Ireland Home of Halloween unveils season of Fire, Folklore and Feasting

DiscoverIreland.ie unveils 2026 programme of fire, folklore, feasting and unforgettable experiences, giving people even more reasons to plan an autumn break

As the authentic birthplace of Halloween, Ireland has a story like nowhere else, and this autumn, ancient Halloween traditions will come to life across the country as Discover Ireland unveils the 2026 Ireland Home of Halloween programme, inviting people to experience a different side of the season and take their own Samhain short break.

From fire ceremonies in Kerry and atmospheric Samhain feasts in Limerick, to giant illuminated figures taking over the streets of Galway and ancient landscapes coming alive in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands, Halloween will unfold across seven hubs in Longford and Westmeath, Meath and Louth, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny and Limerick, throughout October and into early November.

Ireland’s Halloween story stretches back more than 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Communities gathered, lit fires, feasted and shared stories as the seasons turned, traditions that continue to inspire Halloween celebrations across Ireland today.

In 2026, those customs are being reimagined through food, performance, spectacle, music and storytelling, reasons to pack a bag and experience Halloween somewhere new.

Longford and Westmeath

In Longford and Westmeath, visitors can get closer to the landscapes and traditions associated with Samhain through Samhain in the Heartlands. Highlights include the Fire and Shadows Procession in Longford on Halloween night, inspired by Celtic mythology and the legends of Rathcroghan and Oweynagat, alongside storytelling, harvest food experiences, music and heritage events across the region.

Kerry

In Kerry, Samhain Chiarraí will turn the county’s towns and landscapes into a stage for fire and folklore. Fires of Samhain, Music and Celebration with the Dingle Druid will see communities gather for ritual fire ceremonies with music and storytelling, while Idir Dhá Shaol – Between Two Worlds brings giant illuminated puppets, musicians, drummers, fire performers and stilt walkers to Killarney and Tralee. The programme draws on local folklore, including the story of An Cailleach Chiarraí, Kerry’s Goddess of Winter.

Limerick

In Limerick, things take a deliciously dark turn with Morbid and Sons – Pop-Up Funeral Shop, an interactive, macabre musical experience popping up in the city on 17 and 24 October. The Morbid family will entertain audiences with humorous songs about unfortunate endings and a demonstration funeral, as they attempt to put the ‘fun’ back into funerals.

The Samhain Banquet on 30 October will take guests on a mystery journey through the city to a secret historic venue for seasonal food, storytelling, music and live performance inspired by Irish mythology.

Galway

On the west coast, Galway will bring its distinctive creative energy to the season as Macnas celebrates 40 years of spectacular street performance. Its free city-centre parade on 25 October will fill Galway with giant puppetry, live music and theatrical storytelling, while the wider Gaillimh Ah Boo! programme will combine folklore, food, comedy, family experiences and after-dark events across the city.

North County Dublin

There is plenty more mischief to uncover around the country. Fingal will host an immersive Samhain dining experience after dark at Malahide Castle alongside storytelling, fire and folklore experiences across North County Dublin.

Kilkenny

In medieval Kilkenny, Toil and Trouble will draw on the extraordinary story of Alice Kyteler and Petronilla de Meath through performance, storytelling, music and spectacle.

Meath and Louth

Across Meath and Louth, visitors can experience the folklore and festivities of Spirits of Meath, see Drogheda transformed by the spectacular illuminations of Lú Festival of Light, experience the fire, music and storytelling of Púca Festival, or discover the seasonal flavours of the Samhain Festival of Food and Culture in Kells.

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Emma Woods, head of Marketing Communications for Fáilte Ireland, said: “We want people to see Halloween as more than one night in the calendar, as a season to get out and explore. With so much happening across the hubs throughout October and into November, there’s a real opportunity to travel somewhere new, stay for a night or two and build your own Samhain short break around the events and experiences that appeal to you.”

Storyteller and folklorist Eddie Lenihan, who is in programme events in Limerick, Galway, and Dublin as part of Ireland Home of Halloween, said: “Long before pumpkins and trick-or-treating, this time of year in Ireland was about Samhain, the harvest gathered in, the fires lit and people coming together to tell stories as winter began.

“Those stories have never really left us. They’re still in the landscape, in the old customs and in the tales handed down from one generation to the next.

“There’s plenty of fun and mischief in Halloween, of course, but underneath it all is an old Irish story. In a world where so much of our lives happens through screens, people are craving a stronger connection to place, people and tradition. Halloween gives us a chance to get out, explore and experience some of those stories and customs in the places that have kept them alive.”

Fáilte Ireland is encouraging people to use the Halloween season as an opportunity to explore beyond their own county, turning a fire spectacle, feast, performance or storytelling event into an autumn short break.

The Ireland Home of Halloween programme runs from early October into November 2026. Get full event details and lots of inspiration to help plan your Samhain short break on DiscoverIreland.ie.

https://samhainheartlands.ie/

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