What’s on at Cork Comic Con 2026?
Comic Cork is coming back to Cork for the second year in a row, running across two days at the Marina Market, October 3rd - 4th.
Cork Comic Con 2026 has a full programme running across Saturday and Sunday, with plenty for you to get involved with, including guest panels, cosplay, live demonstrations, comic creators, and Dungeons & Dragons alongside gaming, an Artist Alley, and traders.
Guest Panels
Guest panels are a core feature of comic cons. They're facilitated discussions between panel guests, answering questions about their work. There’s often an opportunity for audiences to pitch questions too.
A number of the Cork Comic Con guests will take part in panels across the weekend.
Nola Klop and Marta Svetek will each have their own panels, while Jason O’Mara will also take to the stage during the weekend.
Fans of Kingdom Come: Deliverance can catch Tom McKay and Luke Dale together for a panel about the game.
Often guests of these panels are available for photo opportunities or autograph signing, so keep an eye out online or check at the venue.
Cosplay
Cosplay is always a big part of any comic con; in its simplest terms, it’s a hobby where people dress as their favourite comic book, anime, film, manga, or book characters.
Cosplay can be an expensive hobby, but it doesn’t have to be. Some of the best cosplay we’ve seen has been low-budget. It’s jaw-dropping when you realise what people made with their own hands on a budget!
Crazier Cosplay will host Cosplay on a Budget, with advice on creating costumes without a huge budget on Saturday morning, while a Cosplay Costume Contest also takes place on Sunday, with cosplayers taking to the stage to show their work.
Whether you’re taking part yourself or just there to see what people have created, we would highly recommend checking it out!
We also want to remind attendees that while a lot of cosplayers would love to take photos with you, some may not be comfortable. Please don’t photograph or touch cosplayers without consent.
Live Medieval Combat
Full suits of armour, heavy swords and BATTLES? You read that right. The Knights of Munster will appear several times across the weekend with live medieval combat.
They will also be demonstrating Ludosport for all you Star Wars fans out there!
These demonstrations appear multiple times on the programme over the two days, so you should have more than one opportunity to catch them if they clash with a panel you want to see.
Photo credits: Knights of Munster
by: copseb_buhurt (Instagram)
Comics and Cork Creators
Do you love comics? Have you ever dreamed of writing your own? Or maybe you're interested in learning more about comics in Cork and meeting others who are interested too?
It wouldn’t be Comic Con without comics, and there are two sessions at Cork Comic Con 2026 worth knowing about if your interest in comics goes beyond reading them.
Making Comics in Cork
Making Comics in Cork: An Introduction to the Cork Comic Creators has a local focus and introduces some of the people making comics here in Cork.
Writing for Comics
Writing for Comics- Getting Started brings together Seamus Kavanagh, Rory McConville and Gary Moloney to discuss getting started with comic writing. Perfect for those hoping to write their own one day.
Dungeons & Dragons: Live
For those uninitiated, and who haven’t spent hours arguing with a group of people about whether to enter that room or not, or to trust that door (mimic anybody?), or to give the sceptre to the Ice King (I’m still scarred from my college Dungeons and Dragons group); Dungeons and Dragons is a tabletop role-playing game. In other words, you and your friends each build a character and go on adventures, rolling dice while another friend basically plays God; in other words, they’re the DM (Dungeon Master).
Remember the ‘Hellfire Club’ from Stranger Things? And the “board game” the kids were playing? That was Dungeons and Dragons.
Heartfire Tales will bring Dungeons & Dragons to the stage with a live game during Cork Comic Con.
If you’re interested in seeing how a game works, this is definitely worth a visit*. Normally, live games are hilarious, as all logic and rationale can be abandoned and “seemingly” worthwhile risks are taken…
*We can’t promise there won’t be any demogorgans though, so proceed with caution.
What Else is at Cork Comic Con 2026?
Outside of the scheduled programme, there’s plenty to stroll through across the three event halls at the Marina Market.
Artist Alley brings together artists, illustrators and comic creators, while traders will have comics, collectibles, artwork and merchandise on sale.
There will also be opportunities to join games throughout the weekend!
Quick FAQs for Comic Con 2026
Parking is very limited, including disabled parking bays
Wheelchair accessible with a wheelchair-accessible toilet. There will be assistance staff on site if you need further assistance.
Toilets on site.
Seating available in main food court area, unknown in event rooms
No cloakroom on site or room to get changed/dressed for cosplay
Marina Market is dog-friendly
Most vendors take card and cash, but bring both just in case
Family Friendly
It may be cold in some areas, so bring layers
