Festivals and Special Events in Ireland
Events by Region | Events by Date
If it's music you are after, traditional or contemporary, country or classical, it's here, along with theatre, literature, comedy and dance. And then there are sporting events, agricultural and horse shows, one off concerts ... the list goes on.
Ireland's many festival are renowned, but less well known are the Summer Schools where people return year after year, often to lovely parts of the country, to share their knowledge and expertise on various topics.
If there is something on while you are touring in Ireland try to get to it - have fun, meet people and be prepared to join in!
| Event Type | Date | Event |
|---|---|---|
| Arts Festivals | March 2009 | Ar Ais Arís Traditional Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | April 2009 | Féile Átha dá Chab |
| Arts Festivals | May 2009 | Drogheda Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | May 2009 | Eigse Carlow |
| Arts Festivals | 12th - 20th July | Kinsale Arts Week |
| Arts Festivals | 10th - 20th July | Earagail Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | 14th - 27th July | Galway Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | July 25th - Aug 1st | Boyle Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | August 3rd - 6th | Greystones Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | Aug 8th-17th | Kilkenny Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | Aug 29th - Sept 7th | Westport Arts Festival |
| Arts Festivals | 18th - 28th Sept | Clifden Arts Week |
| Arts Festivals | 13th - 19th Oct | Baboró International Arts Festival for Children |
| Arts Festivals | Oct 10th -12th | Clarinbrige Arts Festival 2008 |
| Arts Festivals | Oct 24th - Nov 2nd | IMAGINE - Waterford Arts Festival |
| Comedy Festivals and Events | February 2009 | Tedfest |
| Comedy Festivals and Events | March 2009 | Galway Comedy Festival |
| Comedy Festivals and Events | May 2009 | Cat Laughs Comedy Festival |
| Dance | December 2007 | Ballet Ireland Spring Tour |
| Exhibitions and Trade Shows | Jan 6th - 10th | BT Young Scientist Exhibition |
| Exhibitions and Trade Shows | 6th & 7th Sept | Rude Health |
| Exhibitions and Trade Shows | September 23th-25th | National Ploughing Championships |
| Exhibitions and Trade Shows | 23rd - 27th October | Ideal Homes Exhibition |
| Exhibitions and Trade Shows | Nov 6th - 9th | Toys for Big Boys |
| Festivals | Jan 23rd - 25th | The Shindig Festival 2009 |
| Festivals | March 12th - 17th | St Patrick's Festival 2009 |
| Festivals | March 15th - 17th | The Kerry Pageant Festival 2009 |
| Festivals | March 2009 | Leitrim Roots Festival 2009 |
| Festivals | April 14th - 19th | Pan Celtic Arts Festival |
| Festivals | April 2009 | Easter Arts & Bumble Bee Festival |
| Festivals | May 2009 | Feile na Tuaithe (Country Festival) |
| Festivals | May 1st-31st | Bealtine |
| Festivals | June 2009 | Docklands Maritime Festival 2009 |
| Festivals | June 15th - July 5th | Cork Midsummer Festival |
| Festivals | June 2009 | Taste of Dublin Festival 2009 |
| Festivals | July 5th-13th | Clonmel Junction Festival |
| Festivals | July 13th-20th | Dublin Circus Week |
| Festivals | July 17th - 20th | The Phoenix Festival |
| Festivals | 23rd - 27th July | Sneem Family Fun Festival |
| Festivals | July 11th - 20th | Ballina Salmon Festival |
| Festivals | July 26th - Aug 4th | Mary from Dungloe Festival |
| Festivals | Aug 15th - 22nd | Birr Vintage Week |
| Festivals | 10th - 12th August | Puck Fair |
| Festivals | 22nd - 24th August | Festival of World Cultures |
| Festivals | August 2008 | Dan Paddy Andy Festival |
| Festivals | August 1st - 3rd | Spraoi Festival |
| Festivals | Sept 26th - Oct 5th | Kilkenny Celtic Festival |
| Festivals | 12th - 14th Sept | Clarenbridge Oyster Festival |
| Festivals | 5th - 7th Sept | Cape Clear International Story Telling Festival |
| Festivals | 25th-28th September | Galway International Oyster Festival |
| Festivals | Aug 29th - Sept 5th | Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival |
| Festivals | October 2008 | Mohill Arts & Storytelling Festival |
| Festivals | 24th - 27th Oct | Kinsale Jazz Festival |
| Festivals | 10th - 12th Oct | Kinsale International Gourmet Festival |
| Festivals | October 24th-26th | The Culchie Festival |
| Festivals | 4th -12th Oct | Ballinasloe October Fair |
| Rock & Pop | October 23rd - 27th | Sligo Live |
| Festivals | Nov 6th - 9th | Spirit of Voice Festival 2008 |
| Festivals | Nov 6th - 9th | Listowel Food Fair 2008 |
| Film and Movie Events | April 2009 | Jameson Belfast Film Festival 2009 |
| Film and Movie Events | June 20th - 29th | Darklight Festival |
| Film and Movie Events | July 5th - August 30th | Movies on the Square |
| Film and Movie Events | 8th - 13th July | Galway Film Fleadh |
| Film and Movie Events | July 31st - Aug 4th | Gaze: the Dublin Gay & Lesbian Film Festival |
| Film and Movie Events | 11th - 14th Sept | Dingle Film Festival |
| Film and Movie Events | Nov 5th - 9th | Waterford Film Festival 2008 |
| Garden Events | June 2009 | Garden Show Ireland |
| Garden Events | June 2009 | Bloom Garden Show |
| Garden Events | May - August | Wicklow Gardens Festival |
| Literary Festivals and Events | January 2009 | Kate O' Brien Weekend |
| Literary Festivals and Events | February 2009 | Tipperariana Book Fair |
| Literary Festivals and Events | Mar 6th - 8th | Ennis Book Club Festival |
| Literary Festivals and Events | March 2009 | Wexford Book Festival 2009 |
| Literary Festivals and Events | April 2009 | Cúirt International Festival of Literature |
| Literary Festivals and Events | April 2009 | Poetry Now Festival |
| Literary Festivals and Events | May 2009 | Listowel Writer's Week |
| Literary Festivals and Events | June 2009 | Dublin Writers Festival |
| Literary Festivals and Events | June 2009 | Blooomsday Festival 2009 |
| Literary Festivals and Events | July 2008 | West Cork Literary Festival |
| Literary Festivals and Events | 26th - 28th Sept | Dromineer Literary Festival 2008 |
| Literary Festivals and Events | November 28th -30th | Patrick Kavanagh Weekend |
| Miscellaneous Events | Jan 1st | Castlecomer Wellie Race |
| Miscellaneous Events | Dec 31st-Jan 1st | New Year: Christ Church Bells |
| Miscellaneous Events | May 2009 | Belfast Children's Festival |
| Miscellaneous Events | Aug 24th - Sept 1st | National Heritage Week |
| Miscellaneous Events | September 14th | Dublin Culture Night 2008 |
| Miscellaneous Events | 14th Sept | Fenagh Steam Rally |
| Miscellaneous Events | Oct 26th | Irish Conker Championships |
| Miscellaneous Events | December 2008 | Christmas at Farmleigh |
| Classical Music | February 2009 | The RTE Living Music Festival 2009 |
| Classical Music | May 2009 | Galway Early Music Festival |
| Classical Music | May 2009 | Cork International Choral Festival 2009 |
| Classical Music | June 20th - 29th | Pipeworks Festival |
| Classical Music | July 9th - 13th | Shannon International Music Festival |
| Classical Music | 24th July - 21st Aug | St. Barranane's Festival of Music |
| Classical Music | June 28th - July 6th | West Cork Chamber Music Festival |
| Classical Music | June 6th - July 15th | Music in Great Irish Houses |
| Classical Music | Sept 25th - 28th | New Ross Piano Festival |
| Classical Music | 16th Oct - Nov 2nd | Wexford Opera Festival |
| Jazz & Blues | March 2009 | 12 Points Jazz Festival |
| Jazz & Blues | May 2009 | Bray Jazz Festival 2009 |
| Jazz & Blues | June 2009 | Limavady Jazz & Blues Festival |
| Jazz & Blues | September 12th - 14th | Blackstairs Blues Festival |
| Jazz & Blues | Oct 24th - 27th | Cork Jazz Festival |
| Miscellaneous Musical Events | Sept 18th - 21st | Clonakilty International Guitar Festival |
| Miscellaneous Musical Events | 11th - 13th Oct | Irish Steel Guitar Festival |
| Miscellaneous Musical Events | Oct 31st - Nov 2nd | Clonmel Song Festival |
| Miscellaneous Musical Events | Oct 15th - 19th | Sligo International Choral Festival |
| Rock & Pop | 4th & 5th July | DOD Festival |
| Rock & Pop | June 2009 | Oxegen at Punchestown |
| Rock & Pop | Aug 29th - 31st | The Electric Picnic |
| Rock & Pop | Sept 5th - 7th | Cois Fharraige Surf and Music Festival |
| Traditional Music | January 2009 | Temple Bar Trad |
| Traditional Music | February 2009 | Russell Memorial Weekend |
| Traditional Music | July 31st - Aug 4th | The World Fleadh |
| Traditional Music | July 25th - 27th | Éigse Eatharlaí |
| Traditional Music | July 5th - 13th | Willie Clancy Summer School |
| Traditional Music | June 29th - July 4th | Irish Harp Festival |
| Traditional Music | 6th - 12th August | Feakle Traditional Music Festival |
| Traditional Music | 17th - 25th Aug | Fleadh Cheoil 2008 |
| Traditional Music | Aug 1st - 4th | O'Carolan Harp Festival |
| Traditional Music | 12th - 14th Sept | Tulla Traditional Music Festival |
| Traditional Music | Oct 24th-27th | Patrick O'Keeffe Traditional Music Festival |
| Traditional Music | Oct 9th-12th | Feile Frank McGann 2008 |
| Traditional Music | 3rd - 5th October | Sligo Traditional Singing Weekend |
| Traditional Music | Nov 6th - 10th | Ennis Trad Festival 2008 |
| Shows & Fairs | May 13th - 15th | Balmoral Show |
| Shows & Fairs | August 6th -10th | Dublin Horse Show |
| Sporting Events | March 2009 | West Cork Motor Rally 2009 |
| Sporting Events | April 2009 | Punchestown Racing Festival 2009 |
| Sporting Events | 13th - 15th April | Fairyhouse Easter Racing Festival 2009 |
| Sporting Events | May 2009 | The Lough Corrib Cycle |
| Sporting Events | May 2009 | The Irish Open - Golf 2009 |
| Sporting Events | May 2009 | Rally of the Lakes |
| Sporting Events | March 2009 | Racing at the Curragh |
| Sporting Events | June 2009 | The Irish Derby Festival |
| Sporting Events | 28th July - 3rd August | Galway Races |
| Sporting Events | August 24th | Warriors Festival |
| Sporting Events | 1st - 4th August | Ahakista Regatta |
| Sporting Events | August 1st- 10th | Calves Week 2008 |
| Sporting Events | Jan 30th - Feb 1st | World Rally Championship 2009 |
| Sporting Events | Dec 26th - 29th | Leopardstown Christmas Racing Festival |
| Summer Schools | January 2009 | Yeats Weekend Winter School |
| Summer Schools | May 2009 | Trevor/Bowen Summer School |
| Summer Schools | June 2009 | Goldsmith Summer School |
| Summer Schools | May 2009 | Byrne Perry Summer School |
| Summer Schools | 19th - 25th July | John Hewitt International Summer School |
| Summer Schools | July 6th-12th | Dublin James Joyce Summer School |
| Summer Schools | 19th - 25th July | Hopkins Summer School |
| Summer Schools | July 12th - 19th | The MacGill Summer School |
| Summer Schools | June 29th - July 5th | Synge Summer School |
| Summer Schools | Aug 17th - 23rd | The Merriman Summer School |
| Summer Schools | July 26th - August 8th | Yeats Summer School |
| Summer Schools | 10th - 12th Oct | Charles Macklin Autumn School |
| Theatre | December 2008 | Christmas Pantomime |
| Theatre | December 2008 | Pantomime: Sleeping Beauty |
| Theatre | Dec 22nd-Jan 6th | Pantomime: Jack & the Beanstalk |
| Theatre | December 2008 | Pantomime: Sleeping Beauty |
| Theatre | December 2008 | Pantomime: Beauty & the Beast |
| Theatre | May 1st - 9th | All Ireland Drama Festival |
| Theatre | Sept 25th - Oct 12th | Dublin Theatre Festival |
| Theatre | Mid September | Waterford Festival of Light Opera |
| Theatre | 6th - 21st September | Dublin Fringe Festival |
| The Visual Arts | January 1st - 31st | Turner Watercolour Exhibition |
| The Visual Arts | May 1st - Aug 31st | Hard Rain Exhibition |
| The Visual Arts | July 10th - 13th | Art in Schull 2007 |
| The Visual Arts | Sept 4th - Oct 17th | Sculpture in Context 2008 |
| The Visual Arts | November 2008 | Tulca - Season of Visual Arts |
| The Visual Arts | Nov 14th - 16th | Art Ireland |
Events by Region | Events by Date
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