Bealtaine Fire Festival blazes back to Hill of Uisneach

The Bealtaine Fire Festival – the celebration that revives the ancient tradition of lighting the Great Fire to welcome the summer – returns to the Hill of Uisneach at the weekend (May 10).

The fire ritual dates back 1,000 years to the time of Ireland’s High Kings, and the festival was reignited in 2017 by the Clarke family, when President Michael D Higgins became the first head of state in a millennium to light the fire.

Since then the Bealtaine Fire Festival has developed into a gathering where music, storytelling, live performances and ancient rituals fill the landscape.

Visitors explore pathways and sculptures whispering myths of Ireland’s past, enjoy traditional games and crafts, or find moments of peace in the mindfulness spaces. As dusk falls, the atmosphere sparks to life with a spectacular procession of fire and light, led by costumed performers carrying flames before the Great Fire is lit, its flames visible across 20 counties.

The Hill of Uisneach is an ancient ceremonial site at the heart of Ireland, renowned in mythology as the meeting place of the provinces and the burial ground of the Earth goddess Ériu. It is one of Ireland’s six Royal Sites and is currently on the ‘tentative list’ for potential inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tickets and more information are available at uisneach.ie/events/bealtainefirefestival2025.