Halloween is one of the best times of year to explore Ireland. While Halloween is now celebrated around the world with costumes, parties, pumpkins and horror attractions, the festival has much deeper roots here. Ireland is widely recognised as the home of Halloween, with the modern celebration originating from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain.
Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. It was traditionally a time of bonfires, feasting, storytelling and supernatural folklore, with people believing that the boundary between the living world and the spirit world became thinner.
Today, those traditions have been combined with modern Halloween celebrations, creating everything from huge street festivals and spectacular fire displays to haunted trails, pumpkin experiences, family activities, live music and some seriously scary attractions.
Halloween 2026 is set to be particularly busy, with events taking place throughout October and into the first days of November. There are also several Brazilian Halloween celebrations taking place in Dublin, giving the city’s Brazilian community plenty of opportunities to celebrate with music, dancing and Brazilian culture.
Púca Festival, County Meath
If you want to experience Halloween in the place where many of Ireland’s ancient Samhain traditions originated, Púca Festival should be high on your list.
Púca takes place from 29 October to 1 November 2026 across Trim and Athboy in County Meath. The festival combines ancient folklore and mythology with live music, comedy, storytelling, food, art and spectacular fire performances.
The 2026 programme includes major Irish acts including The Coronas, The Waterboys, The Stunning, Sharon Shannon Big Band, Mundy, Hothouse Flowers and Jerry Fish, alongside comedy, performance and traditional Samhain experiences.
One of the biggest attractions is the Púca Procession, which brings the supernatural characters and mythology of Samhain to life through a large-scale outdoor spectacle.
Púca is probably the best choice in Ireland if you want your Halloween celebration to have a genuine connection with the ancient Irish origins of the festival.
Learn more about Púca Festival 2026 and tickets
Derry Halloween
Derry Halloween is one of the biggest Halloween celebrations on the island of Ireland and returns from 28 October to 1 November 2026.
The historic Walled City becomes the centre of a huge five-day Halloween celebration, with folklore, street entertainment, costumes, performances, tours and spectacular nighttime events.
The main Carnival Parade takes place on Halloween night, Saturday 31 October, followed by a major fireworks display.
2026 is particularly significant because Derry Halloween is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
The combination of the city’s medieval walls, thousands of costumes, performers, fire, music and fireworks makes this one of the most spectacular places to spend Halloween in Ireland.
Learn more about Derry Halloween 2026
Dragon of Shandon, Cork
One of Cork’s most distinctive Halloween traditions returns on Saturday 31 October 2026.
The Dragon of Shandon is a giant 36-foot dragon created by the Cork community. It emerges onto the streets of Cork at 7pm, accompanied by ghouls, beasts, misfits and other supernatural characters.
The event celebrates Samhain through a spectacular nighttime street parade and finale show, with thousands of people expected to gather around Cork’s Northside.
Unlike some commercial Halloween attractions, the Dragon of Shandon is a community-driven event that has been taking place since 2006. The result is a Halloween celebration with a distinctly Cork character.
The 2026 event is particularly special because it marks the Dragon of Shandon’s 20th anniversary.
Learn more about the Dragon of Shandon 2026
Farmaphobia, County Meath
If your idea of a good Halloween involves being genuinely terrified, Farmaphobia is one of the biggest attractions in Ireland.
Farmaphobia returns in 2026 with six horror attractions spread across 100 acres at Causey Farm.
This year’s attractions include Funhouse Freaks, Coven, The Cornjuring, Slaughter House, The Crypt and Zombie Morgue.
The attraction combines actors, special effects, dark environments and horror-themed sets to create an experience aimed at people looking for something considerably scarier than a family Halloween event.
Farmaphobia is aimed at older teenagers and adults, so it is important to check the age requirements before booking.
Learn more about Farmaphobia 2026 and book tickets
Pumpkins After Dark, Newbridge House
For something more atmospheric and family-friendly, Pumpkins After Dark at Newbridge House in Donabate is a great alternative to Ireland’s horror attractions.
The event features thousands of illuminated pumpkins and elaborate displays, creating a spectacular nighttime trail through the grounds of Newbridge House.
There are plenty of Halloween-themed displays to discover, along with entertainment and seasonal food.
One of the biggest advantages for families is that the experience does not rely on jump scares. It is designed around the visual spectacle of the illuminated pumpkins, making it suitable for people who enjoy Halloween but do not necessarily want to be frightened.
Learn more about Pumpkins After Dark 2026
Malahide Castle Halloween and Samhain
Malahide Castle is another excellent option for Halloween in County Dublin.
The historic castle and grounds provide an atmospheric setting for Halloween activities, including the Haunted Trail and Samhain-themed experiences.
The daytime and nighttime experiences offer different ways to explore the Halloween theme, with storytelling, folklore and entertainment adding an Irish connection to the celebrations.
It is particularly suitable for families who want something spooky without going straight into the extreme horror attractions.
Learn more about Halloween at Malahide Castle
Luggwoods Halloween, County Dublin
Luggwoods in Saggart is another popular family Halloween destination.
The woodland is transformed into a Halloween adventure, with spooky characters, decorations, pumpkins and themed activities.
The experience is designed with families and younger children in mind, making it a good choice for parents who want a Halloween day out without the intense horror elements found at attractions such as Farmaphobia.
The woodland setting also makes this a particularly atmospheric experience as Halloween approaches.
Learn more about Luggwoods Halloween 2026
Bram Stoker Festival, Dublin
Dublin’s connection with Gothic horror is impossible to ignore, thanks to the city’s most famous vampire novelist, Bram Stoker.
The Bram Stoker Festival returns from 23 to 26 October 2026, bringing together Gothic culture, literature, theatre, performance, storytelling and horror-themed entertainment.
The festival is a good choice for anyone who wants something more unusual than a traditional Halloween party. Instead of simply dressing up and going to a nightclub, visitors can explore the darker side of Dublin’s literary and cultural history.
There are also family-friendly activities, making the festival suitable for a wider range of visitors.
Learn more about the Bram Stoker Festival 2026
Dublin Halloween Festival
Dublin has an entire festival dedicated to Halloween, with more than 40 events taking place across the city from 10 to 31 October.
The Dublin Halloween Festival includes walking tours, live shows, arts and crafts, exhibitions, pottery, screenings, workshops, quizzes and Halloween nights out.
Events in 2026 include ghost and ghoul tours, true crime tours, pumpkin carving, Halloween pottery, spooky film screenings, Halloween quizzes, children’s activities and a fancy dress party on Halloween night.
This is one of the best choices for anyone living in Dublin who wants to enjoy several Halloween events throughout October rather than travelling to one major festival.
Explore the Dublin Halloween Festival 2026 programme
Gaillimh Ah-Boo!, Galway
Galway is also getting into the Halloween spirit with Gaillimh Ah-Boo!, a family-focused programme running from 9 to 18 October.
The programme features Halloween and Samhain-inspired arts, storytelling, exhibitions, music, workshops and performances.
It is particularly worth checking out if you are looking for Halloween activities suitable for children rather than horror attractions.
The programme also includes work by Irish and Brazilian choreographer Selma Daniel, adding an interesting connection between Irish and Brazilian culture.
Learn more about Gaillimh Ah-Boo! 2026
Fingal Festival of Fire
One of the most spectacular ways to celebrate Halloween is through fire, and Swords Castle will host the Fingal Festival of Fire on Halloween night.
Fire has a particularly strong connection with the ancient Samhain traditions, when communities gathered around bonfires to mark the transition from autumn into winter.
The modern Festival of Fire takes that tradition and turns it into a large-scale spectacle featuring fire performers and entertainment.
It is an excellent option for anyone who wants something visually impressive without necessarily wanting a horror attraction.
Learn more about the Fingal Festival of Fire and other Halloween events
Westival: Samhain in Westport
Westport in County Mayo is also getting involved in the Home of Halloween celebrations with Westival: Samhain, running from 28 October to 1 November.
The event offers a different way to experience Halloween, combining the atmosphere of Westport with Samhain traditions, music, entertainment and seasonal celebrations.
For people looking for a Halloween weekend away from Dublin, Westport is an excellent option, particularly because the town itself is surrounded by some of the most dramatic scenery in the west of Ireland.
Learn more about Westival: Samhain 2026
Pooka Spooka at Causey Farm
Families looking for a Halloween adventure should also consider Pooka Spooka at Causey Farm in County Meath.
The Halloween event runs through October and offers a family-friendly alternative to the more frightening Farmaphobia experience at the same location.
Expect pumpkins, spooky characters, Halloween activities and plenty of opportunities for children to get into the spirit of the season.
Learn more about Pooka Spooka 2026
Halloween in Kerry
Kerry is another excellent destination for anyone interested in the traditional side of Halloween.
The county is part of Ireland’s Home of Halloween programme, with Samhain celebrations combining folklore, fire, storytelling and local traditions.
If you are looking for a Halloween weekend away, Kerry offers the added attraction of being able to combine the celebrations with some of Ireland’s most spectacular landscapes.
From the Ring of Kerry to the mountains and coastline, it is possible to turn Halloween into a full autumn road trip.
Explore Halloween events in Kerry
Visit the National Museum of Ireland
Halloween is also a good opportunity to explore some of Ireland’s ancient history.
The National Museum of Ireland’s archaeology collection in Dublin contains some fascinating objects connected with Ireland’s prehistoric and medieval past.
The museum’s collection of bog bodies is particularly appropriate for the Halloween season, offering a remarkable insight into ancient Ireland and the beliefs of the people who lived here thousands of years ago.
Admission to the National Museum of Ireland is free, making this one of the best budget-friendly Halloween activities in Dublin.
Learn more about the National Museum of Ireland Archaeology collection
