Experience the legendary 'craic' with a fabulous festival

Festivals

From the aphrodisiacs of the sea in Galway to the year-long party in Belfast, the Irish people definitely know how to celebrate, well, pretty much everything!

What’s all the fuss about?

The Irish are festival-mad. Yes, if there’s any good excuse to throw a festival it’ll happen – from crowning a goat to having a bit of a walk. Irish festivals can be raucous, high-spirited flings, or they can be culturally-rich arty affairs, but one things for sure, if you want to sample Irish life in its purest form with all its fabulous characters, legendary craic and excellent entertainment make sure you get to a festival.

I’m feeling rather arty, so what’s on?

Ireland prides itself on excelling at the arts be it literature, theatre or music so you if you’re after something cultural then you’ll be spoiled for choice. Some of the most popular and critically acclaimed arts festivals include the Dublin Theatre Festival, the Cork and Galway Arts Festivals, the Wexford Opera Festival, Listowel Writers Week, the Kilkenny Arts Festival, the Belfast Festival, the Castleward Opera in County Down, and the Waterford Spraoi. Film lovers will be delighted to know that Dublin, Cork, Londonderry, Belfast, Galway and Limerick all have film festivals.

I just want to meet somebody…

You’d better get to the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival then – it’s the largest singles event in Europe and is based on the old traditions of the Lisdoonvarna matchmakers.

Do they really crown a goat in Kerry?

Yes, head to the Puck Fair in Killorglin in August to see for yourself.

I’d like to listen to something good

From the wonderfully traditional Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann to the rocking vibes of the BudRising Festival, Ireland hosts an exceptionally diverse range of music festivals. Jazz lovers will particularly enjoy stroking their goatees to the cool sounds of the Cork Jazz Festival.

What’s all this about horses?

The horse fair is an old Irish tradition and today horse fairs and festivals thrive with entertainment, music and arts. Head to the oldest festival in the Country – the Ould Lammas Fair in Antrim for a dose of pure ‘craic’, or try the Connemara Pony Show in Clifden.

What about the food lovers?

Justly famous for its seafood, smoked salmon, smoked fish, oysters, mussels and crab top the bill. But it’s not just fish that gives Ireland its reputation – the country also produces excellent lamb, beef and pork, as well as delicious black pudding, farmhouse cheese, soda bread and, of course, Guinness. Try the Listowel Food Fair in November, the Kinsale Food Festival in October, the Galway Oyster Festival in September, the Hillsborough Oyster Festival at the end of August, and the Bantry Mussel Festival in May.

I like my festivals big and bawdy!

Make sure not to miss out on the excellent St Patrick’s Festival in Dublin when visitors from all over the world flock to the Republic's capital city for a week long celebration with street theatre, parades and a legendary fireworks show. The Rose of Tralee Festival in Kerry is a talent contest with a difference and the town is set alight with an incredible atmosphere as competitors travel to Kerry to take part. The lively celebrations include street parades, music, dancing and entertainment. Of course, a definite must-see is the spectacular Halloween Festival in Londonderry - the longest running carnival in Ireland.