Luke Kelly Festival – Smithfield Square – Live Review
by Killian Laher

Date:  23rd May, 2026

The weather gods looked kindly on Smithfield as the sun shone for day one of the Luke Kelly Festival.  We arrived for the tail end of a very interesting chat with Stephen Byrne and Iona Fyfe, hosted by Donal Fallon.  They spoke about Luke’s love for the folk songs of Scotland and lamented the current folk scene over there, rounding off with a rousing ballad.

Next up were A Lazarus Soul, who powered through acoustic renditions of Black and Amber and Lemon 7s.  Frontman Brian Brannigan was in flying form and strong voice as he led the band through Luke Kelly’s own Schooldays Over.  However, it’s their own songs that are truly the folk standards of today, with emotional performances of The Dealers and Long Balconies.  Their set finished with the band belting out Funeral Sessions.  It was yet another reminder, if one was needed, of how underrated this band are.

We attended an insightful discussion with Declan Lynch, Dermot Bolger and Donal Fallon about Luke’s connection and love of football, which was a perfect appetiser before the main act.  Gemma Dunleavy was the headliner on the main stage, and her hip-hop-infused set took the crowd by storm.  Her rendition of Stop the Lights struck a serious note early on, highlighting the tragic death of Terence Wheelock.  After a cover of Bryan Adams’ Heaven, she chilled out on acoustic guitar, with a sweetly sung version of Luke’s Scorn Not His Simplicity.  The set turned into a mini danceoff with a euphoric Up de Flats, which had the crowd singing joyfully along.

Dunleavy is an excellent performer with a real social conscience.  After what has been a difficult few weeks in Irish society, it was a privilege to see her and the other performances free of charge on a sunny afternoon.