Festivals in and near Limerick

Limerick's festivals are lively cultural celebrations. The Sionna Festival in Limerick features music, song and dance, with performers from Ireland and all over the world. Limerick's festival to celebrate St Patrick's Day is a fun-filled extravaganza featuring street theatre, live music and of course a spectacular parade.

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The Irish are always on the lookout for some 'craic'! Their festivals are some of the best places to let your hair down and have a brilliant time celebrating Irish culture and tradition.

There are countless events and get-togethers across the nation focused on everything Irish. The summer months explode with traditional music and dancing 'Fleadhs' (festivals) all across the country and the whole nation comes together in celebration on St Patrick's Day.

Sometime between 463 and 493 a man now known as St Patrick died on the 17th of March in Ireland. Patrick had travelled to Ireland to convert the pagan Celts to Christianity. He picked a Shamrock from the ground and used its three leaves to explain the premise of the Holy Trinity to the druids and the king. His explanation was accepted and he was given the king's blessing to spread Christianity around Ireland.

Patrick became the patron saint of Ireland, and the anniversary of his death is celebrated all over the world as St Patrick's Day. It is the day where everyone wants to be Irish, and where else can you get the full spirit of the day than in Ireland? While you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere in Ireland without an official celebration, the many individual festivals in Dublin held on this day equates to the most extravagant. On par with the great world festivals like Carnival and Mardi Gras, St Patrick's Day in Dublin is a spectacle not to be missed. Music, street theatre, carnivals, dance and street performances happen all around the city in the days leading up to the vibrant St Patrick's Day Parade on 17 March. So put on your greenest clothes and party like only the Irish can.

To really appreciate the cultural flavour of everything authentically Irish, attend one of the many festivals around the country devoted to traditional Irish and Celtic culture, including arts, music and and dance festivals. Musicians and dancers from all over Ireland and the world gather to compete, play and just have a good time.

Festivals in Birr include the largest celebration of Irish music, song and dance, the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. Based in Tullarmore, this event annually plays host to 230,000 people who gather from all over the world to celebrate Irish culture. Over 100,000 musicians, singers and dancers take part in this feast of Irish tradition, and there is also a competitive aspect to the festival, as performers play for top prizes.

Those attending festivals in Ennis should not miss out on the yearly Trad Festival that caters for individuals who have an appreciation for high quality Irish music. The festival has a relaxed and informal atmosphere, and features internationally renowned musicians. Different styles of traditional music are showcased at the sessions, and master-classes and Irish dancing add to the festival's exciting line-up.

One of Ireland's most eminent writers is James Joyce, renowned for his modern epic Ulysses. The novel revolves around a single day, 16 June, in the life of its hero, Leopold Bloom, in Dublin. 'Bloomsday' as the special day is called, is celebrated each year with a range of festivals in Dublin. Readings of the classic work are held throughout the city and theatre groups re-enact scenes from Ulysses in the original locations around the city. Walking tours of Dublin trace Bloom's steps through the city's streets, pubs, and historic landmarks, and there are even concerts where the music featured in Ulysses is sung.

Looking for some unique festivals in Ballyvaughan and surrounds? The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival sees thousands of hopeful singles descend on the town annually in September and October. A huge singles event that has been held for 150 years, it originated when local matchmakers would invite eligible sons and daughters of farmers in the area to get acquainted at Lisdoonvarna. The modern festival features lively celebrations, including the Lisdoonvarna Meeting, a horse race for amateur jockeys, and many parties and singles events, including the latest trends such as speed dating. The festival closes with a grand final, in which the best-matched couple are chosen and awarded the titles of 'Mr Lisdoonvarna' and 'Queen of the Burren'.