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Arts, Culture & Festivals

From the fire of the festival to the lure of literature, the island of Ireland boasts a rich tapestry of arts and cultural activities

Events and activities

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Galway Races - Autumn Festival

08 Sep 2008 - 10 Sep 2008

 

A spectacular 3-day meeting encompassing 23 races with a mixture of flat and national hunt racing. Commencing on Sunday, 9th...

Dunfanaghy Jazz And Blues Festival

12 Sep 2008 - 14 Sep 2008

 

A new and exciting music festival highlighting top Jazz and Blues musicians in loads of great venues in and around Dunfanaghy....

Clarenbridge Oyster Festival

12 Sep 2008 - 14 Sep 2008

 

The Clarenbridge Oyster Festival has for many years been established as a premier event of top-class international entertainment...

Bbc’S Proms In The Park At Belfast City Hall

13 Sep 2008 - 13 Sep 2008

 

Proms in the Park will be held this year in the grounds of Belfast’s City Hall. The event, hosted by Noel Thompson, will produce...

Suck Valley Walking Festival

13 Sep 2008 - 14 Sep 2008

 

There are three walks organised for the Suck Valley Walking Festival. The walks are varied to suit different abilities from the...

Harvest Feast Food Festival

13 Sep 2008 - 14 Sep 2008

 

Join us for a weekend of food-related activities, food market, food tastings, seminars, cookery demonstrations, food films and...

Midleton Food & Drink Festival

13 Sep 2008 - 13 Sep 2008

 

A celebration of local and international food, with stalls, markets, demos, crafts, music, waiter's race, food film, pig on a spit...

Listowel Harvest Festival

14 Sep 2008 - 20 Sep 2008

 

Listowel Harvest Festival runs in conjunction with the Listowel Racing Festival. It offers punters a chance to let their hair down...

Fenagh Steam Rally

14 Sep 2008 - 14 Sep 2008

 

Fenagh is one of the longest running and most successful steam rallies in the country having being established in the mid...

A Taste Of West Cork Food Festival

16 Sep 2008 - 21 Sep 2008

 

Highlighting all that is good in West Cork food. Local good food producers come together with skilled and innovative chefs,...

East Cork Early Music Festival

17 Sep 2008 - 21 Sep 2008

 

The East Cork Early Music Festival is a five day series of baroque and early music concerts in Cork City and County. Performances...

Waterford Fringe Festival

19 Sep 2008 - 28 Sep 2008

 

Waterford Fringe Festival, is a multi-disciplinary Arts Festival to coincide with The Waterford International Festival Of Light...

Sligo New Music Festival

20 Sep 2008 - 20 Sep 2008

 

The Sligo Festival of New Music is a specialist festival which focuses on Contemporary Music. The Festival chooses the music of an...

Athlone Literary Festival

21 Sep 2008 - 23 Sep 2008

 

The Athlone Literary Festival has its origins in the John Broderick Weekend held in May 1999. The festival is aimed at readers and...

Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival

25 Sep 2008 - 12 Oct 2008

 

The Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival celebrates its 51th Anniversary this year and promises to exhilarate, challenge and dazzle...

New Ross Piano Festival

25 Sep 2008 - 28 Sep 2008

 

The third New Ross Piano Festival will take place on the last weekend of September, i.e. September 25th to 28th, 2008. Our aim is...

Galway International Oyster Festival

25 Sep 2008 - 28 Sep 2008

 

It was the first week of September in 1953 and the worried manager of the Great Southern Hotel, Brian Collins, was looking at his...

Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival

25 Sep 2008 - 28 Sep 2008

 

The Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival is a "Celebration of Irish Traditional and American Bluegrass Music". Each year during the...

Kilkenny Celtic Festival

26 Sep 2008 - 05 Oct 2008

 

Kilkenny Celtic Festival 26th September - 5th October 2008 Kilkenny, Irelands medieval capital, in the sunny south east of...

Seisiun Na H-Eireann

26 Sep 2008 - 28 Sep 2008

 

The festival commences Friday September 28th sessions kicking off in the Village pubs. The 1st round heats go on until 22.00hrs...

Graiguenamanagh 'town Of Books' Festival

26 Sep 2008 - 28 Sep 2008

 

Graiguenamanagh Book weekend is a new and exciting initiative being launched by Graiguenamanagh Tourism. The concept is unique in...

Kerry International Chamber Music Festival

01 Oct 2008 - 04 Oct 2008

 

The Kerry International Chamber Music Festival has enticed renowned classical musicians to Kerry since it was first established in...

Beamish Cork Folk Festival

02 Oct 2008 - 05 Oct 2008

 

Since its inception in 1979, Cork’s annual folk festival has provided lovers of folk and traditional Irish music with a wonderful...

Dromineer Literary Festival

03 Oct 2008 - 05 Oct 2008

 

The festival invites participants from all members of the community of all ages for writing competitions, workshops, readings and...

Sligo Traditional Singing Weekend

03 Oct 2008 - 05 Oct 2008

 

A weekend of traditional singing, lectures, workshops and guided tours.

Ardara Traditional Dancing Festival

03 Oct 2008 - 05 Oct 2008

 

Workshops will take place all day Saturday and Sunday in Ceili, Set Dancing and Barn Dancing. Dances will take place Friday &...

Westport Arts Festival

03 Oct 2008 - 12 Oct 2008

 

Westport Arts Festival has long since established itself on the West coast calendar as an exciting and diverse event. The festival...

Ballinasloe International October Fair & Festival

04 Oct 2008 - 12 Oct 2008

 

The Ballinasloe International October Fair & Festival is a 9-day event to cater for equestrian lovers, family entertainment, music...

Feile Frank Mcgann

09 Oct 2008 - 12 Oct 2008

 

Féile Frank McGann, which takes place in Strokestown, Co Roscommon, is a festival of Irish traditional music, song and dance, and...

Nire Valley Annual Walking Festival

11 Oct 2008 - 12 Oct 2008

 

The name ' Nire Valley ' comes from the Gaelic ' Gleann na hUidhre ' which means glen or valley of the yellow / brown stone which...

Carlow Autumn Walking Festival

11 Oct 2008 - 12 Oct 2008

 

If you are a serious rambler or just like to stretch your legs and enjoy the view, Carlow is a brilliant destination to explore on...

Corona Cork Film Festival

12 Oct 2008 - 19 Oct 2008

 

Corona Cork Film Festival was founded in 1956 to bring premieres of new Irish and international feature films, documentaries and...

6Th Smurfit Samhain International Poetry Festival

15 Oct 2008 - 19 Oct 2008

 

Festival includes poetry recitals, concerts, workshops and art exhibitions. The festival also includes the €6,000 Smurfit Poetry...

Annual Sligo International Choral Festival

15 Oct 2008 - 19 Oct 2008

 

4 days of Music & Singing - Worldwide Choirs attending the event. 2nd Largest Choral Festival in 32 Counties of Ireland....

Slieve Bloom Storytelling Festival

16 Oct 2008 - 18 Oct 2008

 

The Slieve Blooms, a landscape of mountains, valleys, glens, waterfalls, ancient raths and medieval castles, in the heart of...

Wexford Fringe Festival

16 Oct 2008 - 02 Nov 2008

 

Wexford Fringe Festival, is based around Wexford Opera Festival and features 18 days and nights of fun, culture, an eclectic range...

Marconi Commemorative Weekend

16 Oct 2008 - 19 Oct 2008

 

On the 17th October, 1907, a defining event in world communication occurred on a bog outside of Clifden, Connemara, Co Galway. The...

Feile An Fhomhair, Carlow

16 Oct 2008 - 24 Oct 2008

 

The Feile an Fhomair is a bilingual (both English and Irish) Autumn Festival with an environmental theme. Combining the...

Wexford Opera Festival

16 Oct 2008 - 02 Nov 2008

 

The 57th Wexford Festival Opera will open on 16 October 2008 for 18 days and nights of rarely explored and popular repertoire....

African Film Festival

17 Oct 2008 - 19 Oct 2008

 

This year with the Carlow African Film Festival in association with Carlow Local Authorities Arts Office and local partners radio...

Festival Of Music At Christ Church Cathedral

18 Oct 2008 - 25 Oct 2008

 

Christ Church Cathedral Waterford will host its second Festival of Music. The festival runs from 18th – 25th October, with...

Clones Film Festival 2008

22 Oct 2008 - 26 Oct 2008

 

Celebrating the best of Irish and International film in a unique and intimate setting in Clones.

Sligo Live 08

23 Oct 2008 - 27 Oct 2008

 

Experience the excitement of Irish and international, traditional and contemporary music (roots & branches).

Virginia Pumpkin Festival

24 Oct 2008 - 27 Oct 2008

 

A weekend filled with live music and street entertainment. Fireworks display at Lough Ramor lakeshore with live music and food.

'imagine' - Waterford Arts Festival

24 Oct 2008 - 03 Nov 2008

 

IMAGINE is a unique celebration of the arts in Waterford city. It provides an opportunity for everyone to experience and...

Savour Kilkenny Gourmet Food Festival

24 Oct 2008 - 26 Oct 2008

 

Savour the Delights at Kilkenny Second Food Festival. The character of Irelands medieval capital provides the perfect setting for...

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

24 Oct 2008 - 27 Oct 2008

 

The Cork Jazz Festival is one of Ireland's most successful Arts & Cultural Events and one of the top three Jazz festivals in the...

Ernest Shackleton Autumn School

24 Oct 2008 - 27 Oct 2008

 

The Athy Heritage Centre has established the Ernest Shackelton Autumn Summer School to celebrate the life and work of the great...

Irish Conker Championships

25 Oct 2008 - 26 Oct 2008

 

As our fathers' fathers' fathers' fathers did before us, this autumn, people across the globe will remove the laces from their...

Walk Killarney

25 Oct 2008 - 27 Oct 2008

 

This 27 days of fully guided walking will run over all of the Public Holiday Weekends (excluding the May Weekend) as well as the...

The Sligo Festival Of Baroque Music 2008

25 Oct 2008 - 25 Oct 2008

 

Held over the October Bank holiday weekend, The Sligo Festival of Baroque Music is an exceptional event providing an elegant...

Willie Keane Memorial Weekend

26 Oct 2008 - 29 Oct 2008

 

A weekend which promotes traditional music, song & dance and in doing so ensures that the asperations of Willie Keane, one of the...

Oireachtas Na Samhna

28 Oct 2008 - 31 Oct 2008

 

Oireachtas na Gaeilge showcases the very best of Ireland's traditional Irish culture - the "real Ireland" will be exposed,...

Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival

01 Nov 2008 - 08 Nov 2008

 

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival brings films & filmmakers from around the globe to one of the world's most beautiful...

Listowel Food Fair

06 Nov 2008 - 09 Nov 2008

 

Food lovers from around the country gather to enjoy this celebration of local food - restaurant of the year award, classes, young...

Clonmel Song Festival

06 Nov 2008 - 09 Nov 2008

 

This exciting five day event in various venues around Clonmel, provides an invaluable platform on which song writers can perform...

Ennis Trad Festival

07 Nov 2008 - 10 Nov 2008

 

The Ennis Trad Festival is a festival for those who love to hear (or play) Irish Traditional music of the highest quality in its...

Ardara Matchmaking Weekend

07 Nov 2008 - 09 Nov 2008

 

Weekend of music, dancing and matchmaking based on an old idea of matchmaking once prevalent in Co Donegal.

Duiske Concert Season

12 Nov 2008 - 28 Nov 2008

 

A unique chance to hear Classical and Traditional music in a 13th century setting.Since 1991 Duiske Abbey in Graiguenamanagh,...

Waterford Film Festival

13 Nov 2008 - 16 Nov 2008

 

The Waterford Second Film festival. After a very successful 1st year Waterford Film Festival is back with two extra days added on,...

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Festivals of culture

As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, they invented a festival to celebrate all sorts of occasions – the least you can do is join in…

Find out more about Festivals of Culture

Musical traditions

From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music

Find out more about Musical Traditions

Literature

Proving the pen is mightier than the sword, the Irish have a unique way with words that can be enjoyed through the ages

Find out more about Literature

Museums & Galleries

Ireland boasts some of Europe’s most intriguing museums and art galleries

Find out more about Museums & Galleries

Free cultural discount pass

Discover some amazing things to see and do around Ireland and save some money, too

Find out more about the discount pass

Listings

Galway Races - Autumn Festival
Galway Races - Autumn Festival

A spectacular 3-day meeting encompassing 23 races with a mixture of...

Dunfanaghy Jazz And Blues Festival
Dunfanaghy Jazz And Blues Festival

A new and exciting music festival highlighting top Jazz and Blues...

See all listings

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Special offer

3 Mill Court - 2 night self-catering break

3 Mill Court - 2 night self-catering break

Offer from the Northern Ireland Tourist Board 2008 Short Breaks promotion. 2 night self-catering break - contact premises for more...

Did you know?

The harp that can be seen on passports and stamps in the Republic of Ireland is based on a 14th-century harp, which is now kept in Trinity College Dublin and known popularly as the Brian Boru harp.