Critically acclaimed, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Dermot Kennedy today announces MISNEACH, a brand-new annual global music festival and celebration of Ireland’s rich musical heritage to coincide with the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in March 2025. Kennedy revealed the plans for the festival during an appearance at Ireland Music Week in Dublin earlier today. 

MISNEACH (pron. mish-nyach, meaning ‘Courage’ in Gaelic) will be held next March across two cities central to the Irish diaspora and with thriving Irish culture; Sydney, Australia on March 16 and Boston, USA on March 18-19. The twin festivals will form a vital new part of each city’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, providing a renewed focus on contemporary and traditional Irish music through lineups curated by Dermot Kennedy in partnership with Ireland Music Week. 

“For so many years now I have watched the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in so many different cities with a massive sense of pride,” explains Dermot; “I’ve always been so moved by the way Irish history and culture is celebrated all over the world. But I’ve also had the feeling that, for a country so rich in culture, I didn’t see it being represented fully in these events worldwide and I wondered, could we change that?”  

“With this inaugural year we hope to begin an annual tradition that will enrich the St. Patrick’s day celebrations around the world with music and the arts, by showcasing some of the best new and established Irish musical talent, as well as musical talent of the Irish diaspora. We will also be giving back to the communities in Ireland and the host cities. I’ve been lucky enough to feel the love that the world has for Ireland and its music, and I’m so excited to be starting something very special.” 

Featuring contemporary and traditional Irish artists, as well as participants from all over the world representing the Irish diaspora, this first edition of MISNEACH will see Dermot playing headline shows alongside showcases with a spotlight on rising/local artists in Sydney and Boston respectively, together with independent Irish talent sponsored by Culture Ireland in partnership with Ireland Music Week. In Boston, there will be a MISNEACH showcase show at the Brighton Music Hall on March 18th before Dermot headlines a multi-artist bill at TD Garden on the 19th. The Sydney edition of the festival will be a full outdoor festival at The Domain to take advantage of the late summer weather on March 16th, following the city’s official St Patrick’s Day parade.  

Curated and imagined by Dermot Kennedy, the vision for Sydney and Boston is to celebrate and cultivate the creativity, power and resilience of Ireland through the one thing that has always united Irish people; music. For the Sydney edition of MISNEACH, an exclusive presale window for fans signed up to the Dermot Kennedy newsletter begins on October 9th (9am AEDT) – sign up before Oct 7th (10am AEDT) to receive your exclusive code. Frontier Members presale begins October 9th (10am AEDT), with general on sale beginning October 11th (10am AEDT).   

Paying it forward has always been a priority for Dermot, and this festival is no exception. A portion of proceeds from the festival profit in Sydney will benefit Barretstown who provide vital services and camps to children with serious illnesses, as well as Ireland Funds Australia, who fund community level projects supporting peace, culture, education and community development. Proceeds from the Boston festival will benefit Irish suicide prevention charity Pieta as well as a local charity in each city. 

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