Festivals in Ireland: 2012
- Here's a list of the most important events in Ireland for 2012. For more information about these and other events, contact Tourism Ireland (www.discoverireland.com/us), the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (www.discovernorthernireland.com), or visit www.whatsonwhen.com.
- NOTE: Before planning a trip around a festival, make sure that you verify the festival dates at the festival or local TI's website.
- Related travel information in Ireland.
| Jan 1 | New Year's Day (banks closed) | Republic & Northern Ireland |
| Jan 25–29 | Temple Bar Trad (music and culture festival) | Dublin |
| March 16-19 | St. Patrick's Day celebration (parades, drunkenness, 5-day festival in Dublin) | Republic of Ireland |
| April 6 | Good Friday (bank holiday) | Republic & Northern Ireland |
| April 8-9 | Easter Sunday and Monday | Republic & Northern Ireland |
| April 10-15 | Pan Celtic Festival | Dingle (rotates locations) |
| May 7 | Early May Bank Holiday (closures) | Republic & Northern Ireland |
| June 4 | Spring Bank Holiday (closures) | Northern Ireland |
| June 4 | June Holiday (closures) | Republic of Ireland |
| June 16 | Bloomsday (James Joyce festival) | Dublin |
| July 12 | Battle of the Boyne anniversary (Protestant marches, protests) | Northern Ireland |
| July 16-29 | Galway Arts Festival | Galway |
| July 30-Aug 5 | Galway Races | Galway |
| Late July-Early Aug | Féile an Phobail (West Belfast Irish cultural festival) | Belfast |
| Aug 6 | August Bank Holiday (closures) | Republic of Ireland |
| Early Aug | Dingle Races (horse races) | Dingle |
| Mid Aug | Kenmare Fair | Kenmare |
| Aug 10–12 | Puck Fair (one of Ireland's oldest festivals, family entertainment and parades) | Killorglin |
| Early-Mid Aug | Dingle Regatta (Boat Races) | Dingle |
| Aug 17-21 | Rose of Tralee International Festival (arts, music, beauty pageant) | Tralee |
| Aug 27 | Late Summer Bank Holiday (closures) | Northern Ireland |
| Late Aug–early Sept | Blessing of the Boats (maritime festival) | Dingle |
| Sept 28-30 | Oyster Festival (shucking contests, music) | Galway |
| Oct 19-Nov 3 | Belfast Queens Festival (music) | Belfast |
| Late Oct | Galway Races | Galway |
| Oct 29 | October Bank Holiday (closures) | Republic of Ireland |
| Dec 25 | Christmas | Republic & Northern Ireland |
| Dec 26 | Boxing Day (day of charitable giving; closures) | Northern Ireland |
| Dec 26 | St. Stephen's Day | Republic of Ireland |
For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Ireland guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Ireland.