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Festivals of Ireland 2007

Welcome to One Click Ireland's Festival information page. The Irish people have never needed much of an excuse to have a party or festival, whether it be based on art, culture, music, history or sport. A festival in Ireland is a unique experience. Below, we have listed some of the main Irish festivals held throughout the country and their website addresses where you can find out more detailed information. We have listed them in date order below.

Saint Patrick's Day (March 17; www.stpatricksday.ie ): celebrations all over Ireland, including a national festival in Dublin and major events in all the larger towns and cities.

Irish Grand National (April): horse racing at Fairyhouse (Meath).

Cork International Choral Festival (April/May; www.musweb.com/corkchoral.htm ): one of the big ones.

Foyle Film Festival (April/May): the best of new Irish and international film, Derry.

North-West 200 (May): the island's biggest motorcycle road racing event takes place on a circuit at Portstewart, Co. Derry.

Music Festival in Great Irish Houses (June): just what it says, classical music at venues around the country.

Irish Derby (June): and other important races at the Curragh (Kildare).

Willie Clancy Summer School (July): one of the biggest traditional music events of the year, based in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare.

James Joyce Summer School (July; www.artsworld.ie/joyce-school ): strictly for Joyce buffs, Dublin.

Galway International Arts Festival (July; www.galwayartsfestival.ie ): festival of music, theatre and general partying - one of the best.

Galway Races (July/Aug): another important race meeting which is very popular.

Yeats International Summer School (Aug): this Sligo event has often courted controversy through its exploration of nationalistic themes.

Kilkenny International Arts Week (Aug): includes recitals, poetry readings, art exhibitions.

Rose of Tralee International Festival (Aug; www.roseoftralee.ie ): a massive event, centred round a beauty contest.

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (Aug; www.comhaltas com ): the most important of all the traditional music festivals, held in a different town every year.

Oul' Lammas Fair (Aug): four hundred years old and still going strong, Ballycastle's traditional market fair is a major crowd-puller with music, dancing, sports and entertainment.

All Ireland Hurling and Football Finals (Sept): the biggest sporting events of the year, separated by a fortnight, in Dublin.

Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival (Sept/Oct): plenty of traditional entertainment accompanies the lonely hearts side of the festivities.

Cork Film and Jazz Festivals (Oct; www.corkfilmfest.org ): Ireland's major film event and an enormously popular jazz festival.

Wexford Opera Festival (Oct/Nov; www.wexfordopera.com ): a large gathering of international renown.

Derry Halloween Carnival (Oct/Nov): street theatre, music and mayhem, especially during the fireworks display on October 31.

Belfast Festival at Queen's (Oct/Nov): major arts festival, Ireland's equivalent to Edinburgh, nowadays complete with its very own Fringe.

	The Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival
	The Matchmaking Festival takes place every year during September and October in Lisdoonvarna, County Clare, Ireland. The Matchmakers of old were the dealers who attended street fairs, as it was they who know the farmers who had eligible sons and daughters around the country. They invited the farmers from all over Ireland to attend the Festival the following September, and it was they who collected the generous dowries when the matches were made.

	Galway Oyster Festival
	Galway International Oyster Festival, in 2004. This unique event is about friends, fun, fabulous seafood combined with World class non-stop entertainment in the charming medieval city of Galway. There are always a few pleasant surprises at the Galway Oyster Festival.

	Dublin Theatre Festival
	Each year the Dublin Theatre Festival presents the best of Irish and international work on the Dublin stage. The festival promotes Irish theatre through international tours of its finest new creations, collaborates with leading and international artists and companies to create exciting new work and hosts a variety of the most prestigious theatre companies and artists from around the world.

	Wexford Opera Festival
	For over fifty years the Irish coastal town has been seducing the world with wonderful productions of rare opera presented as part of a unique festival. The warm and vivacious welcome, the narrow and ancient Viking streets and the tiny, atmospheric Theatre Royal add to pleasures which include over forty daytime events as well as the eighteen evening performances of three major productions.

	Cork Jazz Festival
	The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is Ireland's biggest and most prestigious jazz event and is one of the most important events on Ireland's arts and cultural calendar. This year some 1,000 musicians from 25 countries will entertain the fans in over 75 venues citywide.

	Belfast Festival at Queens
	Embark on a mad dash through more than 250 events from around the world as the Belfast Festival at Queen's celebrates 40 years of full on festival magic.

	St. Patrick's Festival
	Patrick’s Festival, the annual celebration of Ireland’s national holiday. An exciting programme of events highlighting some of the best artistry and flair the country has to offer. From the 16th to the 20th March, audiences can look forward to music, street theatre, fireworks and dance. There’s also a treasure hunt, visual art exhibitions, family fun and of course the best and most eagerly anticipated St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the world.

	Listowel Writers Week
	Writers' Week is Ireland's liveliest most colourful literary festival. A must for anyone with a fancy for the written word, our 2005 festival promises to be our biggest and best to date. There are workshops for the starter writer, the writer who is half way there and the established writer. There is a wonderful drama and cinema line up as well as an extensive art programme with exhibitions enhancing and enlivening the graceful town of Listowel.

	The Cat Laughs Festival, Kilkenny
	Ireland’s favourite festival, The Smithwick’s Cat Laughs Comedy Festival returns to Kilkenny this June Bank Holiday . This festival has rapidly established itself as one of the best comedy festivals in the world. Attracting a host of the best national and international stand-up comedians and comedy improvisers, the comedy festival provides for simple fun and exhilaration. Five days of fun and laughter are guaranteed with over 85 live performances in the relaxing surrounds of 14 of Kilkenny’s best loved venues.

	The Clonmel Junction Festival -
	The Clonmel Junction Festival is one of the most exciting and fastest growing festivals in Ireland. For nine days and nights Clonmel, Co. Tipperary is transformed and animated by hand painted banners, with flags bedecking the town centre, daily street theatre and free live music events. However the real heart of the festival is in the theatres and music venues which host over 50 performances of top class Irish and International acts.

	Galway Arts Festival
	Described by the Irish Times as 'the biggest, most exciting, most imaginative explosion of arts activity this country has', the Galway Arts Festival is a truly international two week celebration of the performing and visual arts.

	Kilkenny Arts Festival
	Kilkenny Arts Festival 2003 was a huge success. The festive atmosphere infused the streets of this, Ireland's most spectacular medieval city. Over 10 days 235 events took place in and around the city, and around the county. Playing host to Ireland and the world's finest artists, the 30th anniversary festival proved that Kilkenny really is a magical festival, in a vibrant city, and a must for 2006!

	Rose of Tralee Festival
	This is Ireland's largest ´bash´, the astonishing Rose of Tralee Festival, when the town plays host to the world. The centrepiece is the Rose Competition itself, in which young women of Irish birth or ancestry take part in a unique selection contest for the coveted title of ´Rose of Tralee´.

	Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2006
	The 2006 Fleadh is being held in the beautiful town of Letterkenny in County Donegal. As part of this years Fleadh we are providing this site, which will provide you with the most up-to-date information relating to all aspects of the Fleadh. For those with an interest in visiting the Fleadh and Letterkenny we have provided information on accommodation in the area, travelling to the town from locations throughout Ireland. Maps and guides on what's available in Donegal in August 2006 are also provided for your interest.

	Festival of World Cultures
	The Festival of World Cultures in Dun Laoghaire is an arts festival celebrating cultural diversity through an extravaganza of internationally acclaimed acts including music, dance performances, club nights, markets, theatre, exhibitions, circus, workshops & children's activities. Free events day and night. “Ireland’s most family-friendly festival; an urban Glastonbury” THE IRISH TIMES

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