8 Spots to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day In Ireland

With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, Ireland is on a lot of people’s minds. An ideal itinerary this time of year will include a lot of live music, a plethora of parades, and rainbows full of laughter. 

Together, let’s take you through a couple of great cities and villages that are pure magic any time of year – but, particularly when they’re celebrating the island’s patron saint. 

Dublin

When flying into Ireland, you have a few options. But, by and large, you’ll have more flexibility flying into Dublin. So, let’s start there. This year, the St. Patrick’s Festival runs from March 15th – March 17th. 

Of course, there will be a major parade on Monday the 17th, kicking off at noon. Then, the list of live performances from Friday the 14th through Monday the 17th is extensive. You can view that list here. 

If you come during the festivities, it’ll be tricky to do the more standard touristy things like visiting the Book of Kells in Trinity College. So, plan on a weekend filled with traditional live Irish music (or trad), pubs packed to the gills, and a whole lot of electricity in the air. 

Galway

Two hours across the country, on the West Coast of Ireland, you’ll find another great city – Galway. Here, you can fly into Shannon Airport and then take a bus or car service into town in no time. They, too, will have three days of festivities, including a colorful parade that kicks off at 11:30 on University Road. 

On Saturday, the Indie Music Day will be another huge hit. Within the festival village, emerging indie music artists will be showcased all day long. The festival village will also be electric when the trad and upbeat extravaganza is on. You can find all the details of the three-day festival here, including cute little details like Eyre Square being lit up in shades of green. 

Cork

If you find yourself down in the rebel county, you can be sure the music, fun, and laughter will be taken to a whole new level. The Cork St. Patrick’s Festival runs from Friday the 14th through Monday the 17th, with the parade taking place on Monday. 

Then, you’ll have boatloads of live music, including the Lee Sessions all three days, Hothouse Flowers, Eddi Reader, Céilí Mór, and more. Like Galway, Cork is a walkable city. So, once you check into your hotel, you’re a free bird. The full list of events can be found here and, boy, is it loaded. 

Sligo

Further north of Galway, you have one of the most beautiful counties in Ireland: Sligo. Of course, their parade will kick off on the 17th. But, the thing we’d be the most interested in is the Trad Trail. From Saturday the 15th through Monday the 17th, you won’t have to go far to find live Irish music. The full listing is available here.

All throughout the weekend, Queen Maeve Square will be filled with music, laughter, and cheer. When in doubt, you can always head there to see what’s on. And, if you’re interested, there will also be ongoing guided walking tours of Sligo Town – a lovely way to get to know this ancient and historic city.