St. Patrick’s Day 2016 is shaping up to be one of the most spectacular years of celebration yet. Here are our top 4 ways to celebrate this year.

St. Patrick’s Day is the one national holiday that is celebrated in more countries around the world than any other and is an unrivaled showcase for the landscape, music, literature, culture, history and people of Ireland.

Here are our top 4 ways to celebrate this year:

1. ‘I Love My City’ - Dublin 2016
The centerpiece to Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations is the parade and festival in Dublin. The festival was established by the Irish government back in 1995 and now spans a number of days. This year the festival runs from St. Patrick’s Day itself which is 17th March until 20th March. This year, a series of evocative and intimate cultural events has been programmed for the festival. Called ‘I love my city’, there are many headline events featuring established and emerging Irish and international artists from a variety of disciplines including literature, music, film, spoken word, design, visual art and more. To find an event to suit you go to www.stpatricksfestival.ie.  

The centerpiece of the Dublin celebrations is the St. Patrick’s Festival Parade which starts at midday on 17th March. The theme this year is ‘Imagine If...’ and it will be brought to life by Ireland’s leading pageant companies. There will also be bands from the USA, Brittany and Ireland and the procession will wind its way through the heart of Dublin city, bursting with color.

2. Croagh Patrick Walking Festival on St. Patrick’s Weekend
If you would like to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in a different way completely, the Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail Walking Festival 2016 is a breath of fresh air. The Walking Festival takes place through rural County Mayo from 18th to 20th March. This festival features some of the most stunning scenery in the country. The trail extends from the town of Balla in Co. Mayo to the seaside village of Murrisk at the foot of Croagh Patrick. The trail includes deciduous woodland, rolling fields and bogs and walkers can discover ancient pathways and boreens. There are different walks from moderate to hard and visits to heritage sites with experienced guides to bring myths and legends to life.

3. Cork – St. Patrick’s Day Festival 17th to 20th March
Sometimes described as ‘Ireland’s real capital’, Cork completely comes to life for St. Patrick’s Day and just like Dublin, the celebrations have now extended in to a multi-day Festival. The city center of Cork is the best place to be and there is street music, entertainment and all sorts of free family activities planned for this year, in addition to the main event – the huge parade. The centerpiece of the Cork St. Patrick’s Festival this year as always is the parade and this year the theme is 1916 – The Legacy. This promises to be “a carnival of color, music, pageantry and comic fun”. It will start at the South Mall to the Grand Parade, along St. Patrick’s Street and finish at Merchant’s Quay.  

4. Ennis, Co. Clare – The Heart of Traditional Music
There’s nowhere better to get to the heart of traditional music in Ireland than Ennis, Co. Clare. Local people have been encouraged to come out and make this the biggest parade ever. Commencing at 11am, the parade will weave its way through the streets and the theme this year is ‘Celebrating our Community’. Pubs and venues around the county of Clare will be humming to the sound of traditional music and song. Ennis, Co. Clare describes itself as ‘Ireland’s friendliest town’ and it will surely live up to this billing on St. Patrick’s Day 2016.

Whether you prefer a weekend spent in the great outdoors, prefer a parade, want a family friendly festival or want to sample the best of traditional music and song there is an event around Ireland for you this St. Patrick’s Day. Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2016!