Irish Festivals

This page references those events occurring only once a year in Ireland and in Irish communities around the world.

It's a good thing to add them to your itinerary, but only if you want to have fun. Here's a great link to some Irish Festivals.

Festivals by County

County Antrim

Open House Festival: Combination of Country and Western and Traditional Irish Music

County Clare

Winter Music Weekend - Sixmilebridge
Sixmilebridge will be the place to be on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of January next, as crowds gather for the tenth annual Winter Music Weekend.

The packed programme features many of the acoustic acts who have made the Winter Weekend so special over the last ten years.

Top of the bill is a U.S. band who always impress with their incredible skill and passion for bluegrass music, Special Consensus, who will play a concert in the Mill Bar on the Friday night.

Playing acoustic concerts in the Courthouse will be singers Kate Purcell and Niamh Parsons, oldtimey stalwarts the Broken String Band, local singer/songwriter Lou McMahon, and shanty singers Kimbers Men from the UK .

The village will also witness the music and costumes with bells on with the return of the Golden Star Morris Dancers from Norfolk in England.

Seisiun na h-Eireann is an Irish festival of Traditional Irish Music

Ennis Trad Festival
The Ennis Trad Festival is a festival for those who love to hear (or play) Irish traditional music.

Kilrush Festival

Lisdoonvarna Matchmakers Festival

Willie Clancy Summer School
The Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy is Ireland's largest traditional music summer school, held annually since 1973 in memory of the piper Willie Clancy.

Willie Keane Festival 
This weekend of music, song and dance is our tribute to himself.

County Cork

Bandon Music Festival Traditional Irish Music.

County Galway

Galway Early Music Festival - Galway City

Galway Racing Festival - Ballybrit, Co. Galway

Salthill Air Show - Salthill, Co. Galway.

Western Writers' Centre

County Donegal

The Earagail Arts Festival Donegal.

Féile an Fhálcarraigh, Falcarragh Festival, takes place in mid-July each year and is timed to form part of Earagail Arts Festival.

County Leitrim

Joe Mooney Summer School
Every summer in the third week of July, Drumshanbo plays host to the award winning Joe Mooney Summer School. This is a week long traditional festival of music, song and dance named after the man who did so much to promote the cause of Leitrim and his beloved town.

Wise Woman Festival
This festival takes place annually in Dromahair, Co Leitrim.

County Mayo

Killala Festival
The Killala Festival/Féile Cill Álaidh (Killala, County Mayo) runs in August and has something for everyone, including: music, literature, song, dance comedy.

County Roscommon

Western Writers' Centre Stokestown Poetry Festival

Canada

Celtic Festival (Canada)

Canada's Irish Festival
The pageant is a celebration of Canada's Irish Heritage. 

United States

Dublin Irish Festival (Ohio, USA)
The Dublin Irish Festival is produced by the City of Dublin, Ohio.

Louisville Irish Fest  (KY, USA)

Come celebrate your Irish heritage outdoors on the Belvedere Plaza. Good food, music & craic!

Milwaukee Irish Fest
Milwaukee Irish Fest features over 100 entertainers and draws over 130,000 people annually, at the four-day, 16-stage event.

North Texas Irish Festival