Saint Patrick's legend Saints and Religious in Ireland
Saint Patrick
St. Patrick’s Day commemorates the Christianization of Ireland in the 5th century by Maewyn Succat, a Scotsman who came to evangelize the…
Saint Patrick's legend Saints and Religious in Ireland
St. Patrick’s Day commemorates the Christianization of Ireland in the 5th century by Maewyn Succat, a Scotsman who came to evangelize the…
Halloween in Ireland Irish folk creatures
If you thought vampires were an exclusively Transylvanian affair, think again! Ireland has its own bloodthirsty monster: Abhartach (pronounced: Ah-ver-tach). No, it’s…
The Dublin Parade is the capital’s main St Patrick’s Day procession. To make the most of it, where you stand matters as…
Irish folk creatures Saint Patrick's Day
A solitary shoemaker, keeper of treasures and master of deceiving humans, the leprechaun has become one of the best-known figures in Irish…
Find out how the Irish celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Ireland! Learn about their customs and traditions for an unforgettable March 17!…
Christmas in Ireland Irish songs
It’s impossible to celebrate Christmas in Ireland without hearing“Fairytale of New York“This is a famous Irish song performed by the Pogues, a…
Find out why the Irish celebrate Saint Patrick's Day on March 17... Discover the origins of Ireland's most famous festival, which has…
Easter in Ireland World War II and Ireland
In April 1941, Belfast suffered the first of four air attacks by the German air force, the Luftwaffe. An offensive that took…
Yes, yes. You read that right. Saint Nicholas would rest well in Ireland… At least according to legend, and the theory of…
In Ireland, Christmas is a magical time! Between traditions, decorations and local markets, spending the holidays on the green Erin is simply…
Saturday 7 November 2026: 2 pm to 11 pm. Sunday 8 November 2026: 7 am to 12 noon. Timings for concerts, tours, screenings and demonstrations will be confirmed in the final programme. Arrive early for ticket checks and the walk across the hill.
Friday 23 to Friday 30 October 2026: daytime and evening events depending on the venue; detailed times to be confirmed. Saturday 31 October 2026: final day and Fire and Shadows Procession in Longford Town; start time to be confirmed. The programme takes place at several venues in Longford Town and across the county. Check the details of each activity before visiting, as some require booking.
Irish meat dishes St Patrick's Day specialities
A flagship dish of Irish cuisine, made with cabbage and bacon. Try it out in the pub!
Irish cakes St Patrick's Day specialities
A gourmet dessert, full of roundness and finesse, based on the famous Irish liqueur: Baileys!
Irish cakes St Patrick's Day specialities
An amazing cake made with chocolate and Ireland's national stout!
Irish Halloween recipes Irish vegetarian dishes
Colcannon is one of the essential dishes of Irish cuisine. Simple, yet delicious!
Irish cakes St Patrick's Day specialities
A dessert... once again made with Ireland’s national beer! A dessert worth seeking out!
Irish breads St Patrick's Day specialities
A bread that looks very much like a scone, but with a tighter crumb.
Irish cakes Irish Christmas specialities
A festive cake, specially prepared for the festive season. The whole family will love it!
A dish that represents the quintessential Irish Christmas, a blend of tradition, rich flavors and a deep sense of sharing and community.
Irish Christmas specialities Irish sweets St Patrick's Day specialities
A delicious confection that can be adapted to any taste: caramel, chocolate, lemon, whiskey... The result is pleasant!
Irish Christmas specialities Irish Condiments
Discover Irish gravy: its origins, its role in Irish cuisine and its ancestral recipe for accompanying meat and potatoes.
Irish Halloween recipes Irish meat dishes
An absolutely delicious meatloaf with beef, vegetables and lacquered bacon! Delicious!
Irish starters St Patrick's Day specialities
No, it's not a Mexican dish... But an Irish dish, with nachos and Guinness cheese! Addictive but high in calories!
A Guinness with pumpkin and spices? In Dublin, the famous Irish brand is taking an unexpectedly autumnal turn. At the Guinness Open…
Ireland is a land of traditions and conviviality. Its cultural festivals, blending pagan heritage, Christian rites, and modern expressions, punctuate the social life of the island. Some are known worldwide, like Saint Patrick’s Day, while others remain rooted in local folklore or community celebrations passed down through generations. Together, they form a mosaic of rituals and festivities that tell the Irish soul.
It is impossible to talk about Irish festivals without mentioning Saint Patrick’s Day, celebrated on March 17th. Patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick is credited with evangelizing the island in the 5th century. Originally a religious feast, Saint Patrick’s Day has become a national, then international celebration.
In Ireland, parades, concerts, shows, and illuminations tint the country green. Dublin hosts a multi-day festival where Irish culture unfolds through traditional music, dance, and theater. Abroad, notably in the United States, Canada, and Australia, Irish communities keep this festival alive, turning entire cities into showcases of Ireland.
Although Halloween is now an American holiday popularized by films and pop culture, it originates in Ireland. It dates back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter, a time when it was believed the boundaries between the living and the dead faded.
In Ireland, Halloween is still celebrated with bonfires, traditional games like snap apple (catching a suspended apple), and the preparation of barmbrack, a fruit bread containing small surprises meant to predict the future. Costumes and carved pumpkins, inherited from Irish turnips, recall the importance of folklore in this festival.
June 16th is a unique date in Ireland: Bloomsday. This literary festival honors James Joyce’s novel Ulysses, whose action takes place over a single day, June 16, 1904.
Every year, in Dublin and worldwide, readers and Joyce enthusiasts dress as characters from the novel, participate in public readings, and retrace Leopold Bloom’s journey through the capital. Bloomsday illustrates the importance of literature in Irish culture and shows how a work can become a popular festival.
February 1st marks the feast of Saint Brigid of Kildare, patroness of Ireland alongside Saint Patrick. But this date also inherits from an older Celtic festival, Imbolc, which celebrated the end of winter and the return of light.
Today, St Brigid’s Day is celebrated by making Brigid’s crosses from rushes, placed in homes to protect the household. Since 2023, it has become a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, a sign of its renewed importance in the national calendar.
In the small town of Killorglin, County Kerry, one of Ireland’s oldest festivals takes place every summer: the Puck Fair. Since the 17th century, a wild goat is captured and crowned “king of the festival” for three days.
The program includes markets, concerts, dances, and popular festivities. Although controversial to some for the use of an animal, the Puck Fair remains a lively celebration of Irish rural folklore and attracts many visitors.
The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, or “Ireland’s music festival,” is the largest gathering of traditional Irish music. Every year, thousands of musicians, singers, and dancers meet in a different town to compete and share their passion.
This festival is both a national competition and a popular celebration, where music sessions fill the streets, pubs, and public squares. It testifies to the vitality of Irish music and its role in the country’s cultural identity.
Beyond traditional festivals, Ireland hosts many modern festivals that have become essential cultural events:
These events show that Irish festive culture is not limited to ancient traditions but continues to reinvent itself in dialogue with the contemporary world.
Irish cultural festivals are much more than entertainment: they reflect the island’s history, religion, folklore, and creativity. They embody Ireland’s ability to transform its pagan and Christian roots into living celebrations, to export its traditions worldwide, and to make festivity a universal language.
From Saint Patrick’s Day celebrated in the streets of New York to Halloween bonfires lit in the Kerry countryside, each festival tells a facet of the Irish soul: joyful, resilient, and deeply attached to its roots.