The Grace O’Malley Festival – A Celebration of Ireland’s Legendary Pirate Queen
22–24 May 2026 | Achill Island & Westport, Co. Mayo
Join us for the first ever Grace O’Malley Festival, a bold new celebration inspired by the fearless Grace O’Malley (Gráinne Mhaol).
Rooted on Achill Island, the festival brings together jaw-dropping circus, live music, storytelling, performance, art and heritage-inspired events to champion daring women of the past and present.
Festival highlights include Circus250’s aerial spectacular retelling Grace’s life story, a concert with Ireland’s leading songstress Camille O’Sullivan, the Pirate Queen Cabaret to make your timbers shiver, and a giant sand portrait of Grace on Achill’s beach.
Festival Programme 2026
3pm – For Fierce Families – Swashbuckling Stories of Wild Women
A family storytelling session with Sorcha Hegarty of Candlelit Tales. Hear stirring stories about the powerful women of the West.
Admission: Age 5+. Free. Booking essential, spaces limited.
Westport Library
The Crescent
Westport
F28 HE26
5pm – For History Lovers – “Grace O’Malley: Maritime Icon” with Anne Chambers
A fascinating talk from Anne Chambers (Grace’s renowned biographer) about what sets Grace apart from every other female leader in history… the sea. Prepare to hear incredible true stories of the Pirate Queen’s remarkable sea voyages from Ireland’s biggest Grace O’Malley expert.
Plus, festival Artist in Residence Sean Corcoran discusses research around what Grace looked like, in preparation for his giant sand portrait.
Clew Bay Hotel
Westport
F28 WD66
Admission: Tickets 10€ (both talks included)
8pm – For Daring Dames and their Courageous Crewmates – Pirate Queen Cabaret
A bold, high-energy mix of music, circus and storytelling to make your timbers shiver!
Join an all-female cast for a fast-paced circus show inspired by Grace O’Malley’s extraordinary life. You’ll meet Grace the acrobat, her son Tibbott the contortionist, the Spanish Armada pole dancer and Queen Elizabeth I as you’ve never seen her before – all brought to life through live performance, original harp music and plenty of laughs.
This is not a history lesson. It’s a celebration of bravery, womanhood and pure pirate energy.
Westport Town Hall
Octagon Cahernamart
Westport
F28 R240
Admission: Tickets 20€/18€ Concessions
Supported by
11am – For Crafty Pirates
Join Grace’s crew. Make your own pirate hat or patch at this family friendly workshop. All materials provided. Don’t forget to wear your new pirate gear to the rest of the festival events.
The Strand Hotel
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 NY97
Admission: 5€ suggested donation on door. No booking required.
1:30pm – For Big Laughs
World Premiere
Too Late is a clown show starring leading female clown and one of Achill’s favourite performers Angelica Santander. Laugh along as she juggles the struggles of modern life in her never-seen-before relatable and ridiculous new show for all ages.
The Strand Hotel
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 NY97
Admission: 10€ suggested donation on the door. No booking required.
2:30pm – Daring Debuts First Look
Don’t miss these brand new circus performances from rising artistes. Expect bold, sassy circus acts to make you laugh, gasp and say, “How did they do that?!”
Stay tuned for the full line up, coming soon.
Silver Strand
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 P273
Admission: Free. No booking required.
Celebrate Grace O’Malley’s Triumphant Return to the West Coast
A fun-filled afternoon celebrating the Pirate Queen on Dugort’s beautiful Silver Strand beach. Discover Grace’s incredible story (with a circus twist!) in our aerial spectacular circus show and marvel as she washes up in the waves, reimagined in a giant Grace sand portrait by our festival Artist in Residence.
4pm – For Everyone – Grace. The Story of a Pirate Queen
Don’t miss Circus250’s outdoor aerial spectacular show inspired by the life of the Pirate Queen, with live music and storytelling. From stormy seas to royal courts, join Gráinne Mhaol on a remarkable voyage across history.
Created on the wild Atlantic shores of Achill Island, this unforgettable show celebrates bravery, imagination and the power of standing tall (or swinging high) in the face of impossible odds.
Please bring your own picnic blankets or camping chairs.
5:30pm – For Spectacle Seekers – Grace Giant Sand Portrait
Watch her rise from the waves! Our Artist in Residence Sean Corcoran will share his giant sand portrait of the Pirate Queen and we’ll celebrate with circus and spectacle.
Silver Strand
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 P273
Admission: Free. No booking required.
8:30pm – Camille O’Sullivan Live
An unforgettable evening with Ireland’s most mesmerising storytelling songstress on Achill Island for the first time.
A love letter in song, Camille celebrates dear friends Shane MacGowan, Sinéad O’Connor, David Bowie, Radiohead, Brel, Nick Cave and more. Chameleon-like on stage, each song has a different character with a story to tell.
With long-time collaborator Feargal Murray, Camille has created an intimate, heartfelt show with a little bit of joyful, mad chaos as her life unravels, capturing the honest response to those much loved and lost.
The Wavecrest Achill
Dooagh
F28 RR64
Admission: Tickets €22. Doors & bar open at 8pm. Limited, unallocated seating, booking essential.
6am- For Arty Adults – Sunrise Sand Art Session
A chance to create your own mini-masterpiece on the beach, led by Artist in Residence Sean Corcoran
Silver Strand
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 P273
Admission: Free. Booking required.
For Circus Folk & Curious Minds
A morning of industry events, talks and networking for performers, producers and lovers of circus. All welcome.
11am – Am I Too Old to Run Away to the Circus?
An all-female panel on ageing boldly. With Becky Truman, aerial director Shaena Brandel, International clown Angelica Santander and chaired by historian of popular entertainment Professor Vanessa Toulmin.
12:30pm – The First Female Catcher – A Talk with Aerial Legend Becky Truman
Ted’s Bar and Restaurant Cashel
Achill Island
F28 AX57
Admission: Free. No booking required.
3pm – Grace. The Story of a Pirate Queen
Another chance to see our gravity defying circus show in this stunning outdoor setting. Grace. The Story of a Pirate Queen brings history vividly to life with aerial performance, live music and storytelling.
Don’t forget to wear your pirate hats!
Please bring your own picnic blankets or camping chairs.
Silver Strand
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 P273
Admission: Free. No booking required.
4pm – For Everyone – Giant Sand Sculpture Workshop
Come join our Artist in Residence Sean Corcoran to create a giant collaborative sand artwork. The biggest ever mermaid? The world’s largest sand octopus? All tools provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own too.
Silver Strand
Dugort
Achill Island
F28 P273
Admission: Free. No booking required.
Mayo Premiere
7pm – Pirate Pub Quiz, Pizza & Movie Night
An evening of food, fun and film to close the festival.
Gather your crewmates and test your pirate prowess with a pirate quiz packed with curious questions, tall tales and a splash of nautical nonsense. From the high seas to hidden histories, only the sharpest crews will claim victory.
Then settle in for The Cry of Granuaile – the Mayo premiere of Donal Foreman’s award-winning, genre-defying film exploring the Pirate Queen’s legacy. With powerful performances and a dreamy orchestral score, it’s a movie that blurs the lines between history and myth.
You’ll dine on delicious pizza while enjoying the quiz and the film.
Pure Magic
Slievemore Road
Dugort
F28 HN27
Admission: €20 per person (includes pizza, quiz & movie, drinks available to purchase separately). Booking essential.
Our Home: Achill Island
Achill Island is a spectacular place to gather – wild Atlantic views, big skies, and a strong sense of community. We’re delighted to welcome you here.
Like many beautiful places, Achill can take a little planning to get around. Roads are narrow in places and some venues are spread out across the island.
A few tips to help your visit go smoothly:
- Check your journey times in advance and allow a little extra time for island roads.
- Parking is available at festival venues, but spaces may be limited during busy events.
- If you can, consider sharing lifts with friends or fellow festival-goers.
Help Us Care for Achill
Achill’s landscape and environment are part of what makes this festival so special. We’re committed to reducing our impact and we’d love your help to keep the island beautiful for everyone.
Please consider:
- Bringing a reusable water bottle and avoiding single-use plastics
- Taking your rubbish home with you or using designated bins
- Leaving beaches, paths and venues just as you found them
Thank you for helping us look after this extraordinary place while we celebrate together.
Public Transport
On the island:
- Download TFI Anseo App for on demand, door to door, transport 7am-8pm daily. Book minimum one hour in advance.
- Bus 450 goes to all the venues on the Achill programme.
- Bus 450 comes from Westport to Achill.
- Nearest train station is Castlebar. The 460a bus meets the train and comes to Achill Sound.
View the 450 bus timetable – buseireann.ie
View the 460a bus timetable – transportforireland.ie
Please note there’s no bus from Westport train station to Achill.
What People Say
The Guardian
NetworkIreland.ie
Audience memberAudience member
PerformerAudience member
