THE BLEEDING PIG CULTURAL FESTIVAL 2026

16th. – 24th. May

As we welcome in the new year, we’re delighted to extend a warm greeting to everyone who supports and loves the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival. A new year brings fresh energy, new ideas, and the same strong community spirit that has always been at the heart of our festival. We hope the months ahead are filled with creativity, connection, and a shared anticipation for what’s to come.

We’re also excited to announce that the dates for this year’s Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival are now confirmed. Once again, our peninsula will come alive with music, art, storytelling, and celebration, as friends and visitors gather to enjoy everything the festival has to offer. Mark your calendars and start planning — we can’t wait to welcome you back.

Behind the scenes, our dedicated committee has been working tirelessly to shape this year’s programme. Months of planning, meetings, and collaboration are already underway, all driven by a shared passion for creating a festival that reflects both our traditions and our evolving cultural life. Their commitment ensures that every detail, big and small, is given the care it deserves.

This year’s festival will blend much-loved favourites with exciting new events, offering something for all ages and interests. From familiar highlights that return by popular demand to fresh ideas that bring new voices and experiences, we’re building a programme that celebrates community, creativity, and inclusivity. We look forward to sharing more details soon and to welcoming you to another memorable Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival.

Are you a local artist and would like to be involved? Are you new to the area and working in the creative arts?

Fill out this form below, and we’ll be in touch.

Where did name for the Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival come from?
A commonly asked question from people new to the area.

Below the cliff walk from Tower Bay in Portrane and The Shoreline hotel in Balcarrick are numerous caves – a few of which are famous in the area – ‘Priest’s Chamber’- ‘Chink Well’- ‘Bleeding Pig’ and ‘Mermaid’s Churn’. Bleeding Pig a well known rock from which water drips red. – probably due to composition of rock The rock itself is in the shape of a pig – hence the name

When the then committee back in 2013 came up with the idea to form a cultural festival to promote the arts in the area they needed a name that would link the two area of Donabate and Portrane. As these caves are between both places it was decided to use Bleeding Pig in the name so….
The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival.

The Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival committee are a group of local people either involved in or interested in the arts. The committee was formed in 2013 to help promote the arts on the peninsula of Donabate/Portrane.

Committee Members;

Chairperson – Willie Cahill

President – Eilis McDermott

Secretary – Ann Hogan

Treasurer  – Sharon Scally

PRO – Emer Weston

Larry Carolan

Jarlath Finnegan

Pat O’Brien

Claire Morrissey

The  aim of the Festival was to bring together different cultural groups on the peninsula of Donabate/Portrane under one grouping and to enable these groups to reach a wider audience within their community. In this way we had hoped to attract a wider audience and appreciation of the cultural groups in our area. We think we have achieved our aim and have also helped different groups to come together and collaborate on projects we have initiated like the 1916-2016 rising commemorations, International Women’s Day and more recently the Harry Clarke exhibition. We have also worked hard to reach out to all age groups and to all areas of arts and culture in the hope that audiences can more fully understand and appreciate the different arts and culture traditions that exist around them.

We have also recently formed a film club Lambay Cinema Club to show world cinema films on a monthly basis.

We provide a central platform for all cultural and arts groups on the peninsula and beyond to enable them to promote their craft.

We run a Facebook and Instagram page and a website to help advertise our events, we organise venues and facilitate individuals and groups to meet up and hopefully collaborate on projects. We also provide funding through Fingal C.C. and our own fundraising efforts.

We also provide insurance for the various amateur groups when they display at Bleeding Pig Cultural Festival events.

Our Sponsors

Roughan & O'Donavan