With my feet officially in the critically aching stage and the blister packs finally earning their keep, I gathered my gear and made the final pilgrimage to the festival grounds for the last day of All Together Now 2026. The schedule mixed Irish and international talent across genres. I began with Soda Blonde, whose afternoon set drew a strong crowd to the main stage arena. The Dublin band, who impressed me at Beyond the Pale in 2024, delivered another excellent performance. Their growing fanbase danced and sang along with frontwoman Fay O’Rourke, then called for an encore that strict set timings made impossible. Always a class act, and one I’m delighted to see succeeding.
I then headed to the Something Kind of Wonderful tent for my most anticipated set: Kate Nash. A heartfelt tribute to Sinead O’Connor, a rendition of ‘Famine’, messages of empowerment and complete unpredictability made this a standout performance. To security’s horror, Nash crossed the barrier early in the set, moved through the crowd and ended up on the shoulders of an unsuspecting Irish man. As much a comic as an artist, her commentary around the arena was hilarious. Combined with her best-known songs, it made this one of the weekend’s best performances by a country mile.
Back at the main stage, I caught the end of Damien Dempsey’s set before a packed crowd of die-hard fans singing every word. Next came the weekend’s surprise highlight, Moonchild Sannelly, an artist I hadn’t known before. Her infectious energy on the Road to Nowehere stage gave the crowd the feel-good boost they needed. She invited two fans onstage to dance and, far from being industry plants, they were ordinary punters whose moves even surprised Sannelly an unexpected, iconic moment they will never forget. I skipped back to the Something Kind of Wonderful tent for one of my favourite Irish acts, BIIRD, who had filled the small space. When frontwoman Lisa Canny appeared in an Irish Mayo jersey, I knew we were in for a deadly performance. This iconic group of women never fails to energise a crowd; they are brilliant to photograph and just as enjoyable to watch as a punter. After a quick stop at the Flourish stage for some of Rois’ set, I settled into the main stage pit for Self Esteem. I had heard all weekend that her set was unlike any other, but that praise still undersold it. The artistry, theatrical inspiration, evocative staging, costumes, catchy songs and infectious energy were incredible. Self Esteem absolutely nailed it, and her setlist has populated my Spotify ever since.
The rest of the evening leaned heavily into electronic music. Underworld and Disclosure closed the main stage, Mogwai drew a large crowd to the Something Kind of Wonderful tent, and King Kong Company ended the night’s entertainment with a bang.
All Together Now truly offers something for everyone. Although capacity has increased, it still avoids the outright chaos of similarly large festivals. ATN remains a great destination for music fans across genres and generations, and is one I hope to attend many times again.
Soda Blonde photos:
Kate Nash photos:
Damien Dempsey photos:
Moonchild Sannelly photos:
BIIRD photos:
Róis photos:
Self Esteem photos:
Underworld photos:
Disclosure photos:
Mogwai photos:
King Kong Company photos:
Photos & Words – Lisa Hamilton @lisahamiltonphotography