select an event that works with your travel schedule. And if your ensemble can’t travel on those exact dates or just prefers to travel Ireland on a customized concert tour, we can offer incredible individual venues including large cathedrals, small parish churches, schools, senior homes, universities, mansions, and local theaters. No matter where you perform in Ireland, the reception is welcoming and enthusiastic, making it one of our favorite destinations to bring ensembles. Everyone comes home happy and excited after a trip to Ireland!

Complimentary Orientation Trips for Directors

You don’t need to take our word for it—you can experience the magic of the Emerald Isle for yourself on a complimentary directors’ orientation trip. Prepare for your upcoming festival or custom concert tour with our preview tour to see the venues, hotels, and sites prior to the tour with your musicians. This unique opportunity is offered free of charge (including flights, accommodations, meals, and transportation) to directors with choirs planning to travel to Ireland in 2026. We want to show you in advance just how wonderful your concert tour or festival experience in Ireland will be! Contact us for more information about complimentary orientation trips, examples of Irish performance tours, and details on the Irish festivals.