Dylan Moran and Aoife Dooley headline as tickets go on sale for Kilkenny Animated 2026

Kilkenny Animated returns to Kilkenny City from September 11-13 with a programme that reaches far beyond the screen — mixing big-name comedy, home-grown talent, premiere screenings and live drawing across the medieval streets of Kilkenny.

Leading the bill is Dylan Moran, one of Ireland’s most beloved comedians, who takes to the stage on Saturday night for an evening of laughter, surprises, and the rare sight of a comedian painting his way through an evening of glorious unpredictability.

Also headlining is Aoife Dooley, the acclaimed Irish artist, author and comedian whose bestselling books and animated work have made her one of the country's most recognisable creative voices. Dooley will host The Making of a Zine, a lively conversation with the creators behind Kilkenny's homegrown Zine Machine collective, a group of local artists and illustrators, on the art of independent publishing, sharing the challenges, surprises and triumphs of bringing a zine to life across four editions.

Audiences will receive a free copy of the latest Zine and are encouraged to drop by the Artist Market @ KKA on Saturday and Sunday to browse or buy original work from the local community of artists, many of whom work in the local animation scene. Cartoon Saloon will also hold a table at the market for a special book signing of their eagerly anticipated visual retrospective, The Art of Cartoon Saloon: 25 Years.

From Japan, acclaimed filmmaker Naoko Yamada joins the festival as Guest Director, leading a masterclass as well as personally introducing a screening of her award winning feature, The Colours Within, giving audiences a rare chance to hear from one of the most admired directors in animation today. Yamada’s A Silent Voice also features on the screening programme.

Storytelling takes centre stage in Drawing the Stories Out, where musician and storyteller Aindrias de Staic spins vivid tales to the sound of his fiddle while artists including Dylan Moran draw their responses live before the audience’s eyes. Anime fans, meanwhile, can catch the Irish and UK premiere of the year’s most anticipated anime feature, The Keeper of the Camphor Tree, plus a late-night 18+ screening of the cult psychological thriller Perfect Blue, introduced by Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore.

Alongside the headline events, the festival offers screenings, workshops, sketching tours and family-friendly activities for animation enthusiasts young and old. A lively social schedule including Cosplay Karaoke and the return of the infamous KKA Animation Pub Quiz promises plenty to keep the party going. Meanwhile students and graduates can look forward to the Pathways to Animation strand presented by Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios in partnership with the National Talent Academy for Animation.

Kilkenny Animated is hosted by Academy Award-nominated studio Cartoon Saloon, BAFTA-winning Lighthouse Studios and Schweppe Curtis Nunn Events, and is a celebration of the creativity and craft of animation set against the charming backdrop of medieval Kilkenny.

Kilkenny Animated 2026 is made possible with the support of Fáilte Ireland and Kilkenny County Council. With thanks to its other sponsors: Anime Ltd, Animation Ireland, RTÉ, TG4, AIB, Brophy Gillespie, Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet, Gorilla Post Productions and South East Technological University.

Speaking about their support of Kilkenny Animated, Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland, said: “Festivals and events present an excellent opportunity to showcase the rich heritage and unique culture that Ireland has to offer. They are also important drivers of tourism revenue across the country, particularly in areas that are outside of the traditional tourism hotspots. Developing unique and immersive visitor experiences like Kilkenny Animated plays a key role in motivating both international and domestic visitors to choose a destination, while helping drive the sustainable development of the tourism sector for the county and the wider region.”

Ticket Information

Ticketed events on sale from this Friday, July 31. For full programme details and booking, visit kilkennyanimated.com.