Altan to headline opening night at Foyle Maritime Festival 2026
28 May 2026
Internationally acclaimed Donegal band Altan are set to headline the opening night of the Foyle Maritime Festival that takes place from 25-28 June along the city’s riverfront.
Now celebrating forty years together, Altan remain one of Ireland’s most respected and best‑loved traditional music groups. Their career has brought them from Carnegie Hall to the Grand Ole Opry, from the Sydney Opera House to Glastonbury, and to major festivals across Europe, the US and Asia.
Derry City and Strabane District Council is delighted as organisers of the Foyle Maritime Festival, to have secured Altan for the opening night performance, Thursday, 25 June, on the centre stage, performing from 9.15pm to 10.45pm.
Led by TG4 Traditional Musician of the Year Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Altan’s line‑up also includes founding members Ciaran Curran and Mark Kelly, alongside Martin Tourish and Clare Friel. Their collaborations span a remarkable range of artists, including The Chieftains, Dolly Parton, Ricky Skaggs and John Prine. With a legacy that includes being the first Irish traditional band signed to a major label, Altan continue to attract audiences worldwide and are expected to be a huge hit with audiences attending the Foyle Maritime Festival.
Attracting over 100,000 visitors along the River Foyle, the four-day Foyle Maritime Festival is set to once again deliver a vibrant, large-scale programme of live music, water-based activity, international vessels, markets, food experiences and family entertainment. This year’s theme, “Forged on the Foyle, it’s in our DNA”, will celebrate the vital role the river has played in shaping the city and region, as a centre of trade, culture and connection across generations.
The Festival is a free, family-friendly event offering something for all ages, with a strong focus on accessibility, inclusion and shared cultural experiences. Visitors can enjoy a packed programme of visiting Tall Ships and international vessels, a dynamic programme of water sports and river activity and free family entertainment, including workshops and performances, live music, street theatre and city-wide animation.
The popular LegenDerry Food Village and artisan markets will also make a welcome return. Among the many new experiences and major highlights for 2026 will be the Sails of Solas event, a brand-new illuminated night-time spectacle transforming the riverfront and visiting vessels into a stunning light installation. The Galeón Andalucía, full-scale replica 17th-century Spanish galleon that will be open for public tours and a festival fireworks finale moving to Sunday night for a high-impact closing celebration.
Altan’s performance will launch a packed programme of events for the 2026 festival, welcoming thousands of visitors to the city’s riverfront.
The full programme will be available online, with further announcements and daily highlights, including a full music programme are available at www.foylemaritime.com and on our social media platforms.
The festival is delivered by Derry City and Strabane District Council in close partnership with the Foyle Port and Loughs Agency with funding from Tourism NI and Diageo.
More information on Altan is available at www.altan.ie.