Waterford Lions Club Christmas Carol Concert

Waterford Lions Club holds its Christmas Carol Concert at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Barronstrand Street on 13 December 2026, an orchestral and choral evening now in its 36th year. Orchestra leader Eimear Heeney and conductor Kevin O’Carroll lead the performance, which forms part of the wider Winterval festival programme while remaining a Lions Club fundraiser at its core. The concert supports the Waterford Lions Club Christmas Appeal, which provides food hampers to around 1,200 families across the city over the Christmas period, so ticket-free admission is paired with a clear ask for donations on the night rather than a paid entry system. The Lions Club has run Christmas carol concerts at the cathedral for well over three decades, making it one of the longer-standing fixtures on Waterford’s charity calendar and a recognisable part of the city’s build-up to Christmas alongside the Winterval festival itself. Waterford Lions Club is part of the wider Lions Clubs International network and runs the hamper appeal as its main Christmas fundraising drive, with the carol concert acting as both a public thank-you event and a direct appeal for continued support.

What to expect

An orchestral and choral Christmas concert inside the cathedral, running for roughly 90 minutes from 4pm. Expect traditional carols alongside orchestral pieces, performed by a full orchestra and choir under conductor Kevin O’Carroll. Admission is free and no ticket is required, though the collection at the concert goes directly toward the Lions Club’s Christmas hamper appeal for families in the city.

Getting there

The Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity is on Barronstrand Street in Waterford city centre, one of the main shopping streets, within walking distance of the Apple Market and the quays. Public car parks are within a short walk, and the cathedral is on most city bus routes.