Threshold Festival to bring Yeats' legacy to life at Notre Dame Kylemore
Inaugural Four-Day Event Celebrates the Intersection of Irish Literature, Arts, and Culture
Connemara, Ireland — Notre Dame Kylemore is proud to announce the inaugural Threshold gathering, an immersive academic arts celebration exploring the rich literary legacy of William Butler Yeats, to be held August 14-17, 2025.
This event will unite scholars, artists, and enthusiasts from around the globe to explore the mystical and folkloric themes in Yeats' writings through a modern lens. Set against the stunning backdrop of Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, the festival offers a rare opportunity to engage with the cultural forces that continue to be inspired by one of Ireland's greatest literary figures.
"Threshold represents an exciting new venture that combines scholarly discourse with artistic expression," said Lisa Caulfield, director of Notre Dame Kylemore. "By exploring themes in Yeats' work and his legacy, we aim to create a multidisciplinary experience that appeals to academics and arts enthusiasts alike."
The festival offers:
- Scholarly presentations by leading academics, including distinguished guest lectures by David Kenney (University of Notre Dame), P.J. Mathews (University of Galway), and Declan Kiberd (University of Notre Dame)
- Theatrical performances directed by The Abbey’s Artistic Director, Caitríona McLaughlin, including a fully staged reading of Yeats' The King’s Threshold, as well as a premiere excerpt of Marina Carr’s new play, The Boy, performed by the members of the company
- Musical performances by Lisa Lambe and the internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble, Anúna
- A special opera performance focused on Lady Gregory, Yeats' close collaborator, composed by Alberto Caruso, with libretto by Colm Tóibín, presented by Wexford Festival Opera
- Art exhibition that brings Yeats’ themes vividly into the visual realm
- Complimented by a “Taste of Connemara” culinary experience
The festival builds on Notre Dame at Kylemore’s educational partnerships with The Abbey Theatre and the Wexford Festival Opera, both of which will contribute performances to the event.
"This festival embodies Notre Dame's commitment to the arts as outlined in our Arts Initiative," said Caulfield. “Through exploring Irish literary work at the intersection of artistic expression, cultural heritage, and scholarly inquiry, we're creating a series of events that resonate with our University’s focus areas of Arts in Action and Sense and Transcendence, showcasing the University’s global partnerships in the arts.
Michael Pippenger, Notre Dame Global’s Vice President and Associate Provost for Internationalization, added, "By engaging with the literary and cultural legacy of W.B. Yeats through the lens of artistic expression and scholarly collaboration, Threshold deepens Notre Dame’s academic and creative ties to Ireland.”
Limited tickets will be available starting July 15, 2025.
For more information, visit the Threshold website page or contact kylemore@nd.edu. View and download the full schedule of events here.
All proceeds go directly towards the costs of running the Threshold Festival. This is a grassroots, not-for-profit event created to support arts and educational initiatives in the west.
About Notre Dame Kylemore
Since 2016, Notre Dame Kylemore has represented a unique educational partnership uniting one of the leading global Catholic research universities with one of Ireland's most iconic cultural and historical landmarks, Kylemore Abbey, and its Benedictine Community. Through programming that spans academic disciplines and cultural traditions, the partnership seeks to deepen understanding of Irish heritage while fostering new creative and scholarly endeavors.
Media Contact:
Emma Kirner ekirner@nd.edu
Originally published by at kylemore.nd.edu on July 22, 2025.