Wonders of the Wake

Ireland's One and Only Irish Wake Show

Wonders of the Wake
Wonders of the Wake Show on Clare Islan. L-R: Kate Heneghan, Caitriíona Ni Cheannbháin, Maria Harnett and Kevin Toolis
Wonders of the Wake Show on Clare Island, L-R: Kate Heneghan, Caitriíona Ni Cheannbháin, Maria Harnett and Kevin Toolis

The Wonders of the Wake Show celebrates in song,  music and poetry the ancient rite of the Irish Wake. Created by Achill Islander and BAFTA-winning writer Kevin Toolis, the Wonders of the Wake Show is a unique experience. A journey in time and music by Ireland’s finest traditional musicians, through a powerful emotional landscape of grief, lament, survival,  renewal and joy.

Discover how, through the Irish Wake, the people of Ireland both mourn their dead in heart-rendering Celtic laments but also cherish the living in raucous foot-tapping jigs and reels and compelling original love songs. The Wonders of the Wake Show is the best Irish Wake you’ll ever get to see this side of Heaven!

The Wonders of the Wake is based upon Kevin Toolis’s New York Times best seller My Father’s Wake: How the Irish Teach Us to Live, Love and Die

Here’s the band arriving on Inish Turk Island, off the coast of Mayo.

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Upcoming dates

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What people say

Wonders of the Wake was absolutely beautiful and a touching experience. - Maria Similä Assistant Producer, The Irish Festival of Oulu

Such an impressive diversity of high quality performances packed into one evening on Inishturk, jumping between grief and joy, light and dark and fun, against the beautiful setting sun. A very memorable wake. - Lynn

The Wonders of the Wake just lit up the stage at the London Irish Centre. Sad, funny, heart-moving, it filled me with a longing for home. - Brian, promoter, London Irish Centre

It was an absolute privilege to see these musicians and poets perform on Clare Island on a bright May weekend as the sun went down. What an evening. - Maureen

What an incredible end to our About-the-Place Season, a sold out show and standing ovations for the Wonders - Seamus Heaney HomePlace

The Wonders of the Wake Show has played at the London Camden Irish Centre, Achill Island, Clare Island, Lyric Theatre Belfast, Inish Turk Island, Seamus Heaney HomePlace, McGrath’s, Westport, Co Mayo, Skibbereen Arts Festival, Chicago Irish Centre, Toronto Death Symposium and a host of other venues in the UK and Ireland.

Supported by

Mayo County Council
Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

 

Recent dates

  • Irish Festival of Oulu, Finland - October 12th-14th 2022
  • Louisburgh, County Mayo - September 9th 2022
  • Clare Island, Friday May 27th 2022
  • Inish Turk, Saturday May 28th 2022