This year the festival launches the inaugral Ballydehob Jazz Poetry Slam featuring some of Irelands finest young poets and spoken words artists including David Jackson, Katie Mathúna, Julie Goo, Pól O Cólmáin & more.

The Jazz Festival has partnered with Working Artist Studios on the main street of the village to host this exciting event. Entrance is FREE, however space will be limited. Please note there will be pop-up poetry events over the weekend so keep an eye (& an ear) out.

Julie Goo

Julie is a fresh voice in Irish poetry, reflecting on human connections, equality, gender, and the abstract with both fierceness and sensitivity. She is also published in the Irish language under the name ‘Julie Field’.

Katie Ní Mhathúna

A healer, bean feasa, shamanka-witch and wisdom teacher, Katie understands the ancient world and its ways, bringing them forward with a contemporary voice and attitude.

Michelle Delea

Michelle Delea is a multi-disciplinary creative from Cork city. She has been a regular contributor to Cork artist collectives, which have featured her poetry, visual art, performance art and choreography.

Paul Ó Colmáin

Paul Ó Colmáin is a published poet, musician and visual artist with a deep interest in the Irish language. A director of Working Artist Studios in Ballydehob, he has been curating and hosting poetry events for 20 years.

Cathal Holden

Cathal Holden is a young poet and storyteller from the Dingle peninsula. His work straddles the intersection between the modern and the mythical, between the MC and the seanachaí

David Jackson

David’s spoken word performances are thought provoking, steeped in themes of consciousness, paganism and Celtic lore. With his grassroots in hip hop, his style is rhythmical and pulses with a pace of new age storytelling.