Dublin events come in a great variety, and there are numerous that are well known enough to draw an international audience to the streets of the capital city. From national holidays such as St Patrick’s Day to celebrations of literary figures like the annual Bloomsday, to festivals that celebrate theater, art, and even cuisine, there are Dublin events that are well worth planning your vacation to Ireland around. The first step is to find airfare and hotels, so if you are planning on attending one of these events, keep in mind that both might be more expensive during this period. If you know when you plan to travel, you can often avoid these peaks in prices by booking ahead of time, especially for large events such as St Patrick’s Day.

There is a festival in Dublin for all elements of Irish culture. One of the most popular is the Dublin Theater Festival. Irish playwrights have long had the attention of an international audience, and this annual festival introduces audiences to the next generation of Irish writers, but there are numerous other cultural options as well. Some visitors consider the best events in Dublin to be these cultural festivals. The Dublin Book Festival, music festivals, and a restaurant week called Dine in Dublin all bring an international audience to the cosmopolitan nature of the city.

Bloomsday is the annual celebration on June 16 to celebrate the life and work of Irish writer James Joyce. The name Bloomsday comes from the main character of Ulysses, Leopold Bloom, and the date corresponds to the single day featured in the novel. The celebration includes readings, dramatizations, and pub crawls throughout Dublin. Visiting different Dublin landmarks where Joyce either spent time or appeared in his writings is all part of this festival in Dublin. If you aren’t going to be in Dublin on June 16, go for a pint at Davy Byrne’s pub to visit a landmark with significance regarding Joyce.

Dublin Map

Other Dublin events include annual sports matches, and many people travel to Dublin to see the most exciting games of the year for Gaelic sports. If you’re interested on Rugby, plan a trip in March to see a game of the 6 Nations Rugby Tournament. Throughout the year, tickets to Croke Park will be available to see soccer, rugby, hurling, camogie, and Gaelic football. Croke Park also hosts concerts, and plenty of fans have planned an entire trip to Dublin just around seeing the world-famous U2 perform in their hometown.

The most delicious festival in Dublin is the Dine in Dublin Restaurant Week. Each March and October, restaurants throughout the city put out a special value menu of three courses for 30 euros. There are deals throughout town for lunch as well. If you want to dine in some of the best restaurants in the city, planning a trip during restaurant week will help you to maximize the value of your visit. Dublin is a thriving cultural city, and the odds are there will be a festival on whenever you arrive. From the arts to foreign languages to national holidays, you might be surprised by an annual event that you didn’t even know was part of the calendar.