Liverpool Irish Festival Announces Free House Party With Emma Dabiri And DJ Arveene
Liverpool Irish Festival is keeping the celebrations going with a free house party at Deco Lounge on Bold Street on Saturday 7 November, bringing together live music, spoken word, comedy and conversations about Irish identity.
Following October’s festival theme, I Am Here, Liverpool Irish Festival is teaming up with Wake The Beast Creative Studio to present The Really Irish? House Party, an evening celebrating the diversity of Liverpool’s Irish communities and exploring what it means to be Irish today.
Taking place from 7.30pm to 10pm, the event will be hosted by broadcaster, Irish Studies academic and Sunday Times bestselling author Emma Dabiri, with music from Irish DJ Arveene, a member of the ESAC collective.
The evening will feature a mix of live music, spoken word performances, comedy and DJ sets, with further artists still to be announced.
At the heart of the event is a question that has resonated across Liverpool for generations: What does it mean to be really Irish, and who gets to decide?
Liverpool’s connections with Ireland run deep, with more than 1.5 million people arriving in the city from Ireland during the Great Hunger. Today, the city’s Irish identity encompasses Scouse-Irish communities, people of mixed heritage, Travellers, LGBTQ+ communities and more recent arrivals.
The Really Irish? House Party aims to celebrate these different experiences, creating a welcoming space where people can share their stories, connect and enjoy a night of entertainment.
One of the evening’s highlights will be The Kitchen, an informal gathering where artists, local people and audience members can come together around a table to discuss identity, belonging and their experiences of Irish culture.
Rather than a traditional panel discussion, the conversation will be open and relaxed, giving everyone an opportunity to contribute before the party continues.
Emma Smith, Artistic Director and CEO of Liverpool Irish Festival, said: “I Am Here was about claiming space and being seen for who you are. The Really Irish? House Party does exactly that, with a DJ. Liverpool’s Irishness has always been bigger and more varied than the stereotypes, and this is a night to celebrate all of it.”
Adam McGuigan, Artistic Director of Wake The Beast, explained the inspiration behind the collaboration: “We started this project because we kept meeting people who felt deeply connected to Ireland but didn’t always see themselves reflected in traditional celebrations of Irish culture, particularly people from multi-heritage backgrounds.”
DJ Arveene added: “Community is everything. There are so many kinds of Irishness in the world, and we want to let people know they are all welcome. Our differences are what make us great.”
Building on the festival’s I Am Here theme, the event promises to bring Liverpool’s Irish communities together for an evening of music, storytelling and celebration, while challenging traditional ideas of what Irish identity looks like.
The Really Irish? House Party takes place at Deco Lounge on Bold Street on Saturday 7 November 2026, from 7.30pm to 10pm. Entry is free.
For more information and to book your free place, visit Eventbrite.
