GET READY TO dive headfirst into autumn like a pile of colourful fallen leaves with Ireland On Your Doorstep sponsored by Glenveagh. Our guide to these Halloween and Samhain activities all around Ireland is sure to keep you and your family busy throughout October.
We’re especially proud of our Halloween history in Ireland. The modern-day phenomenon – marked by bonfires, costumes, trick-or-treating and everything spooky – has its roots in the traditional Celtic festival of Samhain, which originally celebrated the end of the summer and the gathering of the harvest.
Naturally enough, then, there is no shortage of wonderful events and activities across Ireland to get you in the autumn mood and feeling spooky ahead of this year’s Halloween. This is Ireland On Your Doorstep, so let’s see what’s on your doorstep in October 2024.
Pooka Spooka at Causey Farm, Co Meath
Ideal for travel from north and west Dublin, Causey Farm is home to a wide range of festivities for all the family this Halloween season. Taking place every weekend up until the week of Halloween, when the farm will be open from the 26-31 October, Pooka Spooka offers amusements such as the Tunnel of Terror, a harvest hall, visiting time with the farm animals, fortune-telling, broomstick rides, and even “limb-throwing”.
Tickets are just €14 per person with free entries for children two and under. Act fast, because the first two weekends have already sold out!
The Hellfire Club, Co Dublin
Offering one of the most scenic views of southwest Dublin, the trail through the Dublin Mountains up to the fabled Hellfire Club could be exactly what’s called for this Halloween.
The crisp air and the smell of the pine trees are the perfect remedy to week of hard work, and the sheer number of pinecones on the ground make perfect souvenirs for a day well-spent. The walk up to the old stone structure on Mont Pelier isn’t too taxing and you should get it done in about 90 minutes or less, and once you’ve crested the hill there’s plenty of space for a picnic, for the dogs to run around, or a casual kickabout with the kids.
The Hellfire Club itself has maintained exterior runic beauty while also undeniably giving an overt vibe of being, well, haunted. This is because of its reputation as a spot where occult gatherings and debauched activities would take place, and it is believed by some that the rune is still stalked by a the spirit of a large black cat.
Origins of Samhain Cave Tour, Co Roscommon
Modern Halloween is a special time, but some people like to dig a little deeper into the mystical Celtic origins of this dark time of year. The Oweynagat Cave tour in Rathcroghan, Co Roscommon gives visitors the chance to explore Ireland’s very own “gate to Hell”. From 23 October, anyone over the age of five can take part in a guided tour down into the “bowels of the earth”.
Rathcroghan was traditionally a site for great Aénaige, or gatherings, thousands of years ago and for €15 per person, you can experience this ancient and unholy site. Suitable for children five and up, though it may not be for the faint-hearted.
Bram Stoker Festival, Co Dublin
The Bram Stoker festival honours Ireland’s unique connection to all things spooky as well as its unrivalled literary history, celebrating the author of Dracula. From 25-28 October, the festival boasts four days and nights of events to enrapture the soul. Cathedrals, parks and squares will be overtaken with colourful tributes to Ireland’s creepy history and there will be much to enjoy for people of all ages.
If you want to get really involved, you can even apply to volunteer at the festival. Find out more here.
Killarney Pumpkin Farm
If you feel like travelling further afield, it’s well worth your time to visit one of the largest pumpkin patches in Ireland. Dense with jack o’lanterns, the pumpkin farm is a must-see for any family travelling to the southwest of Ireland this spooky season.
Featured before on Ireland AM, the highly-Instagrammable farm offers a Witches Cottage, a cast of characters for the kids to meet, ghost stories with a Seanchaí storyteller, a Corn Maze, and of course, alpacas, because who doesn’t love a good alpaca?
Halloween Happenings at Lullymore Heritage and Discovery Park, Co Kildare
Tickets are on sale now for the Halloween Happenings which takes place on 19 & 2o October, and 26 October until the start of November. Halloween Happenings is the perfect solution if your kids are looking for another opportunity to dress up, with all visitors encouraged to come in costume so they can take part in ‘terror treasure hunts’ and enjoy the ‘haunted holograms’ that populate this Kildare Park.
One thing to bear in mind is that the Terror Train may be a little bit intense for young kids, but that only means that it’s probably perfect for the pre-teens. Any easily frightened parents should probably try keep their screaming to a minimum, though.
The Púca Festival, Co Meath
Taking place in the Meath towns of Trim and Athboy, the annual Púca Festival offers not just the classic Halloween games and festivities but something even more special. Across four nights, there will be musical performances by the likes of Gavin James, BellX1 and Jenny Greene. Tickets start at less than €20, so you should definitely consider treating yourself this Halloween.
There’s also the harvest market, the lighting of the Samhain fire, and the Púca procession, which “weaves together outdoor theatre, street performance, and traditional music in a wild celebration of Samhain lore, nature, ancestry, and the looming darkness”. Taking place at 6pm on Saturday 2 November, the Púca Process is an unticketed event, meaning you can attend for free.
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