Féile Derry and legendary dance festival Celtronic are teaming up to host a special summer party at Sandino’s on Friday August 15th with Optimo (Espacio).
Optimo (Espacio) are the duo JD Twitch and JG Wilkes who have become renowned around the world for their memorable and ecstatic deejay sets with a unique disregard for genres and musical restrictions in their craft, creating a nightclub experience that strikes out into territories far beyond the accepted boundaries of club music.
Their Glasgow nightclub Optimo (Espacio) at the Sub Club is widely regarded as one of the most important and ground-breaking clubs of the past two decades.
In July 2025, Optimo announced that Keith (JD Twitch) had been diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour. We are shocked and saddened to have heard the news regarding Keith’s diagnosis. Our upcoming event will go ahead as planned with Jonnie continuing to carry the Optimo (Espacio) torch with the same spirit and passion they’ve always embodied.
Féile 2025, Derry’s largest community arts festival is back with its biggest ever programme featuring over 150 events from 6th to 15th August 2025.
The events will be held at over 60 venues across the Bogside, Brandywell, Creggan, Bishop Street, and Fountain neighbourhoods and the city centre.
Launching the festival’s 33rd edition, a spokesperson for Féile said:
“There’s always a real buzz in the community when Féile starts and this year we’re really excited to launch our biggest ever programme of events.
“These will bring families and neighbours together to celebrate all that is good about our communities and showcase the city’s incredible talent.
“We have headline music events and sporting events, award-winning films, art exhibitions, debates and discussions, lectures, parties in the park and family fun days, alongside major community celebrations.
“Féile will once again welcome Ireland’s finest musicians. Traditional music master Martin Hayes – one of the most celebrated fiddlers in the world today – will bring his unique sound to St Columb’s Hall.
“Meanwhile The Gathering returns to Sandino’s with a lineup of the island’s most exciting folk, trad and electronic artists – including Palestinian and Irish artist, Róisín El Cherif.
“Derry artist SOAK will perform an intimate set at Orchard Cinema at St Columb’s Hall. And Féile will also collaborate with Celtronic to bring Glasgow’s Optimo (Espacio) to perform a unique set which will exhibit a complete disregard for genres and musical restrictions.
“Féile is renowned for bringing together relevant and powerful political debates and discussions and 2025 is no different.
“This year will feature several events on constitutional change and eyewitness accounts of the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a headline conversation with veteran BBC journalist Peter Taylor and a tribute lecture to Donncha Mac Niallais delivered by newly elected Conradh na Gaeilge president Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin.
“We will showcase an exciting lineup of award-winning films and documentaries throughout the festival. These include GAZA, a documentary by Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell, and Gerry Adams: A Ballymurphy Man, offering an in-depth look at the republican leader’s life.
“We Only Want the Earth, a new film on the life and ideas of socialist and republican leader James Connolly, is another not to be missed.
“We’re also delighted to announce more community gatherings and family celebrations than ever before with fun days and social events, while the Greatest Show returns with circus performers and magicians popping up across the neighbourhood’s parks and green spaces.
“Sport and games are once again central to Féile with the return of the much-loved Colm Quigley Jog in the Bog. Derry City FC is holding an open training session at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium to give young fans the chance to meet their football heroes for a selfie and a signature!
“There’s been a massive amount of work behind the scenes to bring this together, with so many organisations and volunteers playing a huge part. It’s their energy and commitment that make Féile a huge success every year.
“We can’t wait to welcome you all to Féile 2025, as we celebrate the 33rd year of the festival and showcase everything that’s great about our neighbourhoods, celebrate the city’s very best creative talent, and what makes our communities the very best place to live, work and play.” ENDS
This is the heart of Creggan. As part of our ‘People Make Central Drive’ exhibition, Féile spoke to those who live, work, study and grew up here about what makes this street so special.
📸 The exhibition, created in collaboration with artist Molly Keane, is still on display at Holy Child Primary School. A Communities in Transition project, funded by the Executive Office.
A new cross-community street art project led by Féile is set to bring five walls across the Moor area to life with new street art pieces focusing on local sporting heroes and health and wellbeing.
This project which is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), aims to bring people together by using art to positively reimagine public spaces in the city.
Participants will explore the history of murals and street art in Ireland, take part in hands-on workshops, and visit other areas to see how public art is being used to transform streets and public spaces. Each mural will be shaped by those taking part who will have the opportunity to work with our island’s top street artists.
A spokesperson for Féile said:
“Féile is really excited to launch this project. It’s a brilliant opportunity for people to gain new skills and contribute to bringing the walls of our communities to life through street art.
“Participants will come together to learn about the history of murals and street art across Ireland, attend beginner hands-on workshops, and visit other places to see how other places are using art to bring spaces in their communities to life.
“We’ve seen the power of street art over recent years and how it can positively change the feel of a place. This project is about building on that work and giving more young people the chance to shape what their area looks like and to work with some of Ireland’s best street artists.
“The artwork will celebrate local sporting heroes and open conversations around important social issues that are impacting all communities, including mental health and wellbeing.
“We’re very grateful to the PEACEPLUS programme and our community partners for their support in helping us to deliver this project.”
Mayor of Derry City & Strabane, Ruairí McHugh said:
“I want to commend Féile on this fantastic initiative. It is a brilliant example of the type of positive change that is possible when creativity and community come together.
“It’s great to see young people from all communities getting the chance to work together and lead the transformation the public spaces.
“Support from the PEACEPLUS programme has been absolutely vital in helping local areas thrive and creating opportunities for people to come together and make them the best places to live, work, play and visit.”
The project is being delivered by Gasyard Wall Féile with support from PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), and is funded through Derry City and Strabane District Council’s PEACEPLUS Local Co-Designed Action Plan under the ‘Community Regeneration and Transformation’ theme.
Funder information:
The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding Programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The total value of PEACEPLUS is €1.14 billion.
PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration.
The Volunteer Investment Project (VIP) at Féile has been awarded the Volunteer Friendly Award in recognition of its ongoing commitment to supporting community volunteers.
The award acknowledges the years of work that have gone into valuing and supporting volunteers – especially the young people who play a major part in organising successful community events.
Speaking after receiving the award at the Guildhall today, Elaine Doherty, Project Manager of the Volunteer Investment Project (VIP) said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to get this award and the recognition that comes with it. Our volunteers are at the heart of everything – their energy, ideas and commitment are the backbone of successful community events.
“Our volunteers have put in thousands of hours supporting different community events, including supporting thousands of people at family gatherings and music events and a range of other events.
“Working with Volunteer Investment Project has really been a life-changing experience for our young people, helping them to build their confidence, getting work and life experience and also achieving recognised qualifications.
“Volunteering is about stepping up, being part of something, and making your community the best possible place to live. There is no better time to get involved, no matter what age you are.”
The Volunteer Investment Project is currently recruiting volunteers, with opportunities to learn, access qualifications and make a difference – especially as another packed summer of Féile events gets underway in August 2025.
Palestinian DJ and producer Sama Abdulhadi got a special welcome at the final edition of Ireland’s longest running electronic dance festival, Celtronic, lighting up a sold-out Nerve Centre with a special party that had the whole place bouncing.
A powerful display of solidarity greeted Sama as a massive Palestinian flag was draped across the entrance of the venue and behind her on the stage, symbolising the strong connection between Palestine and Derry.
Sama, the first internationally recognised Palestinian DJ, has been an unwavering voice against the ongoing occupation and genocide in her homeland. Through her music, she is a beacon of hope for millions around the world.
Féile Media caught up with Sama to discuss her journey through music, the historic ties and solidarity between Derry and Palestine, and the impact her work continues to have on both local and international stages.
Sama’s career began when she left Palestine for Beirut, immersing herself in the city’s emerging techno scene. It was in Lebanon that she honed her unique sound, blending Berlin techno with the rhythms and emotions of her Middle Eastern roots.
Her journey led her to the legendary 2018 Boiler Room set in Ramallah in the Occupied West Bank, which quickly became a milestone in her career, amassing over 12 million views and solidifying her status in the global electronic music community.
In the years since, Sama has performed at some of the biggest stages worldwide, all while remaining deeply committed to her activism. A fearless cultural advocate, she continuously speaks out on the horrific onslaught against the people of Gaza and works to amplify the voices of the marginalised through initiatives such as Union in Ramallah and Resilience.
Her mission is clear: to put Palestine on the musical map and promote international solidarity, offering a more nuanced understanding of the Middle East through the unifying power of music.
For a deeper insight into Sama’s musical journey and the special connection between Derry and Palestine, check out the full video interview here:
Children from Long Tower PS, Nazareth House PS, Fountain PS, Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir and St. Eugene’s PS recently took part in Made in Our City – My Shirt, My Story – a project exploring the history of the city’s shirt factories.
From the late 19th Century, Derry became a global centre for shirt-making and by the 1920s, the city was home to more than 40 factories, employing thousands of workers.
The factories were central to people’s daily lives, and their influence and legacy is still felt in many families across the city today.
Artist Caroline Devenney worked closely with the children, helping them to connect with the stories behind our city’s once thriving shirt-making industry and supporting them in creating their own textile-based artworks, while Deirdre Williams, an expert in the Shirt Factories, gave the children a real sense of the people who worked in the factories.
The fantastic pieces produced by the children are now part of Féile’s latest exhibition, currently on display at Abercorn Play Park, right next to the site of the old Tillie and Henderson shirt factory.
A big thank you to all the schools who took part – and to Caroline and Deirdre – for helping bring these important stories to life.
This project was part of Féile’s Connect:Interact:Create programme, supported by the Executive Office’s Central Good Relations Fund.
‘Football at the Heart’ explores a remarkable footballing journey spanning over five decades in the Brandywell area of the city — a small housing estate, just half a mile in radius, that has produced some of Derry’s greatest sporting talents.
From the rise of Brandywell Harps, through the decline of local football, to the birth of Ballymoor FC and their long road home to the Daisy Field — a story shaped by community, dedication and a love of the game.
Now, football is back where it belongs — at the heart of the Brandywell.
A Communities in Transition project, funded by the Executive Office.
Féile’s ‘Lunch with a Laugh’ at the Bishop’s Gate Hotel was a huge success.
People from across the Bogside, Brandywell, Bishop Street and Fountain areas packed out the Bishop’s Gate Hotel for an amazing two course lunch, followed by a hilarious comedy set from one of the rising stars on the island’s comedy scene.
Paddy McDonnell, well-known for selling out venues across Britain and Ireland, recently completed a tour of Scotland and England—and he didn’t disappoint, leaving everyone in stitches.
A fantastic way to start off the week – with great food and great craic!
This event was part of Féile’s Connect:Interact:Create programme, supported by the Executive Office’s Central Good Relations Fund.
Nailors Row came alive as children from four local primary schools took part in the second annual Anthony Hegarty 1km Dash.
Children from Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir, Nazareth House PS, Long Tower PS, and St Eugene’s PS joined in the event to stay active and have fun while also celebrating our city’s athletic history.
The dash honours Anthony Hegarty, a renowned local athlete born in Nailors Row in December 1892. Hegarty brought pride to Derry as a silver medallist in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.
Malcolm McCausland, author of Lion for a Day, was at the event to share Hegarty’s inspiring story with the young people who took part in the fun run.
Féile would like to thank all the schools and the young people who took part in the dash. Their energy and excitement helped make it a successful event!
This event was organised in partnership with the Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum and supported by The Executive Office’s Central Good Relations Fund through Féile’s Connect:Interact:Create programme.
