Ireland Special Events

Ireland has many Festivals and events throughout the year; several are planned for September and October as an extension of the main tourist season. Here are a few examples.

West of Ireland – Galway Races and Galway Oyster Festival

Galway Races Summer Festival is normally around the last week in July. It has become the greatest of all Irish Racing Festivals and probably the most lavish, colorful and sociable fixtures in the Irish Racing World. It is not only a great sporting event, but also a unique social occasion filled with atmosphere, passion and craic and attracts both true race-goers and socialites alike. It is a seven day meeting with a total of 51sponsored races consisting of both flat and national hunt races which attracts all type of race-goer. The excellent racing, oyster bars, champagne and beer tents, jazz bands, trade stands, race-card competitions and even a Best Dressed Lady competition on Thursday combine to ensure there is something for everyone.

Galway International Oyster Festival is towards the end of September, the City comes to life with top class entertainment, delicious oysters and it is sponsored by Guinness which will not be in short supply. The 2003 festival started Friday night with a Mardi Gras party, starting with a Champagne & Oyster reception followed by a superb meal, fine wines, liqueurs and Guinness. Then on Saturday is one of the highlights, the Guinness World Oyster Opening Champion. Representatives from all over the world take part in this prestigious event with the winner crowned as the official World Oyster Opening Champion. There are many other entertainments going on in the city such as an 18 hole open event at Galway Bay Golf Club. Galway is lucky to have the best oyster beds in Ireland, in the unpolluted waters of Brady Bay and Clarenbridge, the native oyster lies in wait for the touring gourmets who know a thing or two about shellfish.

Killorglin, County Kerry is the venue for one of Ireland's most unusual street festivals - Puck Fair. The fair is one of Ireland's oldest and longest celebrated and is held without fail on 10th, 11th and 12th August every year with 12 hours of free family street entertainment. The Puck, a wild mountain goat, is traditionally caught on the August bank holiday Monday. Then on the morning of Gathering Day he is paraded through the streets to rapturous applause and cheering. On arrival at the town square he is crowned King. The newly made monarch is then ceremoniously raised on a scaffold platform some twenty five feet high. The Puck resides here for the next three days and nights looking down on his subjects. The main events of the festival include the traditional horse fair, parade and coronation ceremony of King Puck, open air night concerts, fireworks display, children's competitions, street entertainers and dancing displays. There are many visitors to the town of varying nationalities creating a truly international atmosphere.

Lisdoonvarna holds a Matchmaking Festival about the end of September which spans 5 weeks and is claimed to be Europe’s biggest singles event. It is mainly concentrated at the weekends but there is also music and dancing during the week. The Festival commences with music and craic in all venues. During this 1st weekend the annual world famous Lisdoonvarna Race Meeting takes place with Horse- and Sulki-Racing. The big Country and Western Music Weekend has a gala of entertainment in all of Lisdoonvarna's bars and hotels. During the third, fourth and fifth weekends of the Festival there is Matchmaking with Willie Daly. There is also Music and Dancing in all venues around Lisdoonvarna, music starts at 10am and continues until 4am the following morning. The craic is mighty in Lisdoonvarna - come and meet your 'perfect match'.

The festival finishes with a talent competition choosing 'Mr. Lisdoonvarna' and the 'Queen of the Burren' and it is open to all unattached people, a wonderful finale to the Festival. What makes the matchmaking festival so appealing to many people is the friendly relaxed atmosphere and the fact that various age groups mingle freely and happily together.

Cork Jazz Festival

The Jazz Festival, Ireland's largest jazz event, takes place in the city of Cork during the last weekend of October every year. There is jazz on tap, day and night, for 4 days - using the Everyman Palace Theatre, Gresham Metropole Hotel, Cork Opera House, Triskel Arts Center, Guinness Jazz Pavilion and over 50 other clubs, pubs and fringe venues to host a bank holiday weekend-long jazz extravaganza. All the principal venues are within easy walking distance making for a terrific atmosphere. Admission is free of charge to 90% of the music sessions citywide. The Festival attracts 40,000 visitors to the city - is one of the biggest festival sponsorships in the Guinness portfolio in Ireland - and one of the biggest arts events in the country.

Dublin Theatre Festival takes place over 2 weeks starting at the end of September with an exciting combination of the best of international and Irish work, it's not to be missed. There can be over 150 performances. The re is also a children's program of events as part of the festival.

The Dublin Fringe Festival contains 20 days and nights of cultural experiences you're not likely to forget, your chance to try something new, the opportunity to be different and an occasion to get excited about. There can be over 100 different events and attractions, and over 700 performances to choose from.

Dublin Electronic Arts Festival in October aims to explore electronic arts in an Irish context. While its roots are firmly planted in dance music, the festival encompasses all creative endeavors where things electric constitute more than just the spark for the flame. It encompasses live music, DJ's, film, video, photography, software and anything else electronic that is also art.

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