Born and raised in The Liberties area of Dublin, Imelda May has become one of the UK & Ireland’s most celebrated female artists. A true creative, Imelda immerses herself in art across many forms, asa singer, songwriter, actor, producer, poet, illustrator and storyteller. Her self-written & produced album "Love T attoo" (2008) remains the best-selling album of all time by a homegrown female artist in Ireland and her most recent album “11 Past the Hour” (2021) marks her fourth Number 1 album in Ireland and fourth T op 10 in the UK. Imelda’s recent albums are a departure from her early rockabilly revival style with a sound that sits firmly outside of any sharply defined genre box, widely spanning blues, rock, soul, gospel and jazz.

Imelda was discovered by Jools Holland, who asked her to support him on tour, and has gone on to perform alongside legendary artists including Lou Reed, Bono, T om Jones, Noel Gallagher, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Rod Stewart, Jeff Goldblum & Ronnie Wood. She has performed all over the world in front of royalty & politicians including Barack Obama. From the 52nd Grammy Awards with Jeff Beck to singing the Irish national anthem in Las Vegas ahead of the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor fight in 2017 with a reported TV audience of 1billion people across 200 countries. Her TV work spans from co-producing and presenting ‘The Imelda May Show’ series for RTE in 2018, co-hosting BBC’s Later with Jools Holland, to several recent productions co-produced for Sky Arts including the two part 'Voices of Ireland’ which won the Best Specialist Factual Award at the RTS Ireland T elevision Awards in 2022. Imelda curated, co-produced and starred in a festive special titled ‘Christmas in Ireland: Imelda & Friends’ with Red Shoe Productions for SKY Arts and T ourism Ireland in 2023, a creative relationship which followed with the recent critical acclaim for her programme studying the lives of the Yeats sisters, 'Lily and Lolly Yeats: The Forgotten Yeats Sisters' in 2024. In recent years Imelda has also turned her talent to the silver screen, appearing in her first major film role alongside James Purefoy and Maggie Steed in ‘Fisherman’s Friends: One and All’, the sequel to the hit comedy Fisherman's Friends. The film entered the top 5 box office best sellers after its release in 2022. Her stunning portrayal of ‘villan’Eve in ‘The People Before’, based on the psychological thriller by Charlotte Northedge, has just debuted at the Galway Film Festival and is set for theatrical release later this year. It will be followed by her role as Pierce Brosnan’s wife in ‘Four Letters of Love’ alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Gabriel Byrne in 2025. Not only has Imelda sold millions of records worldwide and forged a successful career on screen, she is also a passionate activist and accomplished poet. Her poem “You Don’t Get To Be Racist and Irish” evoked an incredible response on social media with the IRE government using it for their ‘ReThink Ireland’ campaign on billboards throughout the country and has since been included in the Irish curriculum. In 2021 she released her debut poetry book ‘A Lick & A Promise’ which instantly debuted at No.8 in the Irish Times Bestsellers Chart (Hardback Non Fiction) and has since been reprinted in addition to a paperback & audiobook. In summer 2024, in addition to live shows with Jools Holland, Sharon Shannon and her own Royal Festival Hall show for London Jazz Festival, Imelda is delighted to be made her return to the stage performing in ‘Mother Of All The Behans’ at 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin and Everyman Theatre in Cork. Based on the book by Brian Behan, adapted and directed by Peter Sheridan, Imelda is portraying the formidable Kathleen Behan and the show includes a soundtrack performed by herself. It returns to Ireland this summer in Dublin, Waterford, Cork and Belfast.

Elevate your experience with the Glade VIP package

Unlock the ultimate concert experience and get straight to the front with our VIP area at Forest Live.  

Your Glade VIP package includes everything you need for an extra special night out:

•         Views right at the front of the stage: experience an excellent view of all the performances up close.

•         Dedicated VIP entry lane: breeze through our separate VIP lane for a smooth arrival.

•         Souvenir wristband: take home a Forest Live wristband as a cherished keepsake.

•         Spacious comfort: relish the relaxed atmosphere and extra space to dance.

•         Luxury facilities: access our premium flushable toilet facilities.

•         Exclusive bar: enjoy refreshing drinks that you can purchase from our vibrant Glade VIP bar.

•         High-quality food: soak up the ambience and indulge in some superb food options available for purchase.

Get your Glade VIP ticket today to make your concert a night to remember.  

All concerts at Forest Live 2025 will be BSL interpreted. 

Visit our accessibility page for full information on accessibility facilities at each forest venue.