The 10 biggest moments in Irish culture in 2023

We're a nation renowned for its artistic output, so it’s just as well that Ireland’s cultural offerings have been up to par throughout 2023.

It’s been another stellar year for our filmmakers, theatremakers, musicians, artists and writers; here’s a recap of ten of the biggest moments in Irish culture this year.

An Cailín Ciúin at the Oscars

It won the hearts of all with its quiet majesty in 2022, but February saw An Cailín Ciúin, Colm Bairéad’s beautiful Irish-language feature, make history by being nominated for the Best Foreign Language film. Okay, so it lost out to All Quiet on the Western Front - but what an achievement for this understated, low budget gem to go toe-to-toe with the big boys on the biggest night in film. Éire Abú.

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Lankum’s dominance

They have been quietly carving a niche for themselves over the last few years, but 2023 was the year that Lankum really exploded - largely thanks to a remarkable fourth album in False Lankum and its accompanying tour. If you saw them at Vicar Street in May, you’ll have witnessed a band at the top of their game playing one of the most special gigs of the year.

U2’s spectacular Sphere show in Sin City

They’re a band that Irish people love to hate - but even the naysayers have to admit that there are few acts that can open the world’s most revolutionary music venue with a residency like U2 can. The Dubliners’ U2: UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere show won rave reviews from fans across the globe who flocked to Sin City to witness the spectacle.

Losing some of the greats of Irish music

Amid the highs of 2023, there were also plenty of lows. We lost some of our greatest musical voices this year, most notably Aslan’s Christy Dignam in June, the iconic Sinead O’Connor in July and the legendary Shane MacGowan in November. They will never be forgotten.

Paul Lynch wins the Booker Prize

It’s been a phenomenal year for Irish literature across the board - and the fact that no less than four of our authors (Paul Lynch, Paul Murray, Elaine Feeney and Sebastian Barry) made the prestigious Booker Prize longlist is testament to the impact Irish writers continue to make on the world stage. Murray and Lynch would go on to be shortlisted, with the latter ultimately scooping the gong for his excellent fifth novel Prophet Song.

Cillian Murphy in Oppenheimer

‘Just give him the Oscar now’ was the prevailing battlecry of anyone who emerged from the cinema after a viewing of Christopher Nolan’s mighty J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic. Murphy is a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination - and considering he portrayed the complex figure with such authority and meticulousness, you’d be a brave man or woman to bet against him, too.

Patrick Kielty taking over The Late Late Show from Tubs

Amid the controversies and rainclouds that embroiled the national broadcaster over the summer, a glimmer of sunshine arrived in the form of one man from Dundrum, Co. Down. To call the speculation over Ryan Tubridy’s placement ‘feverish’ would be an understatement - but Kielty has taken on the mantle of the fourth Late Late Show presenter with gusto, slipping into the role like an old hand and even passing the crucial ‘First Toy Show’ test with aplomb.

Fun Home at the Gate Theatre

It’s been a fruitful year for Irish theatre, with numerous excellent productions at the Abbey, from companies like Druid (whose staging of the O’Casey Trilogy won plaudits) and an abundance of up-and-coming talent via Dublin Fringe. But the Gate Theatre’s staging of Fun Home, the musical adaptation of Alison Bechdel’s graphic memoir, was simply wonderful. Brilliantly cast, superbly staged and played with real heart, pathos and tenderness, it was a high point for Irish theatre (and specifically, musical theatre) in 2023.

CMAT on Graham Norton & Jools Holland

Lankum weren’t the only internationally acclaimed Irish act of the last 12 months. This was undoubtedly the Year of CMAT; from winning the Choice Music Prize in March for her debut album, to releasing an even better second album in Crazymad, for Me, and capping off a busy 12 months with two major UK TV appearances in the space of a few weeks in November, on The Graham Norton Show and Later… with Jools Holland. The sky’s the limit for 2024.

lil throwback to recording the vocals for Stay For Something in Bergen ! if you had told february 2023 cmat that this song would find its way onto Graham Norton… 🫠🫠🫠 pic.twitter.com/Qtaek2fzCU
— cmat (@cmatbaby) November 9, 2023

Bad Sisters and Derry Girls winning big at the BAFTA TV Awards

If it seems that the tireless Sharon Horgan has been comparatively quiet this year, the Meath native has been busy concocting her next hit series. In the meantime, Horgan and her Bad Sisters co-stars had a huge night in May, when they (and Derry Girls, to give full props to the Irish reps at the BAFTAs) took home a slew of gongs for their work on the dark comedy series. Bad Sisters has also been nominated for two Emmy Awards; fingers crossed, we should see Season 2 on our screens in 2024.

The 10 biggest moments in Irish culture in 2023

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