Hawk’s Well Announces 2026 Summer Programme!

Hawk’s Well Theatre has announced another new jam-packed season with its latest summer programme for 2026. Featuring all the incredible shows and events taking place during the coming months at the Hawk’s Well Theatre and Art Deco Theatre, Ballymote, www.hawkswell.com.


The Hawk’s Well Theatre’s Summer Programme is sure to brighten your Summer! From local to touring artists, free lunchtime events, workshops and festivals, there truly is something for everyone. Season highlights include Hawk’s Well Productions A Night In November and The Last Five Years as well as an hour-long adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo & Juliet by Shine productions, Hawk’s Well’s theatre company of actors with disabilities.

Also the theatre has an incredible line-up of showcases from local performing art schools including Music Generation Gala, Teenage Theme Night, Sarah Middleton Beat-It Dance School, Lisa Cooper Dance Academy, Chapel Lane School of Performing Arts, North Leitrim Dance and Michelle Bell’s School of Dance.

Free Lunchtime at the Well series continues every Wednesday from May to August - this summer these events will be livestreamed from the Hawk’s Well foyer so you can watch from anywhere in the world. Celebrating creativity with BEALTAINE Festival as we age throughout the month of May. More free events include lunchtime circus show Won’t be Told and Dracula’s Sligo: A Horrible History of 1832 , featuring Hawk’s Well’s Cultural Companions.

As a Theatre for the People, the community is at the heart of what Hawk’s Well does. The theatre aims to present a diverse programme that reflects the local community, as well as providing a platform for every voice to be heard!

Director of the Hawk’s Well Kieran Griffiths says - “This summer’s programme places a strong emphasis on the remarkable talent within our own artistic community. I’m especially proud to be directing The Last Five Years and to be working with Karen Gordon for the first time; an artist whose tireless service to the arts in Sligo has been matched by her skill and sensitivity as a truly brilliant performer. Alongside this, Bob Kelly brings his trademark skill, wit and humanity to A Night in November, expertly directed by the brilliant John Carty. Together, these productions reflect Hawk’s Well’s commitment to collaborating with local artists at the highest professional level while creating ambitious, resonant theatre for our audiences.”

THEATRE

In May, Shirley Valentine starring Norma Sheahan hits the stage. Winner of Olivier Award for Best Comedy and a Tony Award for Best Play, the play’s themes of self-discovery, love, and freedom continue to resonate powerfully with audiences today. Then, from the pen of Marie Jones, writer of the global hit Stones in His Pockets, comes a theatrical tour-de-force that has captivated audiences worldwide – A Night In November - starring Bob Kelly, directed by John Carty. And at the end of May, the Cultural Companions are bringing Sligo’s darkest hour vividly back to life with Dracula’s Sligo: A Horrible History of 1832 directed by
Hawk’s Well Artist-In-Residence Niamh McGrath. Expect morbid humour, fascinating local lore, and the true origin story behind a gothic legend in this "Horrible Histories" style dark comedy.

Into June, after a five-year rest from touring and due to phenomenal demand, 3 Hail Mary’s by the Crokey Hill Players is back – alive and kicking! Celebrate Bloomsday with Blooming Ulysses – a hilarious and highly acclaimed one-man show of Joyce’s masterpiece, Ulysses, written & performed by Gerry Farrell. The same month sees The Kings of the Kilburn High Road by Jimmy Murphy performed by local group Pure Mule Productions. And Cork-born cabaret star, writer, house music vocalist and actor Emer Dineen teams up with award-winning playwright and director Phillip McMahon to create 0800 CUPID by THISPOPBABY; a form busting, epic and unforgettable musical odyssey through a couple of very strange years in Emer’s life.

And in July H.O.Q.I.A. - Heck Of a Quality Inspection Assured – presents a new play by local playwright and actor Gerry Farrell. Bureaucracy competes with real care, and staff feel hard done. A great evening of laughter and fun, with some food for thought and reflection.

MUSIC

Join us in May for a special evening celebrating young musical talent from across County Sligo at the Music Generation Sligo Gala Concert. Singer-songwriter Niall McCabe graces the stage, known for emotionally rich songs that sit between contemporary folk, Irish tradition and Americana. Celebrate the class of 2026 as the 38th Teenage Theme Night showcasing their final performance alongside the 4th and 5th year performers. Join a multi-award-winning all-star cast of musicians and singers for the musical masterpiece that is the Legends of the 60s Show. Still in May, Join Declan Nerney and his fantastic band with special guests Effie Neill and Gavin Gribben for a memorable night of music, song and fun. Experience an eclectic mix of house, techno, and dub as monthly Sunday night series Nightshift as it continues with LoveSmoke who perform an array of genres including Afro-Tech/House, Deep House and Disco Funk.

In June, Europe’s No.1 multi-award-winning show Nashville Live returns for another fantastic night of toe-tapping classic country! The acclaimed four-piece New Road is celebrating the 10th anniversary of their debut collaborative album, Stone Walls & Street Lights. The Headline Agency is proud to present Donovan in concert this year of 2026. Kevin Noone & Graham Bray are known for deep, rolling selections and a raw, stripped-back groove and will be performing as part of Nightshift’s
Sunday Night series. Ever popular rock n’ roll band Hothouse Flowers step onto the stage. Join Cash Returns - Europe’s number one Johnny Cash & June Carter Tribute Show.

Then, as part of Cairde Festival in July, The debut performance of Síon – Sound from a Stormy Day - comes to the Art Deco in Ballymote for the opening night. Junk Ensemble present STORM 1.0; an uncompromising meditation on endurance by dance innovators, and Womex Artist Award winner Noura Mint Seymali brings a sound as vast and elemental to the Hawk’s Well stage as the Sahara itself – a hypnotic fusion of ancient Moorish tradition and electrified desert rock.

And Sligo Jazz Festival returns! Six nights of concerts and jam sessions from some of the world’s finest jazz educators and musicians including Sligo Jazz Project’s Young Artist in Residence 2026: Sun Mi Hong plus Elina Duni & Rob Luft, Jasper Høiby with his new piano trio 3Elements, the remarkable Emma Rawicz Quartet & Lucia Cadotsch, acclaimed American jazz pianist Aaron Parks & Friends, one of the UK’s most renowned jazz musicians Gareth Lockrane and Rory Conneally will be joined by some of Sligo’s finest young jazz musicians for a set of originals and standards. multi-instrumentalists Jason & Lorna McGuinness will also perform, as well as Sligo based Jazz trio These Foolish Things.

Expect jaw-dropping virtuosity, lightning-fast interplay, and the kind of fun that only happens when elite players are genuinely enjoying themselves with SJP All Stars. And after a week of intensive workshops, our summer school players hit the stage for the SJP BIG BASH grand finale… 120+ musicians. 20 ensembles. One massive, joyous afternoon.

COMEDY

Smash hit Irish comedian, best-selling author, podcast host and viral online star Emma Doran hits the Art Deco stage in May with her brand-new stand-up show Emmaculate. Our comedic adventurer Neil Delemere returns with a brand new standup show Reinventing the Neil, packed to the brim of tall tales and hilarious stories.

Then in June, Risteárd Cooper arrives with his spanking new solo comedy show Out of his Head, bursting with razor sharp impressions, sketches and absurd imaginings from the co-creator of Après Match.

DANCE

Sarah Middleton's Beat It dance school is coming back this May with a bang performing a mixture of dance with dancers aged 3-18 years. Move! will include a variety of Lyrical, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Jazz and Breakdancing. And with Lisa Cooper Dance Academy Summer Showcase, expect an energetic, vibrant show, filled with plenty of motion and emotion. The same month sees Chapel Lane School for Performing Arts present their end of year showcase that will ensure you leave singing and dancing.

Blending dance, storytelling, and rich Irish mythology in June, Beyond the Fairy Fort is a captivating adventure that brings ancient legends to life on stage. And get ready for another spectacular showcase as talented dancers aged 3 to 19 from iDance take the stage. Also in June, students from Michelle Bell’s School of Dance will showcase a spectacular collection of routines inspired by beloved films.

And don’t miss Barbarian, a new theatre/movement work explores themes of masculinity, authority, childhood and generational trauma performed by Diarmuid Armstrong and Hannah Rogerson. Cairde Sligo Arts Festival is aslo delighted to present the third instalment of Unveiled, a unique opportunity to see four brand-new works in progress as part of our Artist Development Programme.

MUSICALS

What if you could watch a relationship from both ends at once? The Last Five Years charts the highs, lows, and crossed wires of a couple navigating love alongside individual dreams. Starring Karen Gordon as Cathy, bringing warmth, wit, and emotional precision to a modern musical gem about the cost of chasing dreams and the truths we don’t want to face.

FILM

At the Art Deco in Ballymote Family Film Club continues their run each Sunday throughout the summer with Secret of the Kells, Song of the Sea, The Land of Sometimes, The Iron Giant and Frozen Sing-A-Long, and Sunday Screening Room (for adults) screens 35th Anniversary of Thelma & Louise, 30th Anniversary of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet, and 40th Anniversary of Aliens, along with mid-week and weekend screenings of documentary Song Cycle and Macbeth for schools.

North West Film – A network of venues in the SLR Region dedicated to showing Irish and International cinema - offers film every Wednesday evening in May.

There’s also an opportunity for families to enjoy some of the biggest cinematic blockbusters throughout June and July, with daily screenings of the latest releases, including Toy Story 5 and Moana.

FOR KIDS

An abundance of Summer camps take place throughout July and August in the Hawk’s Well Theatre and Art Deco Ballymote including Creative Academy Summer Camps, Drama at the Well Camp, and Stage and Screen Summer Camps.

For Babies and Parents, monthly performative workshop Tiny Trees with Jackie Maguire & Alison Hunter kicks the first one off in May. Baby Loves Music returns in June - an informal concert for babies aged 0-12 months and their carers featuring four award-winning musicians – Tim Doyle, Kate Hearne, Anna Newell, and Eamon Sweeney.

And also lined up we have some incredible shows suitable for all ages such as free event Won’t be Told by Tumble Circus in May.

Into June, Conal Gallen presents a laugh-out-loud stage adventure for the whole family - Wee Dan & The Mystery at Camp Windybottom - at the Art Deco, Ballymote. Cruinniú na nÓg: Céilí, Ceol agus Craic sees a free fun céilí at the Hawk’s Well studio featuring live traditional music bringing young people together to dance and celebrate Irish dance, music and song in a fun, accessible way, led by expert caller Edwina Guckian from Áirc Damhsa.

LUNCHTIME AT THE WELL

Our Lunchtime at the Well series continues at the Hawk’s Well with Hugh Joseph Feely bringing his own unique style to Irish traditional songs in May. Folk flautist Les Muller and accordionist David Munnelly create a unique, rich, and unforgettable sound. And trad artists Padraic Collins and Catherine Fagan also take the floor in the same month. Hawk’s Well invites International Jazz & Bossa Nova Cabaret Concert Artiste Earl Okin to perform.

Woven brings together four musicians for an intimate, collaborative set in June, while Seoid brings a collaboration of the traditional multi-instrumentalists in the same month. Note-Orious 4 are a Sligo-based, award-winning close harmony female quartet who enjoy singing in the Acapella style.

July brings the brilliant Draíocht with some flute, fiddle and harp, and BRÍDÍN, modern folk harpist, singer songwriter and composer from County Sligo, creates her music in her own modern and ethereal style. Cathy Jordan, Claudia Schwab and Seamie O’Dowd come together for a special festival edition of Lunchtime at The Well also in July. And lastly, in August, Trio Hupsola from Austria promises a lavish party of the alpine musical soundworld,

That’s just a taste of what’s to come this Summer! There’s something for everyone at Hawk’s Well Theatre this season, so check out our new programme today!

Full details of all Hawk’s Well events are available online. For ticketing, visit the website or call the box office on 071 916 1518.