Free Croí na Cathrach tickets open for Belfast night

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-06-26 11:24 3 min read

Close-up of a wooden violin with a bow resting across the tight strings.

A free night of music, song and spoken word is coming to Belfast’s Ulster Hall on Saturday 1 August 2026, with limited tickets now available for Croí na Cathrach – Heart of the City.

The concert is being hosted by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly, as the city prepares to welcome Comhaltas Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Entry is free, but tickets are being issued on a first-come, first-served basis, with a maximum of two per person.

The start time was not listed in the source notice. The event is aimed at the general public, particularly readers looking for a large-scale Belfast cultural evening built around traditional music, performance and the city’s shared heritage.

Date, venue and ticket details

Detail	Information
Event	Croí na Cathrach – Heart of the City
Date	Saturday 1 August 2026
Venue	Ulster Hall, Belfast
Price	Free
Tickets	Limited number available, first-come, first-served
Limit	Maximum of two tickets per person
Start time	Not stated in the source notice

Tickets are available through ulsterhall.co.uk, according to Belfast City Council. No venue address, transport advice or accessibility details were included in the source material.

Belfast performers share the Ulster Hall stage

Croí na Cathrach – Heart of the City is being curated by composer Neil Martin and presented by broadcaster Lynette Fay. Belfast City Council describes the concert as a celebration of the city’s rich and diverse shared heritage, bringing together leading local musicians and internationally recognised performers.

The evening will include a special guest performance by Liam Ó Maonlaí, lead vocalist, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist with Hothouse Flowers. Oscar-nominated actors Stephen Rea and Ciarán Hinds are also due to perform readings throughout the programme.

A specially curated orchestra of 100 fiddles, gathered from across Ulster, will perform with guests from Glasgow, The Southside Fiddlers. The line-up also includes Matt Molloy of The Chieftains alongside Paddy Glackin of the Bothy Band, appearing with an orchestra.

Other named performers include singer Roisin Chambers, harpist Séana Davey and Belfast-born percussionist Noel Eccles, whose credits include Van Morrison, Riverdance and Moving Hearts.

Pipes, brass and the Mulholland Grand Organ

The programme also brings pipe band and brass traditions into the Ulster Hall setting. Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band, 13-time world champions, are listed among the performers for the evening.

Campbell College Pipe Band will collaborate with the 1st Old Boys’ Brass Band and an orchestra for a combined ensemble version of The Minstrel Boy. Tristan Russcher will play the Ulster Hall’s Mulholland Grand Organ as part of that performance.

The concert takes place on the eve of Fleadh Cheoil, which begins in Belfast on Sunday 2 August. In her statement, Councillor Róis-Máire Donnelly said she wanted the event to show how “the many cultures and traditions on this island can fold seamlessly into our traditional arts”.

She added that Fleadh Cheoil would allow local musicians to showcase their skills alongside leading Gaelic musicians on a world stage, while highlighting Belfast’s communities as “Croí na Cathrach, the Heart of the City”.

How to try for free tickets

Anyone planning to attend should act quickly because Belfast City Council says only a limited number of free tickets are available.

The booking route given in the source notice is ulsterhall.co.uk. Tickets are first-come, first-served, and each person can book a maximum of two.

Source: Belfast City Council

Context & actions About this article

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This preview is based on the event details published by Belfast City Council.

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Confirmed the event name as Croí na Cathrach – Heart of the City.
Checked the listed date and venue: Saturday 1 August 2026 at Ulster Hall, Belfast.
Verified the ticket status as free, limited and first-come, first-served.
Excluded start time, venue address, transport and accessibility details because they were...

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