Halloween in Ireland

Last year's Halloween "events" around Ireland. It's aimed at Family events but might be worth a look:

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2024/10/23/halloween-in-ireland-county-by-county-guide-to-the-best-free-family-events/

These are being developed but might have something for this year:

"Five Irish locations selected to become ‘global home of Halloween’"

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/2025/05/23/five-irish-locations-selected-to-become-global-home-of-halloween/

[snip]
"Five locations around the country have been selected to receive funding under Fáilte Ireland’s new Home of Halloween Pilot Destination Development Scheme."

[snip]
"The new scheme is aiming to build on the Púca Festival co-developed by Fáilte Ireland and Meath County Council in 2019..."

Though it seems a lot of Irish people consider (current) Halloween as imported American slop:

[snip]
"The Americans absorbed our version of Halloween, transformed it into a vulgar commercial enterprise and then flogged it back to us with a greedy grin."

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/2024/10/27/halloween-is-american-another-chance-to-yell-corrections-into-english-earholes-is-always-welcome/

I haven't done this myself, but I know that Derry has a big Halloween festival every year: https://derryhalloween.com/

I realise you'll be in Dublin but hoping this helps others in case searching for Halloween themed activities across the island. I have been in Belfast on Halloween and saw a small amount of fancy dress but not much more.

I think it's more of a Northern Irish thing? I don't think it's in traditional Irish culture so much? Someone will need to educate me. I'd guess some pubs will have something on in Dublin even so.

I grew up in the west of Scotland and Halloween was a thing in my childhood. I was surprised when I came to England to work and found out colleagues didn't go out guising a child. They only knew the more modern, American Halloween. I was a shy child, so the thought of going around singing songs or telling jokes to neighbours for Halloween filled me with terror. I did it a few times out of peer pressure, but stood at the back when it came do doing a piece.

Newgrange! https://heritageireland.ie/places-to-visit/bru-na-boinne-visitor-centre-newgrange-knowth-and-dowth/

Sounds great! I did forget to mention that we do plan on seeing some of the more “traditional” Halloween or Samhain locations like Bru na Boine, Hill of Tara, Newgrange, and Hill of Tlachtga. Thanks for mentioning that!

Rathcroghan, county Roscommon. One of several locations claiming the origin of Samhain.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63402457

I think the Samhain stuff is fairly recent, if that makes sense when talking about ancient Celtic culture. I went to a Catholic school (in Scotland) and never once heard about Samhain. It wasn't something I learned about until relatively recently. I can't imagine the Pagan stuff really being on the curriculum in Irish schools either, at least not until more recent times. I wouldn't for a minute have associated Halloween and doing something like going to one of the sites you mention Robert. It's interesting.

Halloween was always just for kids where I'm from. There was a period in the 90's when "American Halloween" took some cultural hold amongst adults. I think that has sort of faded. I think the proportion of adults dressing up for Halloween may be less than in the US. It will be interesting to hear your experiences after your trip.