Hey folks,

Today we can finally reveal our full line up for ZONE, our intimate gathering on Sherkin Island that will take place from 21st of October until the 23rd.

We’ve gathered together an eclectic spread of artists, many of whom are playing on Sherkin for the first time alongside some welcome returns from earlier editions of our June festival. We are also thrilled to announce that ZONE will host the debut live performances of Oootini (Further Records) and Galway’s serialexperimentsjane.

We’re also aware that visiting an island off the south coast of Ireland in October may seem like a daunting progress but fear not all the music will be taking place indoors or in treated spaces around the island, including a return to the one and only Jolly Roger, home to some of the most memorable moments of Open Ear over the years. Plus our belltents supplied by Yippee Tents will come with heaters, umbrellas and a bottle of premium Irish vodka. We won’t see you go cold in the ZONE.

ZONE complete line up

Baliboc & EMBY
Bea Brennan
Dublin
Elaine Howley
Flowers at Night
Kenny Hanlon
Lerosa
Lower Your Expectations
Mantua
Noisy Chilli
Oootini
Pablo Santo
Saturn Returns
Serialexperimentsjane
Soft Stone

Zone tickets €75 – including ticket / tent group combos and individual tix HERE

If you aren’t currently prepped to pay for the tents you can order them seperately HERE

Story,
It’s just over a month now until we return to Sherkin Island for the 5th Open Ear. Bit mad, innit. We won’t dwell on the last couple of years because it’s time to get hyped for another weekend of the weird and wonderful upon Banger Cliff on the North Shore.

In preparation for this year’s festival we decided to look at what it is we loved about doing it in the first place, and that was the simplicity. Just one stage  with a chance for you,  if you hare foolhardy enough, to watch every single performance over the weekend. It also gave many of the artists performing a unique chance to have a focused audience in a festival set up. With that all in mind we will be focusing this year’s festival entirely on the North Shore.

Over the years we’ve had artists and producers appear under different guises & repeat performers but this year we’re looking at over 90% of our line up being first timers on Sherkin, which has also got us psyched.

We’ve also just announced our partnership with Yippee Tents who will be providing Glamping for this year’s festival. If a bit of luxury is your thing please head over to their OE page HERE to make your reservation.

Over the coming weeks we will be announcing our final additions to the line up alongside information on transport, what food and beverages will be on offer over the weekend, more details on this year’s line up plus an archive of years gone by.

If you’ve still not got your tickets yet we advise you do it soon. You can grab em HERE

We sorta can’t believe that in just 34 days time we’ll be back on the island. Let’s do this.

Team OE xx

Hey folks,

Open Ear ’22 is nearly upon us. The build is on and the hype is on too. We can’t wait to see you all!
Before you make the journey down we’d like to highlight some important topics pertaining to the festival.

Travel & Parking
If you are driving to the festival please check our FAQ with regards to parking in Baltimore. It is very important that you follow these guidelines as this is a small town community and cars can’t be blocking entrances or be in illegal spaces. Cars or other vehicles are not allowed on to the island for the festival. You can bring your bike on.

Your Ticket

Your ticket will be in your email or that of your lead bookers. Please bring it on your phone or printed out along with ID. If you are not with your lead booker have their name with you, and if you have a transferred ticket have the name of the original booker with you too.

Island Transport

When you register up at the Sherkin Abbey there will be transport to bring your luggage across the island for €3. It is best to put name tags on your bags and tents etc for collecting them up at the festival site. There will be a mini bus for transporting people too but we suggest, if you are able-bodied, to grab yourself a drink and take the 40 minute stroll across the beautiful island and get yerselves in the mood for what we hope will be a seriously memorable weekend. The minibus costs €3. **Cash only for these services**

Food Vendors

Food at OE’22 will be provided by:
Warehouse Food Market & Luncheonette
Bahay
L’Oasis

They will have a selection of food catering for all dietary needs including the following below. Full menus will be available on site:
Steak sandwiches, brioches, hot pot, smoothies, grilled chicken thighs, mushroom oysters, breakfast granola, homemade lemonade, Granola Pots, Snackboards and  much much more.

Food and Drink

There is no shop or off license on Sherkin Island so it is important that you stock up on all foodstuffs / toiletries etc before you come on the island. The closest town with an extensive supermarket is Skibereen. Open Ear is a BYOB festival so you are free to carry your drinks around any part of the festival site. We ask you to restrain from drinking when you are off the festival site as the island is year round home for others and we must respect their privacy at all times.
There will be a a designated area for cooking apparatus on the campsite.

Cash Monies 

There is no ATM on the island. The closest one is in the shop in Baltimore so please remember to bring some cash with you along with your card.

Ferry from Baltimore

The ferry ticket is not included in your festival ticket or bus ticket. This must be paid as you board the ferry and it is 100% cash ONLY. Ferry costs €12 return. The Ferry will run all day Friday as each ferry fills up. The last ferry will be 10pm and NO LATER. We can’t emphasise this enough – the ferry company is facilitating us a lot on the Friday and there will be no later access to the island on Friday. Ferry times will run as normal for the rest of the weekend. Please check the June Timetable on this page 

Containers / glass / plastics

We’d really love if this weekend people would bring reusable liquid containers to help reduce waste at the festival / island. It is very important that we keep this to a minimum. Also if you could transfer liquids from glass bottles too.

Jolly Roger / The Islanders Rest

There will be no Sunday party in the Jolly Roger this weekend. The pub is closed for a private function on Sunday so it is very important that you do not try and gain access to it on the Sunday. And sure we’ve an unreal line up of music laid on for ya down the North Shore main site.

The Islanders Rest is currently not in operation so please do not try and access it at any time over the course of the weekend.
The people of Sherkin, in allowing us to host the festival on the island, have displayed a huge amount of trust in us and we ask you to return the favour by being as sound and as respectful as possible.

Social Media Blackout

At our Emerge one day event last year we operated a social media blackout and we would really love if you could adhere to this over the weekend. The last couple of years has been a difficult and trying time for everyone and we’d love it for everyone to just live in the moment for the 3 days. Sherkin is an amazing, secluded part of the world, so lets have a few days where the worries and problems of the outside world are far from our minds

Health & Safety

There will be a dedicated medic on site  24/7, located at the production area. If you are a friend are having problems please contact a member of security immediately and you will be attended to.

Also PsyCare Ireland is a new Irish organization that will be on site at Open Ear this year. Their mission is to provide dedicated services at Music Festivals and Music Events, where high risk drug use is common; to provide one-to-one peer support, psychological first aid and crisis mental health intervention to service users in need. PsyCare Ireland provides a peaceful, friendly and safe space in the heart of the busy world of the festival.

At Open Ear Festival they will be providing Harm Reduction information and chatting with festival goers on Saturday by the entrance. For more information feel free to check out our website: www.psycareireland.org

Finally head on over to our Line Up page to find out all about who is playing and keep an eye on our socials for the Timetable breakdown in the next 24hrs

Team OE xx