Russell Watson, Mary Black, Bay City Rollers and Jools Holland: Wexford’s stacked May and June 2026 lineup explained

National Opera House is one of the busiest spring programmes for over a decade. Mary Black, Russell Watson, the Bay City Rollers and Jools Holland, accompanied by his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, and Irish National Opera showcase Bellini’s Norma at the town centre from 22 May to 7 June 2026.

Also, that weekend, the Quayfront is taken over for the Wexford Maritime Festival, which makes late May arguably the busiest cultural window on the southeast calendar.

22 May / 19:30 – Mary Black, Slán (as part of her farewell tour), The Voice Returns, Russell Watson, 26 May. Covering classical, musical theatre and popular repertoire. Maritime Festival takes place 29-31 May and will feature regattas, visiting boats, heritage events and live music throughout the three days.

3 June Bellini’s Norma, Irish National Opera, 4 June, €10 (tickets) and proceeds towards Christ Church repair, The Bay City Rollers. Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, with Ruby Turner, Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka, finish the run on 7 June as Lantern Presents.

Why Wexford’s lineup could decide the game

It is rare for a venue the size of the National Opera House to accommodate such an array of acts in a mere three weeks. It secures Wexford’s position as a stop on the national touring circuit for what would otherwise be Dublin or Cork artists. The Maritime Festival draws a different audience to the city centre, mainly families, day hawkers and local people who know the Quayfront like post-its in a field or classroom.

Bookings for hotels and restaurants are traditionally up starting Thursday night, going through Monday of the following week. That weekend after the concert window closes, Father’s Day is 21 June. Nothing quite like the gift planning that runs right through the season, with many a Wexford family buying tickets as milestone presents in response to relatives mentioning specific acts over dinner.

How do you gift a seat without picking the wrong show?

The issue with booking a concert for someone else is that you are just throwing darts. A fan of the Bay City Rollers might not want the Russell Watson evening. One might rather go on a date with Norma at Jools Holland. For a parent who has spoken of the Bay City Rollers alongside Russell Watson and Jools Holland, the choice of which of the three to book becomes a genuine conundrum.

Giving a Ticketmaster gift card just takes the discretion away from you. Due to the fact that the National Opera House, Lantern Presents and the vast majority of visiting acts ticket through Ticketmaster Ireland, the same card is valid for nearly every headline show on the Wexford calendar from May to September 2026.

In a perfect example of digital delivery, a grandparent in the UK can send a card for Father’s Day or a birthday without the need for the Royal Mail.

A gift card sold by Ticketmaster in Ireland should be valid for at least five years, in accordance with the provisions of the Consumer Protection (Gift Vouchers) Act 2019. If no May or June show works for the audience, they can apply it to Wexford Festival Opera in October, or a future Irish venue later in the year, where tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

At the point of purchase, the purchaser does not have to name the recipient, and it is illegal for the holder to be prevented from spending the full value of the card in one transaction.

What are the practical planning notes for this window?

Mary Black and Russell Watson evenings are mid-price range for the house. The Bay City Rollers €10 a ticket charity gig is often a sell-out because of the cause. Jools Holland is at the top of the venue’s price range, and tickets are usually among the first to go when listings are live.

Maritime Festival entry is free, so get it with a dinner voucher for a Wexford eatery if the gift is for an incoming visitor enjoying a weekend. The three-day event doubles walk-ins at most venues along the Quayfront and Main Street.

Confirm ticketed events at nationaloperahouse.ie or visitwexford.ie before you book onto certain shows, as support acts and start times do sometimes change.

There is something for everyone on the Wexford stage from 22 May to 7 June 2026. For gift givers looking to get that relative into the right night, the safer bet is to leave their selection up to them. Wexford has done the programming; whoever gets the booking can manage.