St Patrick’s Day in Dublin - March 17 - A Fancy Dress Parade, Irish Music and Traditional Dance

St Patrick's Day in Dublin is one of the biggest and most enjoyable annual celebrations of the calendar year. People come from far and wide in honor of Ireland's national saint.

Enjoy a family day out, traditional music and the festival parade on St Patrick’s Day holidays in Dublin. St Patrick’s Day hotels in Dublin get snapped up quickly, so plan ahead and get into the spirit in the Irish capital.

photo by William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified

Family fun

Festivities for Ireland’s patron saint last almost a week in Dublin. A Patrick’s Day vacation is a fun-filled family occasion that culminates in the colorful St Patrick’s Day Parade in green fancy dress. Book a St Patrick’s Day hotel near Dame Street where families start searching for clues on the annual Treasure Hunt. Another regular fixture is the Denny Big Day Out, which brings crowds to Merrion Square for puppetry, storytelling circuses and games.

photo by William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified

Arts and culture

Throughout the St Patrick’s Festival, Dublin is home to a host of walks, talks and performing arts. You can join workshops in visual arts at Dublin’s galleries or explore the city with a guide. There are photographic and art exhibitions, plays and live readings of some of Dublin’s best-loved literature. Expect traditional Irish dancing events at major venues and open-air arts in Smithfield and Temple Bar Square.

photo by William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified

Music and nightlife

Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day party continues into the night from the National Concert Hall to Temple Bar. The line-up varies from year to year but it can include performances of music by Irish composers relating to St Patrick or international musicians from other Celtic nations. Traditional Irish music is a usual fixture, as is the annual ceilidh dance which will keep your feet tapping until the wee hours.

photo by William Murphy (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified