Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Galway, and more. 17 March is a special day in Ireland. Here are some of the best St Patrick’s Day 2024 events in Ireland.
17 March is a special day in the Irish calendar. St Patrick’s Day is Ireland’s favourite holiday, with all corners of the Emerald Isle commemorating the Irish patron saint.
2024 will be no different. Many celebrations will be had across Ireland’s cities and towns to mark the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. Green will envelope grey as people dance, drink, and tell tales together.
Read on to discover the best St Patrick’s Day 2024 events in Ireland you need to know about.
Dublin – celebrating St Patrick’s Day in the capital
Unsurprisingly, many of the best St Patrick’s Day 2024 events in Ireland will take place in Dublin, the central hub and capital of Ireland. The city’s St. Patrick’s Festival will run from 15 – 18 March 2024, and it’s one of the best around the world.
On 15 and 16 March, you can take part in ‘In the Footsteps of St Patrick’, tracing the history of St Patrick’s possible route in Dublin 1,500 years ago.
The Festival Quarter at the National Museum of Ireland is the place to be at 12 pm on Saturday, 16 March.
Meanwhile, the famous St Patrick’s Day Parade will commence at 12 pm on St Patrick’s Day. Half a million spectators will amass to watch 4,000 parade participants.
The parade will commence at Parnell Square, following a 2.5 km (1.5 mile) route along O’Connell Street, the Liffey and Trinity College before ending at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Find out more here.
Galway – their largest celebration yet
The Galway St. Patrick’s Day Parade is due to be the largest St. Patrick’s Day celebration to grace the city. The parade commences on 17 March at University Road and end at Prospect Hill.
Galway has also organised three days of events. There is a free traditional music concert in a ‘stretch tent’ in Eyre Square throughout the day on 17 March.
A family fun day has also been arranged in Salthill on 16 March, while the city will be lit up green at places like Eyre Square. Find out more here.
Cork – St. Patrick’s Day in the Rebel County
Down in the Rebel County, Cork’s St Patrick’s Festival also runs from 15 – 18 March.
Outstanding events include a musical festival at Triskel on the 15 and 16 March, the Afternoon Céilí Mór at City Hall on the Saturday, the Circus High Jinks at Elizabeth Fort, and indeed, the city’s Parade on 17 March.
The Cork St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 1 pm, starting from South Mall and finishing at Merchants Quay. More information can be found here.
What other St Patrick’s Day 2024 events in Ireland are on? – celebrate across the Emerald Isle
Kilkenny is organising events from 14 – 18 March. The Kilkenny Tales & Legends Evening Walking Tour takes place on the 15 and 16 March.
Head to the Festival Market at Mayors Walk. The parade will run through the streets of Kilkenny from 1.30 pm on 17 March. See more here.
Dingle plays host to the earliest starting St Patrick’s Day Parade, starting at 6 am when Dingle’s Fife and Drum band take to the streets. You can see more here.
Féile an Earraigh, which takes place between 1 and 17 March, will host some cultural St Patrick’s Day events in Belfast, including the Trad Trail. Find out more here.
The city’s spectacle of a parade leaves from City Hall at 1.30 pm, hitting spots like Victoria Street and High Street. See more here.
County Offaly’s Tullamore hosts a five-day festival named Seachtain na Gaeilge. Bray, Wicklow Town and Longford Town all have their own St Patrick’s Day parades.
For something unique and memorable, the small Mayo town of Kiltimagh holds a St Patrick’s Week Festival, with music, dance and art on display.
