Irish folk culture is not a tangible product nor an artifact of history. It is our living cultural heritage, alive in us, now, here, together, being ourselves. It is rooted in social connection and the passing on of skills across generations and among close-knit communities both intimate and large scale. It is a value system, a philosophy, a way of living, thinking, behaving and being. It is part of Ireland’s acknowledged soft power in world affairs.

Passed from parent to child, from neighbor to neighbor, our intangible cultural heritage evolves with and shapes the people and communities who experience it and who are inspired by it.

The visible output of Irish folk culture encompasses performing arts practices; our craftwork and handiwork; our oral traditions and expressions, including our language as both a vehicle and repository of our cultural identity; our folklore, myths, and legends; the demonstration of our enduring social values; our customs, rituals and festive events; our understanding of and interaction with nature and the universe.

At Siamsa Tíre, The National Folk Theatre of Ireland, we bring people together to share stories and skills and explore Irish folk culture with joyful curiosity.

Our presented programme follows the Celtic Calendar and is designed to reflect an inclusive, responsive, and contemporary approach to the rich and varied cultural heritage and creative life of Ireland’s close-knit communities by exploring through creative learning, participation and development programmes; Sharing folk stories and traditions through in-house productions, co-productions, commissions; and welcoming a full range of hosted events across artforms from local, national and international groups.