The Official Ireland Festival Guide

If you thought the US lend it when it come to celebrating the man ’s most illustrious ophidian beater , you got ta see what they do in Ireland . And it ’s not just St. Patrick ’s solar day – the Emerald Isle knows how to have a good fourth dimension . We inquire how they celebrate St. Patsplusdove into an Ellis Island boat - load of evenly corking festival taking place across Ireland . Sláinte ( Irish for " oh hell yeah allow ’s do this " ) .

Galway Food Festival

Where : Galway , Co. GalwayWhen : March 24th-28thThe Galway Food Festival is a celebration of Irish cuisine , but the transportation function up here goes far beyond the island ’s borderline . Galway chefs pride themselves on serving up both local and international nip , like Wa Cafe ’s Galway Bay prawn nigri and Connemara miso . If you ’re looking to stretch out your legs after push back the Wild Atlantic Way up the coast , try one of the fete ’s walk tours , which give you the probability to see Galway on understructure while sample topically source ingredients and beers and forgetting the trauma of driving on the wrong side of the route . Don’t miss : Oysters , directly from the bay .

Day Tripper

Where : Waterford , Co. WaterfordWhen : July 1st-3rdDay sightseer is one of those festivals that manages to sense local while still book some major act . Waterford itself is a relatively pocket-sized city , but the three - Clarence Day festival draws in fans from all across southeast Ireland to hold back out bands like The Darkness and Kaiser Chiefs . This yr ’s batting order already features ‘ 90 ’s superstars Leftfield and Ocean Color Scene , so it feel like a weekend of # tbt . The Sunday headliner has n’t been announced yet , but keep an middle on their website , as Day Tripper looks to finish the weekend strong with some heavy names … finger’s breadth frustrate for Aqua!Don’t Miss : The Disconauts , who conflate two house disc jockey with a motor horn section to create some insanely danceable racecourse .

Electric Picnic Music & Arts

Where : Stradbally Hall , Co. LaoisWhen : September 2nd-4thLaois ’ Electric Picnic is a music festival to pit any A - listed effort - fest find in the States or the rest of Europe . This is n’t a cozy local hole - festival or petite arts show , this is a card for the ages : LCD Soundsystem , Lana Del Rey , The Chemical Brothers , Haim , Animal Collective , and more . certain beats getting sunburnt at Coachella . Don’t miss : The boutique yurt , which ostensibly are material things that subsist , for camping out while you ’re there .

Body & Soul Arts & Culture

Where : Ballinlough Castle , Co. WestmeathWhen : June 17th-19thThe hippie feel is still awake and well in Ireland , and Body & Soul is one of its keen examples . This festival pulls double - duty as both a music festival ( with headliners Santigold and St. Germain ) and as a fresh - agey artwork fest . That means spoken word performances , hot tubs in the woods , and acupuncturists on - tariff . Plus , it ’s timed to run just before the summer solstice , so you could make it back home in time for your Wiccan ceremony . Don’t miss : The cocktail bar built inside a nursery , with electronica DJs crushing readiness .

Galway International Arts Fest

Where : Galway , Co. GalwayWhen : July 11th-24thThe organizers of the Galway Arts Festival have thrown together an telling hodge - podge of artistic production show across all subject field . 2015 ’s fete featured intellectual talks ( but with none of that " sorely genuine nerd " TED vibration ) electronica terpsichore company , and comedy knock indicate all taking piazza on the same daytime . The full lineup for 2016 has n’t been announce yet , but they ’re off to a good start with Elvis Costello and the Imposters . Don’t miss : Any of the festival ’s events held in the majestic Eyre square toes . Yes , squares can be regal .

Cat Laughs Comedy Fest

Where : Kilkenny , Co. KilkennyWhen : June 2nd-6thComedy swot will appreciate the range at Cat Laughs Comedy Festival , which brings in a swath of killer comics . From the alt - y , nerd - core James Acaster to legendary baseball club funny Dom Irrera , you ’re sure to happen a show to suit your style . Expect a sizeable amount of dry Irish sense of humor . Don’t miss : The “ Cat Laughs go to the Races ” outcome , where comic put up commentary on horse races at the Gowran Park race rail .

Hillsborough Oyster Festival

Where : Hillsborough , Co. DownWhen : August thirtieth - September 4thFew thing feel quite as effete as devouring heaping disk of oysters impudently pulled from the Atlantic , and there ’s no honorable position to do so than in picturesque Hillsborough , just south of Belfast . The Greenwich Village is clean small , so when thou of visitors converge for the celebration of all things mollusca , they go all - out . Don’t miss : The “ Oyster Masters ” golf tourney , open to the populace and with all proceeds go to local charities .

St. Patrick’s Day Festival

Where : Belfast , Co ’s Antrim and DownWhen : All week ring St. Patrick ’s daySt . Paddy ’s day in the US … well , it ’s just one day . For the tangible experience , you ’re gon na need to manoeuver back to the erstwhile country . Belfast ’s celebrations are especially lavish –a weekof parades , intellectual nourishment markets , and civilization fete abound , celebrating all things Irish . If you ’re concerned in the existent story behind the holiday , you’re able to take tours explain the stories behind St. Patrick , which we ’re pretty certain seven people total in the United States believably hump . Don’t miss : There are free concerts and dance moderately much everywhere , and the whole metropolis shuts down to befuddle this . Basically , do n’t lose come to Belfast on St. Patrick ’s Day .

Belfast Comedy Fest

Where : Belfast , Co ’s Antrim and DownWhen : TBANot to be scoop by Kilkenny , Belfast puts on an impressive showing with their comedy festival . 2015 ’s lineup included over 150 comedians , including fringe acts like the truly bizarre Red Bastard , a chunky drollery - devil in a ruby-red onesie . show turn tail for almost two weeks , giving you the chance to see as many of your favorite comics as your heart desire , so stay tune up for the declaration of this year ’s acts . Don’t Miss : If they book Red Bastard again , see that guy cable . His act is equal parts carrying into action art , standup , and pure lawlessness .