From street performers and gallery shows to packed pub stages, Féile 2025 saw more than 30 acts play across nine venues in the city, with Skinner, Maria Somerville, pôt-pot, Negro Impacto, Giveamanakick, and plenty of others playing over the weekend.
With the dust now settled on the latest festival, Féile na Gréine Programming Director Mícheál Keating spoke with us about this year’s celebrations, the massive attendance, some highlights, and plans for next year.
“2025 was a great one,” he said. “I have to say, all the team are beaming after it. We had such a lovely crowd, nice weather, and just amazing performances all weekend from the artists who just really pulled through. It was just a lovely time!”
While data is still being collated, Mícheál shared that around 2,000 revellers hit the streets over the three days. While that is a rough estimate, the festival director said attendance has grown year on year.
“Roughly around 2000 (attended), that’s a very vague guess, but it could be more than that as well, because we had, for example, a street party on Catherine Street, we had Giveamanakick playing, so there was big crowds knocking around and a lot of simultaneous events. We need to gather our data on that, but it seems to steadily grow every year!”
Roughly around 2000, that’s a very vague guess, but it could be more than that as well, because we had, for example, a street party on Catherine Street, we had Giveamanakick playing, so there was big crowds knocking around and a lot of simultaneous events. We need to gather our data on that, but it seems to steadily grow every year!
Kicking off the festival was a haunting performance of composer Amanda Feery’s NEST in the Redemptorist Church, a highlight for Mícheál. Now live on YouTube, the powerful piece, featuring Amanda Feery and Declan Synnott on pipe organ and electronics, had ‘the whole church shaking with sound’.
“There were so many highlights… Unfortunately, I was sound at a few stages, so I didn’t get to see everything, but a big one for me was the opening event, with Amanda Feery at the Redemptorist Church.
“As she performed her piece, it was just a very powerful way to start the weekend; the whole church was shaking with sound, and it was really a mind-blowing experience. I think a lot of people there would attest to that.”
“Another great one was Giveamanakick… on Catherine Street. There was a lot of younger people and music fans across the generations in Limerick, all present and just people having a great time.”
With 2025 finished, Mícheál says the dedicated team of volunteers, seen clad in branded hi-vis jackets over the weekend, are taking a “well-deserved break” before planning begins for 2026 – but inspiration has been ignited from the weekend.
“At the moment, we’re taking a bit of a well-deserved break… I think we were all feeling very inspired and empowered coming away from the weekend, because it worked really well.
“And I feel like the team’s getting a lot better at managing ourselves and kind of not burning out during the process.
“So we were all feeling quite energized afterwards, having lots of ideas to carry forward.”
As eyes now look to 2026, Féile Na Gréine organisers are asking those who attended the festival to fill in their anonymous online survey, found here. Keep an eye on the Féile website here, or the Instagram page here, for updates as the countdown begins for next year.
Cathal Ryan is a music journalist based in Limerick. With Nialler9, he writes gig guides, occasionally covers releases, and has interviewed bands, including the Lambrini Girls and Gossip’s Beth Ditto, for the site.
Outside of Nialler9, he has covered festivals and interviewed the likes of Joel Gion, DIIV, Biffy Clyro, The Murder Capital, Pretty Happy, alongside others. He has played drums all around the place too.
