Dublin news this week brings a major cultural update from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, where two standout artists have been selected for the 2026 Musicians-in-Residence programme. Composer and multi-instrumentalist Cormac Curran, alongside emerging composer, musician and songwriter Julia Mahon, will take up the prestigious residencies in a move that strengthens the area’s reputation for supporting original Irish music and public arts engagement.
Announced by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council Arts Office in partnership with Music Network, the 2026 scheme marks its 12th year. The initiative is designed to give artists the time, resources and professional support needed to create ambitious new work while connecting directly with local audiences.
Dublin news: two musicians chosen for 2026 residency
This year’s programme includes:
- One residency for an established musician, awarded to Cormac Curran
- One residency supporting an emerging artist, awarded to Julia Mahon
- Funding and dedicated workspace from August to December 2026
- Mentoring and career development support
- Public performances, workshops and community engagement events in Dún Laoghaire
The residency continues to highlight how Dublin business in the cultural sector can intersect with public investment, local government and audience development. While the programme is rooted in the arts, it also reflects the broader civic value of creative industries across the county.
What Cormac Curran will create during the residency
Cormac Curran will use his time in residence to build a new collaborative project with Tommy Tiernan. The work will combine Tiernan’s newly written prose with Curran’s original compositions, aiming to produce material for both a live performance and an album.
The project will examine how music interacts with language, emotion and rhythm, with audiences invited into the process through open rehearsals, workshops and performances. That public element is likely to make the residency especially visible in Dublin news coverage over the coming months.
A project built around collaboration
Curran’s residency is expected to offer residents and arts followers a rare look at how interdisciplinary performance develops from first ideas to staged presentation. It also reinforces the county’s long-running commitment to experimental and community-facing music projects.
Julia Mahon’s new work explores identity and belonging
Julia Mahon, who performs professionally as J. Lune, will develop a new full-length electroacoustic piece titled Home, Or Something Like It. The performance will focus on questions of place, return and belonging in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, drawing from her wider artistic interest in migration and identity in Ireland.
The work will blend:
- Uilleann pipes
- Piano
- Synthesisers
- Cello
- Electronics and live effects
- New poetry by Daniel Wade and Vickey Curtis
Community voices will also be woven into the composition, adding a local texture to the final performance. Mahon is also set to host a public workshop and share the work in progress with audiences.
Why this residency matters
The scheme is jointly funded by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the Arts Council, and managed by Music Network. Council and arts leaders said the residencies will give both musicians meaningful support to expand their practice and bring fresh work to the public.
For readers who follow Dublin news, this announcement is more than an arts update. It shows how local institutions continue to invest in creativity, nurture emerging talent and keep public culture visible and accessible. In a busy city region, programmes like this help turn music into a shared civic experience rather than a closed studio process.
As Dublin news continues to spotlight innovation across communities, the appointment of Cormac Curran and Julia Mahon stands out as a strong reminder that the capital’s cultural life is being shaped not only by major venues, but also by thoughtful local residency programmes with lasting public impact.
