Festivals

Gear up for a new year with the hottest trends shaping travel right now What’s on travellers’ radar for 2025? Where are the go-to spots you don’t want to miss? As holidaymakers look to escape the frenetic routine of their daily lives and immerse themselves in nature, we’ve got the top travel tips for where to go in Ireland. Sun,...

Looking for a festival to attend in 2025? You’re in luck. In Ireland, it feels like there’s an event happening practically every weekend, from huge St Patrick’s Day celebrations to intimate literary gatherings. Our calendar begins on 1st February, also known as the major Celtic festival Imbolc, which marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox....

Fairy tale-like stays, magical attractions, friendly locals – the island’s unique experiences and Valentine’s Day are a match made in heaven The perfect way to start a Valentine’s weekend? It’s got to be with a visit to Dublin. After all, the relics of St Valentine are enshrined in Whitefriar Street Church in Dublin. Gifted to an Irish Carmelite priest in...

What better way to start 2025 than at Tradfest, Dublin’s joyful celebration of Irish identity through music. Shake off the winter gloom at one of Ireland’s biggest traditional music festivals, which runs for five days (22–26 January) and features over 150 artists across more than 100 events. Based in Temple Bar, the cobblestoned hub of Dublin’s cultural universe on the south...

One of the best-loved winter festivals on the island of Ireland, Out to Lunch presents 23 days of top-class comedy, theatre and music. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, Out to Lunch is a vibrant arts festival in Belfast that features both local and internationally renowned artists. Part of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, Out to Lunch takes place in...

To mark the 125th anniversary of Oscar Wilde’s death, a new festival, In Our Dreams, will take place next October in County Fermanagh. A Wilde weekend of fairytale, fantasy and frivolity for serious people is promised at the In Our Dreams festival (16–20 October 2025) based in the island town of Enniskillen, in the beautiful County Fermanagh lakelands. The town has...

Why not combine your Christmas shopping with a short break in Ireland where you’ll find unique gifts of the highest quality. Donegal Tweed Authentic Donegal tweed is a premium gift and on a visit to County Donegal you’ll be able to visit working mills to see the artistry of the weavers at work. There are many opportunities go behind the...

Delve into the wonders of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the stimulating and entertaining NI Science Festival. With over 150 events across more than 90 venues, the NI Science Festival (12–23 February 2025) presents world-class speakers and a diverse programme of events, and in just 10 years has become one of Europe’s leading science festivals. By day, the festival offers...

Enjoy the spectacle and pageantry of Georgian Armagh at the historic city’s award-winning festival. The annual Georgian Festival (28 November 28 to 1 December) recreates the flavour of late eighteenth-century Armagh with tours, talks, theatre, music, light shows, markets and costumed characters animating its historic buildings and streets. History buffs will enjoy the guided Georgian walking tours, which give an...

Presenting 82 events over 10 days, the Sound of Belfast festival celebrates Northern Ireland’s capital as a UNESCO City of Music. Belfast’s thriving and diverse musical landscape and rich musical heritage garnered it the prestigious title of City of Music in 2021. With a vibrant music scene that spans all genres, Belfast’s beat can be felt in the streets, pubs,...