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July & August 2025

... an Ancient Music Festival in Dorlindon Forest

Weekend Afternoons | July–August 2025 | 3–5pm

Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary, Co. Wicklow

This summer, experience a celebration of Ancient Music in one of Ireland’s most enchanting natural settings. Hosted at Dorlindon Nature Sanctuary, this open-air festival brings together live performances of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque music, performed in a mythical forest environment rich with beauty, stillness, and atmosphere. A unique blend of sounds from across the ages, including Irish Classical and traditional influences.

3–5pm daytime concerts in a natural forest amphitheatre.
Performances by ensembles and soloists from the European Ancient and early music tradition.
A rare opportunity to gather, listen, and reflect in a place where music, imagination, and tradition meet.
A contribution from proceeds will go to the Children’s Health Foundation, adding heart to every performance.
A Celebration of Ancient Music in the Beautiful, Natural Forest setting of Dorlindon.

This year's festival is dedicated to the late Cyril Anthony Gavillet, a true music enthusiast.

Saturday 19th July 2025

Catherine Rhatigan, Treasa Ni Mhaoilean (singer recognised as part of the living tradition), Eileen Carr (flute)

The programme offers an interesting glimpse into 18th century Ireland and earlier, put together from old Irish sources and accompanied by instrumental music from the period. Complemented by the authenticity of Treasa’s voice and sean nòs singing style, the concert offers a rich mix of music and songs from a long ago Ireland.

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Saturday 26th July 2025

Josquin Collective

A selection of Renaissance Sacred polyphony from Josquin Desprez sacred music, performed by the Renaissance music vocal ensemble based in Dublin.

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Saturday 2nd August 2025

Traditional Arts Collective (TAC)

Join TAC for an afternoon of Traditional music, myth, dance and song. You will hear tales from Irish mythology and be introduced to ancient instruments including Irish bronze age horn, flute, harp, voice and bodhrán along with sean-nós dancing demonstrations.

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Sunday 3rd August 2025

Kathleen Loughnane & Cormac Cannon

Kathleen and Cormac explore 17th- and 18th-century Irish and Scottish repertoire, drawing from the manuscripts of early music collectors. With her rich harp arrangements and Cormac’s deep dive into the piping traditions of past uilleann masters, their programme blends solo and collaborative pieces. Cormac joins on pipes, flute, and whistle for a selection of tunes that bring old sounds vividly to life.

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Saturday 9th August 2025

Paul Dooley & Kseniya Rusnak

Paul Dooley & Kseniya Rusnak present an eclectic selection of traditional tunes from Ireland and Ukraine, including music from the old Irish harper composers and the medieval harp repertoire, songs and some contemporary pieces.

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Sunday 17th August 2025

Ravensdale

Ravensdale presents compositions that include a variety of inspirations from the Early Medieval period and are sang in Old Norse, Slavic, English and Germanic, in reference to Slavic and Nordic lore.

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Saturday 23rd August 2025

Dynamics Vocal Ensemble

The vocal octet Dynamics Vocal Ensemble presents a selection of choral music ranging from the renaissance to contemporary, from Farmer, Palestrina, Monteverdi, Pärt, Alfven, Kodaly to Irish and German folk songs.

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Saturday 30th August 2025

Joe McKenna & The Roundwood Ensemble

For this special closing concert of the Dorlindon Ancient Music Festival, Joe McKenna leads the debut of the Roundwood Ensemble — a group formed specially for the occasion and drawn from his close circle of musicians in Wicklow. The heart of the performance is a tribute to Antoinette’s original compositions and the traditional songs she made her own, reimagined in the open-air setting of Dorlindon’s forest sanctuary.

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FAQs

Can tickets be purchased at the door?

No, tickets can be purchased only through Eventbrite.

From what time can I access the festival/car park?

Gates will open at 2:00pm; please have your ticket handy at the gate in order to access the carpark/forest; gates close at 6:00pm after the event, parking must be vacated by that time.

Parking

Parking is limited, please organise carpooling if possible; parking is restricted to ticket holders, please have your ticket handy at the gate in order to access the car park; parking is unsupervised, please leave nothing of value in the car.

Is it an outdoor event?

Yes, it is hosted in a forest, so please bring suitable outdoor footwear and clothing and possibly an umbrella if on a rainy day; in case of bad weather the event will be hosted in a more sheltered area of the same forest, however an umbrella will be necessary to reach that area and the toilets.

Can you walk around the Forest freely?

No, the event is hosted in a nature sanctuary and access is strictly limited to the event area (Cathedral of Trees) and only via paved tracks.

Are the paths wheelchair friendly?

Unfortunately not, the paths are forest tracks so you should mind your steps. It is an adventure after all and reflective of Ancient Music in the Forest in a natural environment.

Can alcohol be consumed on site?

Strictly No Alcohol can be purchased or consumed at the Venue.

Can children attend?

Due to Insurance restrictions, no young children are permitted at the concerts. Only 12+ with a valid ticket are allowed and under adult supervision.

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The Bronze Age horn: a sound unheard for 3000 years will echo once more in Dorlindon ...

The horn will play again Saturday 2nd August 2025, thanks to Traditional Arts Collective (TAC).
Ireland’s ancient cast-bronze horns represent more than half of all Bronze Age wind instruments found in Europe and the Middle East. Capable of creating rich music, these prestigious instruments were likely played during ceremonies, rituals or possibly even during battles.

A contribution from proceeds will go to the Children’s Health Foundation, adding heart to every performance.

Children's Health Foundation raises vital funds to support sick children and their families in Children's Health Ireland hospitals and urgent care centres in Crumlin, Temple Street, Tallaght and Connolly. This support includes funding vital life-saving equipment and providing essential patient and parental supports to making ground-breaking, paediatric research possible.

"The Cathedral of Trees": the main auditorium

The concerts will be held in the main auditorium: "The Cathedral of Trees". In case of poor weather they will be moved to a sheltered area. These locations are 10 minutes walk form the entrance, outdoor footwear is advised.