Full line up of what’s in store for Longford Lights 2025 announced  

Ireland’s largest light-based arts festival just around the corner with tickets selling fast 

 Press Release

Longford County Council is delighted to announce the full line up of Longford Lights 2025 featured artists, which takes place from 6.30pm-9.30pm on Thursday, 20 to Sunday, 23 February in Longford Town. 

The 2025 festival is bigger than ever before. Festivalgoers will be treated to 29 different arts exhibitions, lighting up Longford’s Connolly Barracks, Bridge Street and Lower Main Street over four evenings. The festival now also includes Backstage Theatre’s hit family show, Luminaria.

Performances

This year, there will be more performance elements including 'Metamorphosis', a collaboration between Spain’s Cal y Canto and Irish composer Fiona Linnane. Inspired by the poetry of Eileen Casey, performances will take place in front of the old Connolly Barracks building. It will include fire acrobats, a brass ensemble, a samba band, giant puppets, video-mapped projections and Longford’s soprano Maria Matthews. Not to be missed.

Longford Lights has again brought many international artists to share their work with Longford audiences. The UK’s Michelle Dufaur returns to work with Longford ICA Federation volunteers to create ‘Crann Caillte’ (Lost Trees). This work with its architectural chandelier lanterns reflects on the loss of Ireland’s native species and features thousands of individual leaves.

Dutch artist and designer based in Kilkenny, Paul Bokslag has created ‘Flight’ with St Christopher’s service users. Large in scale and ambition, this artwork features white doves created from UV light. Symbols of peace, the white doves spread their wings and light up the dark. This artwork is housed within the old Providers building. 

German artist living in Meath, Ulrike Liebetrau brings her large installation ‘The Labyrinth’ to Longford Lights. A multi-sensory experience, it is inspired by the beauty of nature and made with rubbish and provides a commentary on waste in society, with a call to Reuse, Reduce, Repair and Rethink.

Renowned cartoonist and video artist hailing from Italy, Hermes Mangialardo brings a piece called ‘Oculucis’ to Longford Lights. The piece consists of two giant illuminated spheres representing two eyes that look up at the sky. Through sound, the audience is transported on an emotional and conceptual journey.

Many national artists are also part of this year’s festival, with the festival proudly offering employment opportunities for 51 artists, including 19 national artists, 15 local artists and 12 intern-student artists. Artistic Director Caroline Conway and Assistant Artistic Director Tommy Casby are leading the festival with over 1,600 people involved who are from seven local communities and 32 schools. Together, they have created a town of lantern houses, each one inviting the viewer to experience the interiors of village and town life through the drawings of children and people from the local community. 

The festival also welcomes back Anna Wiercioch. Anna has created ‘Illuminated Abstractions’, a series of hanging lanterns. Some of the many other artists working on the festival include Hanlon Artworks, Lorraine Donohoe, Aoife Banville, Serhii Khadzava, Helen Duncan, Damien Keogh, Nicole Martin, and Peter Crann.  

The largest community-based arts lights festival in Ireland, the festival is a collaboration between Longford County Council and Mide Arts Group. Funding support is also from the Arts Council of Ireland and Creative Ireland, as well as Longford Night Time Economy and Longford Tourism, which are both part of Longford County Council.

Tickets

Tickets are selling fast, make sure to book your tickets now on LongfordLights.ie to avoid disappointment. You can also get your tickets through Backstage Theatre box office or by scanning the QR code on Longford Lights 2025 advertisements and flyers.   

Tickets may be booked for entry at 60-minute intervals, starting from 6.30pm each evening, with the final slot beginning at 8:30pm each night of the festival. Attendees may stay as long as they choose, with the festival running until 9.30pm each night. There are food and rest areas for visitors to the festival. There will be bench seating throughout for those who may need it.

Looking forward to the festival, Longford County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Mark Casey said, “It is time to make sure you have your Longford Lights tickets as this year will be the best yet. Last year, we welcomed thousands of spectators through the gates of Connolly Barracks, and this year it is even bigger. We hope everyone from across Longford, the Midlands, and the country can make it – it is not to be missed!” 

Longford County Council Chief Executive Paddy Mahon added, “The Council, through our Arts Service, proudly supports local artists and brings international and national talent to Longford to make and share art with local school children and people across our communities. It brings people from far and wide to Longford and it will be great to see this celebration of the arts and culture bringing people together.”

For updates, follow Longford County Arts Services on social media and visit LongfordLights.ie