Features

  Northern Ireland’s Christmas markets are filled with festive family fun and fabulous artisan food and crafts.   A lively Christmas market where stalls heave with seasonal delights and fun activities abound for all the family is the perfect place to get into the yuletide spirit. In Northern Ireland, there are some great market experiences and, as the region is small, you...

  Celebrate this World Cities Day (31 October) by booking a break in one of Ireland’s compact and charismatic cities.   If you’re planning a city break in Ireland, why not look beyond Dublin and Belfast to some of the island’s smaller cities which are packed with history, culture and charm and easily explored in a weekend.   Kilkenny Captivating Kilkenny has it all: atmospheric...

    For a memorable experience, combine unique food and drink experiences with exploration of Ireland’s gorgeous landscapes.   Ireland’s culinary culture is so much more than stews and soda bread (delicious though they are). Lovers of fine food can find superb restaurants, fabulous food trails, and experiences that celebrate the island’s world-class produce which is making a name for itself internationally.   Irish beef,...

    Dublin in winter is a hub of creative energy and vibrancy with a rich mix of cultural and celebratory events.   Dark days and winter chills do nothing to dampen the buzz in Dublin. The city embraces its winter vibe transforming into a cultural playground filled with outstanding theatrical, literary and arts events and unforgettable celebrations including Dublin’s fabulous New Year’s...

  Elevate your autumn on the island of Ireland with a selection of festivals that celebrate community, tradition and heritage. From harvest fairs to feasts of local bounty, this is a season to savour There’s something particularly special about autumn in Ireland, and much of it comes down to its links to harvest time. For starters, there’s the food, from orchards...

  On 31st December 1759, Arthur Guinness signed an impressive 9,000-year lease on St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, creating an Irish icon in Guinness stout, as well as an impressive legacy that can be seen around the world today. With the brand-new Netflix series House of Guinness launching around the world on 25 September, we explore some of the...

  This mid-term break, why not swap pumpkin patches and cinema trips for a stay in a 400-year-old real-life haunted castle? Ballygally Castle, perched dramatically on the Antrim Coast and long-regarded as one of Ireland’s most haunted buildings, is offering a Halloween experience with a difference. Step inside its historic walls on Sunday 26th October for the Trick-or-Treat Castle Retreat, an overnight...

  1. Halloween began over 2,000 years ago in Ireland  It may be celebrated all over the world, but Ireland is the true home of Halloween. Over 2,000 years ago the ancient Celts gathered each autumn for the festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-in), one of the four great Celtic fire festivals, to mark the end of the harvest season. It was believed to...

    Ireland’s tales of the undead and Dublin’s Gothic architecture inspired the creation of the world’s most famous vampire.   There is one place in the world where Halloween isn’t just celebrated, it’s part of the heritage. Welcome to Ireland, the true home of Halloween, where ancient Celtic traditions and gothic legends collide in a celebration unlike anywhere else on Earth. Long before...

Myths, mischief and mighty celebrations all converge for one of the biggest festivals of the year in Ireland. But do you know where it all started?   When you think about Halloween, you probably think of carved pumpkins, ghoulish costumes and blazing bonfires, with mysterious scenes unfolding in the dimming light. But did you know that many of those traditions actually...