Spring Events

Put a spring in your step with a wonderfully colorful array of arts and cultural festivals during the first few months in Ireland

I want to experience some traditional Irish culture

Perfect…Head to the wild, beautiful Dingle Peninsula in early May for Féile na Bealtaine. The largest arts festival on the peninsula, Féile na Bealtaine celebrates the arrival of summer with a plethora of traditional arts including storytelling, song, music and dance as well as contemporary visual arts and literature.

Is Spring a good time to discover the arts in Limerick?

Definitely. May is the perfect month to explore the Republic’s third largest city, a fascinating historical spot prettily situated on the banks of the River Shannon. And the River is the focal point for the dynamic Riverfest Festival, Limerick’s biggest annual event and an ideal opportunity to experience Limerick at its very best.

I hear the Belfast Film Festival is pretty good, too…

The annual Belfast Film Festival has a unique line-up and an edgy vibe. Intrinsically linked to the city’s cultural regeneration, the festival is now one of Belfast’s key events and takes a ‘socio-political’ focus on film. The program is also big on entertainment with drive-in movies, films on the river, Oscar nominees, local talent, premieres, workshops and special guests. Make sure you don’t miss it for 2008!.

I’d like to get close to some literary talent!

Sidle up to some big names at the Cuirt International Festival of Literature in Galway. Over the last 22 years, the festival has brought respected literary giants like JM Coetzee, Nadine Gordimer, Derek Walcott and Seamus Heaney to the Galway Arts Centre. The festival aims to promote a rich cross-section of writing with a contemporary edge from well-known and much-loved authors to cult classics and fresh talent.

Isn’t Galway good for a laugh as well?

It certainly is. The Galway Comedy Festival may only be in its third year but it’s already attracting some of Ireland’s most entertaining and off-beat stand-up comics. The atmosphere of this spectacular west coast city is what really sets it apart so make sure to experience it at festival time when it’s at its best.