Cultural Events in Ireland
January
Temple Bar Trad
Temple Bar Trad is Dublin's premier celebration of traditional music
and culture. It's hard to believe that before the first ever Temple Bar
Trad in January 2006, Dublin had lacked a traditional music festival
for almost twenty years!
27 Eustace Street
Temple Bar
Dublin 2
Tel:+353 1 677 23 97
F:+353 1 677 23 87
E:trad@tascq.ie
The Gathering Traditional Irish Music Festival
Killarney
Tel: +353 64 33544
Website: The Gathering
Unfringed & Unfringed for Children
Limerick
A week long theatrical adventure featuring the national and international theatre for adults and children. Contact the Limerick Tourist Information Office for more information on +353 61 317522.
March
Saint Patrick's Day
Website: Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day has become a huge celebration in the Republic of Ireland and the city of Dublin has now extended the festivities to cover a full week. The feast day celebrates the life of the man who brought Catholicism to Ireland but is much more than simply a religious festival - as the Irish Tourism Board put it - Saint Patrick's Day is the day everybody wants to be Irish!
The tradition of parades and wild celebration did not originate in Ireland. The first St. Patrick's Day celebration was held by the Charitable Irish Society of Boston, America in 1737. Today festive parades are held all over the world and in Dublin you can expect packed programmes of events including street theatre, fireworks, music, and exhibitions.
Draíocht Children's Arts Festival
Blanchardstow
Dublin
Tel: +353 1 885 2622
April
Cork Choral Festival
WebSite: Cork Choral Festival
Many performances ranging from classical peices to contemporary peices. A hugely popular event with the general public, as well as the world's top composers, conductors and choristers.
May
Castle Bar Blues Festival
Tel: +353 94 23 111
WebSite: Castle Bar Blues Festival
Fleadh Nua
Fleadh Nua Information Centre
c/o Ennis Chamber of Commerce
54 O'Connell Street
Ennis
County Clare
Tel: +353 65 684 2988
Fax: +353 65 682 4783
Email: ceoltrad@fleadhnua.com
WebSite: Fleadh Nua
The Fleadh Nua Festival brings together concerts, céilithe, music, song and dancing workshops, and each year thousands of people in search of traditional entertainment attend.
Galway Early Music Festival
The Secretary
60 Prospect Hill
Galway
Tel: +353 87 930 5506
Email: info@galwayearlymusic.com
WebSite: Galway Early Music Festival
The Galway Early Music Festival celebrates early forms of music and examines a different theme each year. Check the web site for details of this years concerts.
Kilkenny Rhythm n' Roots Festival
Tel: +353 56 900 57
Fax: +353 56 900 69
WebSite: Kilkenny Rhythm n' Roots Festival
The finest roots, blues, country, traditional and roots acts from Ireland will complete a world-class bill set against the ambiance of the medieval city of Kilkenny.
June
West Cork Chamber Music Festival
Tel: +353 27 52 788
Website: West Cork Chamber Music Festival
July
Galway Arts Festival
Black Box Theatre
Dyke Road
Galway
Tel: +353 91 509 700
Fax: +353 91 562 655
Email: info@galwayartsfestival.ie
Website: Galway Arts Festival
The Galway Arts Festival is a international two week celebration of the performing and visual arts that has enjoyed growing success since its inception in 1978. The festival brings a wide variety of international artists to Galway and showcases local and national culture.
August
Ballyshannon Traditional Music Festival
Ballyshannon
Donegal
Tel: + 353 72 51 088
Fax: + 353 72 52 832
This internationally renouned festival has seen many changes during it’s 25 years. What originally began as a small town festival and is now one of Ireland's most popular traditional music festivals.
Cork Folk Festival
17 Victoria Avenue
Ballinlough
Tel: +353 21 431 7271
An annual celebration of traditional song, music and dance in Cork.
Festival of World Cultures
Level 3 County Hall
Marine Road
Dun Laoghaire
County Dublin
Tel: + 353 1 205 4700 Ext. 4025
Fax: + 353 1 280 6969
E-Mail: arts@dlrcoco.ie
The Festival of World Cultures is an international culture and arts festival of music, dance, theatre, visual arts, literature, workshops, seminars and international cuisine.
Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann
Venue varies by year
Website: Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann
At Fleadh weekend, men and women flock to an Irish town to play, sing, talk and dance to traditional Irish music. The Feadh is one of the biggest events in the Irish festival calender and attracts up to 200,000 over the three day festival.
Kilkenny Arts Festival
Tel: +353 56 521 75
info@kilkennyarts.ie
Website: Kilkenny Arts Festival
The Kilkenny Arts Festival combines music, film, theatre, literature and visual arts.
Slane Festival
Slane
Co. Meath
Tel:+353 41 988 4400
Fax: +353 41 982 0847
Website: Slane Festival
Waterford Spraoi
The Studio’s
Carrickpherish
Waterford
Tel: + 353 51 841 808
Fax : +353 51 858 023
Website: Waterford Spraoi
Multi Arts festival that features a programme of international street theatre and music. The majority of events are held outdoors and are free to the general public.
September
Anna Livia Dublin International Opera Festival
St. Stephen's Green House
Earlsfort Terrace
Dublin 2
Tel: 353 1 661 7544
Email: info@dublinopera.com
Website: Anna Livia Dublin International Opera Festival
Cape Clear Story Telling Festival
Cape Clear Island
County Cork
Tel: +353 28 39 116
Email: stories@indigo.ie
Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival
The Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year and promises to exhilarate, challenge and dazzle the world as never before. The 50th Anniversary of the Festival is a major cultural event of national and international significance. Established in 1957, the Festival is the oldest dedicated theatre festival in Europe, and one of the last surviving English language theatre festivals in the world. The 50th anniversary programme is an unprecedented celebration of the performing arts, unlike anything that the city of Dublin has experienced in the past.
Booking Opens August 20.
Tel: +353 1 677 8899
Email: info@dublintheatrefestival.com
More information: www.dublintheatrefestival.com
Waterford International Festival of Light Opera
Waterford Chamber of Commerce
Georges Street
Waterford
Tel: +353 51 872 639
Fax: +353 51 876 002
Waterford's International Festival of Light Opera is held in Waterford's Theatre Royal. The theatre was built in 1788 and its size and layout makes for a remarkable sense of intimacy for performers and concert goers alike.
Dublin Fringe Festival
12 East Essex Street,
Temple Bar
Dublin 2
Tel: +353 1 8171 677
Email: info@fringefest.com
Website: Dublin Fringe Festival
The Dublin Fringe Festival is set to pimp Dublin city with its annually anticipated, packed line-up of contemporary performing arts.
October
Cork Jazz Festival
Website: Cork Jazz Festival
The Guinness Jazz Festival takes place in the city of Cork during the last weekend of October each year. The festival is Ireland's largest jazz event.
Cork Film Festival
15 Grand Parade
Cork
Tel: + 353 21 454 3210
Email: boxoffice@corkfilmfest.org
Website: Cork Film Festival
Dublin Electronic Arts Festival
5 Moore Street
Dublin 1
Tel: + 353 1 874 6023
Website: Dublin Electronic Arts Festival
Wexford Opera Festival
Box Offce: +353 53 22 144
Fax: +353 53 24 289
Email: info@wexfordopera.com
Website: Wexford Opera Festival
The Wexford Opera Festival is a unique opera festival that has been held in the charming coastal town of Wexford for the past 50 years.
Useful Links
Entertainment Ireland Festivals
