Where to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Ireland

St Patrick’s Day is a huge event across the globe, with cities like Chicago in the US dyeing its river green for the occasion and landmarks like the Sydney Opera House lit up in Ireland’s honour. But there’s nowhere better to enjoy this legendary celebration than in the Emerald Isle itself. To help you enjoy the raucous festivities to the max, we’ve rounded up the best places to be in Ireland on St Patrick’s Day.

The Irish capital might be the first place that springs to mind when you think of where to enjoy St Patrick’s Day. And for good reason; Dublin is well-known for its live music scene and pub-crawl potential, which makes it an excellent place to celebrate. The annual Dublin parade is a must-see for any visitor lucky enough to be in the city on St Patrick’s Day, although it’s worth marking out your spot beforehand as it’s a very popular event (also, it’s not a fixed route and regularly changes so do a bit of research or check with your accommodation to find out where to go). In the evening, Dublin’s landmarks are bathed in green light, creating a stunning backdrop for revelry continuing into the early hours. Check into the Moxy Dublin City, close to the river and Temple Bar neighbourhood, where you’ll find cobbled streets lined with ample pubs hosting live music sessions.

For St Patrick’s Day, the charming county town of Carrick-on-Shannon hosts a parade of floats and a competition for the best window display, alongside family-friendly activities like face-painting and traditional Irish dancing. In the evening, the town’s bars, pubs and nightclubs come into their own with live music and a festive atmosphere to rival Christmas and New Year’s Eve combined. For somewhere to recover from the festivities, check into The Landmark Hotel, overlooking the peaceful River Shannon.

St Patrick’s Day becomes a whole week of celebrations in the south-eastern, medieval city of Kilkenny as the five-day St Patrick’s Festival Kilkenny takes over the city centre. The festival focuses on traditional Irish music and culture, while simultaneously encouraging visitors to invent a few traditions of their own. There is plenty of live music, and you can join a variety of workshops ranging from learning Irish dancing to how to play the accordion, fiddle, or drums. It’s also worth taking an afternoon stroll along the Kilkenny Canal route; starting at Canal Square, the winding waterways will take you all the way through the city and down to the banks of the River Nore. Round off your day with a stay at Butler House, just a few minutes’ walk from the river and Kilkenny Castle.

The coastal city of Galway is the place to go for a charming and authentic St Patrick’s day – starting with the annual parade. The Galway St Patrick’s parade starts at University Road, goes over the Salmon Weir Bridge, and then through the centre of Galway to finish at Prospect Hill. Highlights include street theatre, floats, live music, drummers and a family cycling event. Travellers planning to toast St Patrick with a glass of Irish whiskey can head to Cross Street Lower for pubs, bars and nightclubs. See if you can squeeze into The Quays, a bar with medieval church fittings. Check into the highly rated The Residence Hotel in the city centre, where staff will be happy to help you plan your St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

With good food and good cheer guaranteed, Cork is one of Ireland’s most popular tourist destinations so it’s no wonder that it’s also one of the best places to celebrate the country’s national day. And with the Cork St Patrick’s Day Parade returning at 1pm on March 17th for the first time in two years, this self-proclaimed abundance of colour, pageantry, puppetry and performance is set to be a particularly special one in 2022. The route starts at the South Mall and follows St Patrick’s Street, finishing at Merchant Quay which – conveniently – is located next to some of the city’s most popular bars and pubs. In the evening, Barrack Street will be full of merrymakers while live music spills from every doorway. Visitors planning to make a night of it can stay nearby at the Lancaster Lodge.