Whether you are Irish or not, we can all agree that St. Patrick’s Day is a fun holiday to celebrate. St. Patrick’s Day has evolved from its Catholic origins into a celebration of Irish culture generally, with parades, special foods, music, drinking, and a whole lot of green. While St. Patrick’s Day is a huge event across the world, there is nowhere better to enjoy this celebration than Ireland itself. Here are some of the best places to be in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day:
- Dublin
This probably isn’t a surprise, but Dublin, the Irish capital, goes all out when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. For St. Patrick’s Day, there are large-scale parades, treasure hunts, university boat races, foot races, traditional Irish pubs with local beers, music festivals, traditional dancing, and so many more fun activities. In the evening, Dublin’s landmarks are bathed in green light, creating a stunning backdrop for the rest of the night (New Europe Tours).
- Cork
Cork is not only Ireland’s second largest city, but is also one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations. It is no wonder that Cork is also one of the best places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland. Cork holds an annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and there is a festival with foods, arts & crafts, street performers, and so much more (Booking).
3. Limerick City
Around 70,000 spectators come to Limerick City on St. Patrick’s Day for a massive parade and festival. During the festival is a series of fun events, including the Limerick International Band Festival, Fossett’s Circus, fireworks, and much more (Isle Inn Tours).
4. Galway
The coastal city of Galway hosts a fantastic St. Patrick’s Day Festival parade that includes street theatre, floats, live music, drummers, and a family cycling event. The St. Patrick’s Day Festival parade is a celebration of Irish culture that serves as a platform to showcase the creativity of local artists and community groups (Galway Tourism).
5. Carrick-on-Shannon
For St. Patrick’s Day, the county town of Carrick-on-Shannon hosts a parade of floats and a competition for the best window display, along with family-friendly activities such as face-painting and traditional Irish dancing. In the evening, the town’s bars, pubs, and nightclubs have live music (Booking).
Sources:
https://isleinntours.com/5-irish-cities-visit-st-patricks-day/
https://www.booking.com/articles/where-to-celebrate-st-patrick-s-day-in-ireland.html
https://www.galwaytourism.ie/event/st-patricks-day-festival/
