Culture Night Kerry hailed a ‘tremendous success’ as Killarney features on RTÉ

By Alastair Tibbs, The Kerryman

Kerry was lit up on Friday night as the annual celebration of the county’s traditions and artistic flair got underway.

Culture Night Kerry 2026 brought a smorgasbord of events to the county commemorating both creativity and community.

Drawing on the county’s strong cultural traditions as well as the vibrancy of contemporary life, the night of festivities was hailed as a ‘tremendous success’ by acting Leas-Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Councillor Jimmy Moloney.

One of the standout moments of Culture Night Kerry 2026 was RTÉ’s live national Culture Night television broadcast from Killarney.

The broadcast put Kerry centre stage in the national celebrations offering audiences throughout Ireland a glimpse at county’s thriving cultural energy.

“Culture Night was a tremendous celebration of the people, places and creativity that make Kerry such a special county,” said Cllr Moloney.

“To see more than 60 events taking place across all five Municipal Districts, and communities coming out in such numbers to support them, was hugely encouraging,”

“The energy and welcome evident across Kerry on the night were a credit to our artists, cultural organisations, community groups and volunteers. It was a night when the Kingdom truly came alive.”

As Ireland holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union this year, a number of events were supported through Culture Ireland/Cultúr Éireann, creating opportunities for international cultural exchange.

Ireland’s pairing with Czechia in the presidency cultural programme resulted in Kerry welcoming Czech poet Šimon Leitgeb, bringing a further international voice to the county’s Culture Night celebrations.

“Míle buíochas le gach éinne who helped make Culture Night Kerry 2026 such a memorable celebration,” said Kerry County Council Arts Officer and Creative Ireland Co-ordinator Kate Kennelly.

“The success of the night belongs to the artists, performers, venues, community organisations, volunteers and audiences who embraced it with such generosity and enthusiasm.

“What was particularly special was seeing that sense of excitement spread right across the county. From our villages to our towns, people came together to experience something, make something, hear a story, enjoy a performance or simply share in the atmosphere.

“The RTÉ broadcast from Killarney gave us a wonderful opportunity to showcase Kerry nationally, while at the same time so many brilliant cultural experiences were unfolding in communities throughout the county.”