Ireland Events

Each summer, public and private gardens in County Wicklow (as well as some in the neighbouring counties of Carlow, Dublin and Wexford) open their doors to showcase their natural beauty and diversity. More than 30 gardens take part with each one offering something unique for the visitor.

Putting on a great show at various venues throughout the parish of Castlebar, the festival is sure to get those hips swaying and feet tapping at acoustic and electric blues performances. Held over the June Bank Holiday weekend, this fun festival attracts performers and music lovers from all over Ireland. And sponsored by that most sacred of Irish drinks, festival goers can expect plenty of pints of Guinness to accompany the music.

The first Bray Jazz Festival was held in 2000 and has been entertaining large crowds of music lovers and jazz aficionados ever since. During the weekend event, over 150 acts perform on an eclectic programme – past performers range from the Bagdaddies, with their high energy dance floor grooves, to the more traditional sounds of popular Irish band, Zrazy.

The rally was originally created to provide a suitable venue for vintage enthusiasts to display their machines, as well as allowing the general public to view rare agricultural and mechanical treasures from the past. The exhibits include huge tractors, threshers, unique cars, motorbikes, oil and steam engines as well as experiencing a working forge.

In a festival dedicated to strawberries, the whole town comes together for a weekend of entertainment and celebrations. Events take place around the bandstand in Market Square in the centre of Enniscorthy with live music, drama, food markets and children's entertainment, including a fun fair. One lucky lady is also voted as the fair's Strawberry Queen.

Music has always been a popular art form in Ireland and in 1995 the West Cork Chamber Music Festival was established to promote classical music throughout the area. A strong community atmosphere pervades the festival, which draws performers from across the world. There is also a literary festival, as well as a fine art exhibition, which complement the main musical activities.

The town of Bandon, 32km (20 miles) outside Cork, hosts this festival of traditional and contemporary Irish music. Created in 1997, the event has grown to attract artists from all over the country. As well as outdoor concerts, the Guinness Music Trail takes place on each night of the festival in participating pubs and bars with a mixture of traditional, folk and rock sessions.

The festival kicks off at the weekend with a spectacular fireworks display, followed by 10 days of dancing, comedy, drumming, music, art, poetry, craft and workshops. Circus and street entertainers perform across the town, with special drama and musical shows for children throughout the day.

love:live music is Ireland's National Music Day with free live music events in cities, towns and villages across the country. Initiated by Music Network in 2010 in association with RTE lyric FM, it aims to highlight the breadth and diversity of Ireland’s musical landscape.

The annual Galway Film Fleadh promotes and screens some of the very best in new and classic Irish and world cinema. Filmmakers, directors, actors, cinematographers, industry professionals and film enthusiasts attend the six-day event to view a great range of features, shorts, documentaries and animations submitted by filmmakers from all over the world. Other events include masterclasses, interviews, debates, workshops and seminars.

In the beautiful riverside setting of Carrick-on-Shannon, this boutique festival brings blends opera, classical and jazz performances. Fringe events include everything from church organ recitals to guided walks around the historic town centre. Carrick itself will be celebrating its 400th birthday in 2013.

The town of New Ross in County Wexford bursts into life during the annual JFK Dunbrody Festival with a packed programme of entertainment. Celebrating all that is great about the Emerald Isle, events are rich and varied and include traditional Irish music, street theatre, pipe bands, tapestry displays and a river regatta. Throughout the three-day festival there is an international market with stalls selling everything from regional food specialties to handmade crafts. With plenty of events during the day aimed at entertaining younger audiences and the popular Guinness Music Trail in the evenings, this is a fun festival for all the family.

Taking place in numerous venues throughout County Donegal, this arts festival includes a lively mix of music, theatre, exhibitions, film, children's entertainment and family shows. Over 25,000 people attend events ranging from art exhibitions to folk concerts during the two-week run of the festival.

Celebrating world folk traditions, the annual Feile Iorras is the biggest arts festival in County Mayo, attracting performers and visitors from all over the world. Including some of the best folk singers and dancers from across Europe, the festival also has an eclectic programme of acts from further afield with past performers ranging from Mongolian throat warblers to traditional pan pipe bands from Peru.

The Clonmel Junction Festival is a vibrant artistic event which includes everything from theatre performances to live music, singing and comedy. A number of art exhibitions also open their doors in the weeks leading up to the event. The town of Clonmel itself is transformed for the duration, with flags and banners decorating the streets.

A contemporary festival celebrating the performing and visual arts. Galway is a cosmopolitan university city with a labyrinth of winding medieval streets – over 100,000 people attend the festival. Hundreds of writers, artists, performers and musicians help to create theatre, dance, street art, comedy, literature and music during a fortnight of kaleidoscopic activity.

This fun-packed family festival includes a wide ranging entertainment programme consisting of live music, theatre and comedy with acts and performances to suit all age groups. The main hub of the performances takes place around the Fitzgerald Stadium with an eclectic range of live music. The festival also embraces a popular comedy programme entitled 'Summer Laughs' which showcases some of the best new talent on the circuit.

Usually held on the last Sunday in July, Carrick Rowing Club hosts a fantastic regatta with entertainment for all the family. Rowing competitions are open to Veteran, Novice and Mixed categories and there are under 16s and under 14s events. Carrick Rowing Club is one of the oldest clubs in Ireland and attracts participants and spectators from all over the county.

This well-reputed – and occasionally raucous – street arts festival features over 400 acts, ranging from live music and comedy to theatre and dance, attracting over 80,000 visitors in the process. A parade usually takes place on the Sunday and is performed by the festival company, followed by a fireworks display that brings a dramatic close to the three-day event.

With a packed programme of musicians from Ireland and beyond, the Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Festival features a number of open-air concerts and music workshops. The fun continues on the streets of Ballyshannon with impromptu performances as performers hone their sets for the busking competition. What began as a small town festival in the 1978 has now grown into one of the country's biggest and most popular folk festivals.

Offering a mix of art forms including live classical and contemporary music, visual art, theatre, dance, literature and film, this well-attended festival attracts performers from all over the world and includes events specifically for younger audiences, including book readings and drama performances.

The annual Limerick Show is the largest agricultural event in Munster and includes horse and pony showing and jumping, cattle showing, dog competitions, horticulture and a number of craft and trade show exhibitions. The attractions also cover far more than just agricultural events ,with everything from live music and go karting to keep the crowds entertained.

The Irish love their oysters, and every autumn Galway City spends four days and nights in tribute. The festival started in 1954 - highlights include the World Oyster Opening Championships, a champagne and oyster reception with the Mayor of Galway, the Oyster Pearl Contest, a parade of flags and a vintage car display.

Each October the Baboro International Arts Festival brings a riot of sound and colour to Galway. Aimed at school groups, its shows cover a wide range of art forms including puppetry, music, theatre, storytelling and juggling. First held in 1997, the event now attracts over 40,000 school children from across the region.

Tuneful singing rings out at the annual Sligo International Choral Festival, which sees choirs from all over the world compete in a number of competitions. The four-day event attracts choirs that come back year after year, and cash prizes and trophies for winning choirs ensure high standards.

A great way to carry on the indulgence and excesses of Christmas Day, the annual Christmas Racing Festival has become one of the highlights of the festive season in Limerick. Beginning on Boxing Day, hopeful punters can enjoy four days of racing, in addition to live music and other merriment.

This international event celebrates the culture of Europe from the 12th to the 18th centuries through authentic music, dance, costume and colour, set in the medieval centre of Galway. It showcases the music and dance of the medieval, renaissance and baroque periods through concerts, workshops and masterclasses.

The course's first major race meeting of the New Year, the Killarney Spring Festival generates a great buzz and excitement as racing enthusiasts and hopeful punters don their fineries for the annual event. Held on one of Ireland's most attractive courses, the festival always attracts large and enthusiastic crowds.

Celebrating the cultural links between the coastal communities of South East Ireland and South East Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, each year they take it in turns to host the Waterford Estuary - Newfoundland Festival of the Sea. The wide-ranging programme of events includes everything from live music and traditional Celtic dancing to sailing regattas and photography exhibitions.