Heritage

St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world Over 75 million people around the globe claim to be of Irish descent. So it’s little wonder St Patrick’s Day has become a worldwide phenomenon. They say everyone is Irish on St Patrick’s Day, and with parades and events happening from Australia to Zimbabwe, that’s easy to believe. When the Irish first left the...

Take your pick from great St Patrick’s Day celebrations around Ireland   On St Patrick’s Day all the major cities on the island of Ireland stage fantastic festivals. So why not avoid the Dublin crowds and seek one out this 17 March.   This year St Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday, so Monday 18 March 2024 will be a public holiday. Lucky...

  The ABAIR programme is back for 2024!   ABAIR is St. Patrick’s Festival’s flagship traditional arts strand, sponsored by the Arts Council Traditional Arts fund, which explores the Irish traditions of storytelling, song, and oral history and traces their links around the world. Curated by traditional singer Macdara Yeates, and now in its 6th year, the multi-format programme offers a wide array...

Ireland is going green (and not just on St Patrick’s Day)   The world goes green on St Patrick’s Day to celebrate all things Irish, but the island of Ireland is also going green in a different way. Ireland has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. It’s a commitment that is...

Connect to Celtic Christianity on a Legacy of St Brigid tour Be inspired by the fascinating story of the life and legacy of St Brigid on an immersive tour led by an expert in Christian heritage. The Legacy of St Brigid tour introduces participants to one of the most important Irish saints – an icon who is revered across the...

Belfast 2024 celebrates the city’s creative culture Belfast is embarking on an ambitious cultural celebration in 2024 which will see the city come to life with creative projects, events and civic initiatives. Under the themes of Our People, Our Place and Our Planet, Belfast 2024 will present a year-long programme of exciting projects and events that will celebrate the city’s people,...

EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum assembles “the boys of the NYPD choir” to sing Galway Bay this Christmas   Exhibition launches in Dublin telling the story of The Pogues and Shane MacGowan The Pogues’ song Fairytale of New York is regarded by many as the anthem for Irish global emigration.  It remains one of the most played Christmas songs of the...

Go off the beaten track and discover some of the island of Ireland’s lesser-known castles and abbeys and their magical tales. There is a castle or abbey, intact or in ruins, around every corner on the island of Ireland. The best-known ones are magnets for visitors meaning it’s often hard to get the time and space to soak up their...

Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Boyne Valley in County Meath is to become Ireland’s seventh National Park. The new National Park in Ireland’s Ancient East will stretch over 550 acres (223 hectares) and will be a unique place where history, heritage, nature and culture collide. The park will be situated in the eighteenth-century Dowth demesne, which overlays...

Derry-Londonderry declared a United Nations International City of Peace Derry-Londonderry, a city steeped in history, culture, and reconciliation, has been honoured with the prestigious designation of UN City of Peace. The United Nations International City of Peace program acknowledges cities worldwide that have demonstrated outstanding efforts in fostering peace, tolerance, and cooperation among their diverse communities. Derry-Londonderry's transformation into a symbol...