Expert recommendations of the top events—with tips on how to best experience these celebrations.
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St. Patrick’s Festival
On and around March 17. Massive multiple-day event celebrating Ireland’s patron saint; street theater, music, fireworks, and parties as well as a grand parade, with Irish and international marching bands, drill teams, floats. www.stpatricksday.ie
Dublin International Film Festival
Late February/early March. More than a hundred films are screened over two weekends. Showcases Irish and world cinema; seminars and lectures on filmmaking. Meet Irish directors like Joel Conroy (Wave Riders, 2008) and international filmmakers such as Jonas Mekas (Guns of the Trees, 1964). www.dubliniff.com
Diversions Festival
June to August. Free performances held in streets and squares: dance, film, theater, music, opera, and visual arts; features more than 100 performers from a dozen countries; past programs have included recitals by Clive Carroll and Gareth Peterson, and “In the Open,” a mix of poetry, prose, and drama in Temple Bar Square. www.temple-bar.ie
Bloomsday Festival
June 16. A full day devoted to celebrating Leopold Bloom, the main character of James Joyce’s Ulysses. Restaurants, pubs, museums, and cinemas all get in on the act. www.jamesjoyce.ie
Oxegen
Early/mid July. One of Europe’s premier summer indie rock music fests, with acts playing on multiple stages throughout a weekend. Line-up has included Kings of Leon, Editors, Scissor Sisters, and Razorlight. Punchestown Racecourse, County Kildare. www.oxegen.ie
Dublin Theatre Festival
Two weeks in late September/early October. Theaters throughout Dublin feature new plays by major Irish companies, such as Druid; international theaters and dance companies; and touring companies from London’s West End theaters. www.dublintheatrefestival.com
Tradition: DL
August. Colossal festival of traditional Irish music; held harborside in suburban Dún Laoghaire; a must-visit festival for lovers of Ireland’s traditional sound. Pavilion Theatre, Marine Road. www.paviliontheatre.ie
