St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner! On March 17th, the most prominent Irish holiday is now celebrated all over the world. With many people of Irish heritage living in America, some of the biggest celebrations take place in New York, Savannah, Chicago or Boston. There are even parades in Sydney, Munich and Buenos Aires. However, one of the biggest celebrations of course takes place in Dublin, the home of the St. Patrick’s Day festival. And here, it’s way more than just one day or one parade. We will tell you all you need to know about the holiday and where you can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin in 2024.
Why do the Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
The national celebration started with the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. He played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity throughout the island. Beyond its religious origins, the holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture, heritage, and identity. It brings Irish people all around the world together – and today, many more than “just” the Irish.
St. Patrick’s Day symbolizes resilience, pride, and the enduring spirit of the Irish, reflecting on the nation’s history, traditions, and contributions to the world. It’s a day to honor St. Patrick’s legacy, embrace Irish identity, and come together in a celebration that reaffirms the bonds of community and kinship that define the Irish experience.
What to do on St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin in 2024
St. Patrick’s Day is not only a parade. In Dublin it is a whole three-day-festival with performances, live music, art installations and other events celebrating Irish culture. Main setting for this celebration from March 16th to 17th is the Festival Quarter at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks. Through the day, the area is open for everyone free of charge. In the evenings it is limited to adults who purchased a ticket before. The grounds of the museum will have a Main Stage, performance spaces, Irish foods and crafts as well as relaxation areas and a mini-funfair. A City Funfair takes place at Custom House Quay and Merrion Square from Friday to Sunday.
However, the program for St. Patrick’s Day – or you might say St. Patrick’s long weekend – starts on the 15th and continues until Monday, the 18th. Some of the acts awaiting visitors are the following:
Friday 15 March
- 8.30 pm: Abair | Garvey’s Ghost (folk song, poetry & discussions) – TU Dublin Grangegorman Concert Hall
Saturday 16 March
- 12.30 pm: St. Patrick’s Circus Cabaret – Festival Quarter
- 3.45 pm: GOAL Global Stage: Celaviedmai Presents: Who’s Next? (live music by various emerging artists) – Festival Quarter
- 5 pm: Mother Presents Cultúr Club (live music & performances celebrating Irish LGBTQ+ culture) – Festival Quarter
- 7.30 pm: Abair | Bothy/Bothán (songs and stories from Ireland & Scotland) – Blackbox Theatre, TU Dublin Grangegorman
Sunday 17 March
- 12 pm: St. Patrick’s Day Parade
- 7.05 pm: Mo Cultivation Live (remixes, dance) – Festival Quarter
- 8.15 pm: Ispíní na hÉireann (Irish punk folk) – Festival Quarter
- 9.30 pm: The Sheela na Gig: Denise Chaila (live music) – Festival Quarter
- 9.40 pm: The Deadlians (folk, punk, psychedelic rock)
- 10.00 pm: Niamh Bury (folk music) – Festival Quarter
Monday 18 March
- 3.00 pm: Early Years Workshop: Storytelling and Songs with Sarah Sparkles – National Museum of Ireland Decorative Arts & History
You can find the full schedule on the official site of the St. Patrick’s Festival. If you walk around Dublin during those days, you’ll also find specials or other events at pubs, restaurants, theatres and the like.
The Grand Finale – the parade
On Sunday 17 March, the big parade, the highlight of St. Patrick’s Day takes place. Starting at 12pm in Parnell Square, more than 4.000 participants walk through Dublin, celebrating Irish culture and heritage. Extravagantly dressed in colorful clothing, often in Ireland’s national colors or just a vibrant green, there are musicians, dancers and other performers entertaining half a million spectators. This year’s theme for St. Patrick’s Day is “Spréach”, the Irish word for Spark, and it stands for the essence of Ireland and its people.
So, if you want to feel the Irish spark, experience the craic and celebrate Irish heritage, St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin is the right place to be!
Image sources:
Title: photo by Sophie Popplewell on Unsplash
1: photo by Jordan Harrison on Unsplash
2: photo by Sophie Popplewell on Unsplash
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