HALLOWEEN IS FAST approaching, and those who are ready to embrace the festivities over the long weekend and into next week will have no shortage of events to satisfy their spooky needs.
Whether you want to witness a witch trial or design your own pumpkin with the kids, we’ve got you covered for events around the country.
TIPPERARY
Name: Spleodar Halloween Arts Festival
When: Starts today
Where: Nenagh
What: This action-packed festival boasts a wide number of workshops and events throughout the week to keep the spooky spirit alive.
Try your hand at pumpkin decorating later today and learn how to create individual designs and characters without breaking out a carving knife.
There will be a ghoulish ghost tour today, tomorrow and Monday which invites you to embark upon a journey full of twisted tales and local folklore.
For those who just want to relax and enjoy a film, Revolting Rhymes is an animated classic based on the novel by Roald Dahl that will be on show tomorrow evening.
To really get into the Halloween mood, face painting will also be available on Monday in the Arts Centre for €2.
On Halloween night, there will be an exciting fireworks display which is an annual tradition that has an impressive display of colour. People are invited to attend in their costumes to the CBS Sports Field to enjoy the spectacle.
Some events are ticketed throughout the week and prices vary. Have a look at the full brochure for further details.
LAOIS
Name: Samhain Masked Supper
When: Next Friday
Where: Ballintubbert Gardens and House
What: For any adults out there looking to celebrate the festivities in style, this masked five-course meal evening encourages adults to get in costume and experience a wide berth of food and drinks.
This is a great opportunity to eat in the orchard at the gardens and embrace ancient traditions, all while tasting some delicious meals.
If you choose to attend, there will be spiced apple cider to begin the night, followed by five delicious courses shared between tables of eight people. Masks are encouraged along with a sense of curiosity for storytellers who will share Samhain traditions and information as the night unfolds.
Tickets cost €60 and must be booked in advance through the Facebook page.
DUBLIN
Name: Samhain festival
When: Monday
Where: EPIC The Irish Immigration Museum
What: Get your creativity flowing at this exciting event held by the Irish immigration museum, hosting a range of activities for kids aged five and upwards to celebrate Samhain.
Younger children can enjoy a shadow puppet show and workshop on 28 October or make their own spooky masks for trick or treating at a workshop that afternoon.
For kids aged eight and onwards, consider a workshop to make your own festive Halloween wreath or take a dab hand at writing your own ghost story.
All of the events on Monday are free to attend but pre-booking is required for most through Eventbrite.
Name: Dublin City Council Halloween events
When: During next week
Where: Across the city
What: Dublin City Council is teaming up with different groups across the city for a host of festive activities to keep families entertained.
The Darndale Community Hall will be transformed into a haunted house on Tuesday with some activities such as bouncy castles, face painters and a magician. Admission is free to all witches, monsters, ghouls and ghosts.
Smithfield Square will be host to some exciting activities on Halloween night for families to seek their teeth into. There will be a 300 foot zip line and a large climbing wall. For younger kids, there will also be a special area with magic shows, a puppet theatre and circus acts.
Get frightened in Finglas on Halloween evening with a host of ghoulish entertainment including a path of misery, a magic show and a fancy dress competition.
For more information on events around the city, visit the council website.
Name: Bram Stoker Festival
When: Continuing today
Where: Dublin city
What: A series of gothically-inspired events awaits over the next few days as the Bram Stoker festival continues in Dublin.
Check out some bizarre tales from ancient times in Ireland’s oldest public library tonight in Marsh’s Library where Stoker allegedly first came to read when he was just 18.
Follow this up with a theatre performance of Sounds of Wood on Muscle: A Modern Radio Dracula which is a contemporary production held in the atmospheric church where Bram Stoker married Florence Balcombe back in 1878.
For full details on these and all the other events, visit the website.
CORK
Name: The Creepy Crawl at Fota
When: Starting today
Where: Fota House, Co Cork
What: If your family enjoys nothing more than a ramble around new areas, look no further than Fota House this weekend.
Don your costume and head to the self-guided trail around the gardens to see the trees and the creepy crawlies who will be raising hell around this time of year.
This trail will be open all Bank Holiday weekend and on Halloween this Thursday from 11am to 3pm. Visit the website for more details.
KERRY
Name: Halloween Howl
When: Starts today
Where: Kenmare
What: This week-long community festival will bring something for everyone. Whether you want to visit a spooky haunted house in the Old Boy’s School, take a trip on a storytelling ghost bus or take part in the Halloween parade on the night itself, there are plenty of options across the week.
Running until 2 November, this festival will have plenty of opportunities to get creative and learn more about cooking up spooky treats, make a recycled jack-o-lantern or even make your own scary slime.
Some events are free to attend but others are priced from €3 upwards. See the full brochure for more details.
CARLOW
Name: Scarefest
When: Continuing today
Where: Carlow
What: This exciting spooky festival features a wide range of events taking place throughout the week.
Take part in a paranormal investigation in Duckett’s Grove, a former estate that is guaranteed to get your goose pimples rising. By day, it is a local tourist destination but by night, it is believed to be a hub of paranormal activity. This one is just for over 18s.
For kids on the other hand, a Halloween fun day will be held today in the Delta Sensory Gardens until 5pm with a range of activities such as face painting, glitter tattoos, arts and crafts and even a murder mystery.
Take a trip back in time and witness a public witch trial outside the 18th century Carlow courthouse. Watch as a woman goes on trial accused of witchcraft and await her verdict in a performance that sold out quite quickly last year.
Some events are free while prices for others are priced from €5. View the full event guide for more information.
GALWAY
Name: Galway Aboo Halloween Festival
When: Starting today
Where: Galway city
What: This exciting Halloween festival will entice ghouls and goblins from all around to gather in different parts of the city for a host of activities and events over the weekend.
The annual Macnas parade will take place tomorrow evening at 5.30pm on the streets of Galway city – it will feature giant spooky creations, pyrotechnics, eccentric costumes and musical performances.
At 1pm today, there will be a zombie chase in Salthill where a terrifying crowd of the dead will come back alive and be released onto the Salthill Prom. Their mission is to catch any person who gets in their way and prevent them from reaching the safe zone (Salthill Park).
For those who want to embark outside the city, the Galway pumpkin patch in Ardrahan will be open today and tomorrow for families to pick their own pumpkin and enjoy delicious treats on the day. There will also be fancy dress, exciting games and face painting for the kids.
For more details on these events and more, visit the Galway Tourism website.
LOUTH/MEATH
Name: Púca Festival
When: Starting on Thursday
Where: Drogheda, Trim, Athboy
What: This exciting festival taking place over three different towns will give people plenty of options to choose from to continue the Halloween celebrations into November.
On Halloween night in Drogheda, there will be trad music played by candle light in the Punt pub and shadow puppetry with live music accompanying to bring people through the spooky night with ease.
In Athboy, there will be workshops in mask and broomstick making followed by live music from 8pm-10pm in celebration of the night.
Over in the grounds of Trim castle, there will be music, a food and craft market and some Púca illuminations with laser displays and interactive experiences. Large projections will be displayed on the castle’s exterior walls on Halloween night.
For more details on the Púca Festival, visit the website.
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