Dublin at Halloween

Halloween in Dublin

Spook yourself out this Halloween in Dublin.
By Megan Hills

Historical architecture, dark times, and colourful characters - Dublin is a city practically made for October 31st. We couldn't think of a better place to spend spooky season.

Dublin really turns it up to eleven for the season, and Halloween's not the only spooky holiday on the cards. Samhain Festival crosses over with the festivities, celebrating the end of the Harvest. With ghosts, ghouls, and goblins galore, here's our guide to everything Dublin has to offer around Halloween.

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Murder Mystery Hunt

Whodunnit? Well, that's exactly what you're going to find out at Dublin's National Wax Museum where a murder's taken place and imposing Viking Joe is a major suspect. Help him prove his innocence by following the clues (in costume of course) to discover what really happened. A great Halloween pick if you've got kids in tow.

Halloween at Dublinia

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Halloween at Dublinia

Take a step into Ireland's dark past at Dublinia, where the entire space will be transformed into medieval Dublin at the height of the Black Death. Dubliners will be roaming the halls, looting corpses for treasure as they share their stories about the plague, clutching at healing herbs to keep them healthy as they pass. Crafted by the Delig Inis theatre group, it's an immersive experience designed to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Spooktacular Boo!

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Spooktacular Boo!

Every year, Dublin Zoo gets in on the festive fun and decks out its sprawling enclosures with Halloween-themed decor. With a long list of fun activities including a monster disco, spooky arts and crafts, and face painting for all those who want to up their fancy dress game, one of the highlights of the season is watching the elephants play with masses of pumpkins, joyfully smashing them to pieces.

Ghastly Glasnevin Tours

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Ghastly Glasnevin Tours

There's nowhere eerier than a graveyard and Dublin's iconic Glasnevin Cemetery is a prime location for Halloween. This Halloween, they'll be running a number of horrifying tours where they delve into the unsavoury characters buried in the cemetery and its spooky past. Naturally, fancy dress is a must and it's ideal for younger children right before you delve into the trick or treat circuit.

Bram Stoker Festival

Dracula book

Bram Stoker Festival

While books like Twilight may have altered our perception of vampires forever, it's great to remember how terrifying, sensual, and complex they once were at the Bram Stoker Festival. Held over several days, there'll be everything from screenings of film adaptations to a Victorian-themed amusement park to get you into the Halloween spirit. Just remember to have a garlicky meal beforehand and bring a vial of holy water with you - you know, just in case.

Macnas Parade

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Macnas Parade

Yes, this is technically part of the Bram Stoker Festival, but it deserves a whole category of its own. Held on the 30th of October, this gigantic parade turns Dublin on its head and brings chaotic revelry to its streets as an eerie monstrous procession navigates its twists and turns. With gigantic monsters and creepy entertainers ruling the capital after dark, it's a unique way to spend the spookiest time of the year - don't forget to come dressed the part.

The Nightmare Realm

Think you're brave? Prove your metal at The Nightmare Realm, one of Dublin's scariest haunted houses. It's not at all for the faint of heart and best explored with a group, with the house straying firmly away from lame cliches like ghosts in sheets - instead drawing on horror films and the stuff of nightmares to terrify you. One of the top things to do this Halloween in Dublin, it's been known to be so gruesome and scary that people regularly bow out - you in?

Horror Expo

Bram Stoker's not the only one in town with a convention. The Horror Expo is coming to Dublin and if you're a fan of the genre, it's an absolute must. With horror-themed Q&A panels, movie screenings and live paranormal investigations, there's so much to see and do. If you're looking to brush up on your fancy dress skills, there's a few SFX make-up artists ready to share their tips on getting zombified and ready for the monster ball.

Halloween at the Lighthouse

Horror movie with skeleton

Halloween at the Lighthouse

All month long, the Lighthouse Cinema will be showing a string of horror flicks including classics like the Creature from the Black Lagoon through to modern day theatre epics like NT Live's rendition of Frankenstein. While some of the screenings are a part of the Bram Stoker Festival (yes, Dracula's in there somewhere in the line up), you'll be able to rock up and make the most of the cinema's festivities - all with a bucket of popcorn.

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Bronze statue of Molly Malone in Dublin city center.
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3 Days in Dublin

Steeped in a history and heritage that takes in the Anglo Saxons, the Vikings and many towering titans of 20th-century literature, Dublin is one of those cities that screams ‘Culture’ with a capital ‘C’. Galleries, gardens and Guinness; castles, cathedrals and craic – Dublin has enough thrilling things to do to keep even the most jaded sightseer happy for days at a time. Dublin is also an eminently walkable city, with a compact center and relatively flat (if occasionally cobbled) terrain. But don’t let that stop you getting your bearings on a hop-on hop-off bus tour. As well as preserving your feet for bar-hopping in the evening, the tour comes with live commentary that’s full of blarney, and calls at an epic 23 (count em!) Dublin landmarks, including the castle, St Stephen’s Green, Kilmainham Gaol and the Jameson Distillery, to name just a few. Our guide picks out some of the best of these and wrangles them into an almost-manageable itinerary for your three days in Dublin. Dive in for our top recommendations, including: Dublin Castle Christ Church Cathedral The Molly Malone Statue The Book of Kells St Stephen’s Green Temple Bar Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship The Guinness Storehouse Day 1: Historic Dublin Our recommended first stop (whether exploring by bus or on foot) is Trinity College, the esteemed 16th-century Dublin seat of learning which counts such literary legends as Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Swift and Bram Stoker among its alumni. Guided tours of Ireland’s oldest university give you the lowdown on these and other famous students as you stroll its leafy, cobbled squares and admire grand neoclassical buildings including the Campanile (pictured), Provost’s House and Chapel. Step inside the ornate Museum Building to admire its soaring marble columns, domed central hall and extraordinary carvings. On encountering the towering shelves of the Old Library’s atmospheric Long Room for the first time, you might be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped straight into the pages of a Harry Potter novel. It’s here that you can observe the Book of Kells, a remarkable ninth-century manuscript that details the four gospels of the life of Christ and is the undisputed star of the Trinity College show. No trip to Dublin would be complete without snagging that all-important selfie by the bronze statue of sweet Molly Malone, fictional star of the old ‘Cockles and Mussels’ ballad, as she hawks her wares along Suffolk Street. We challenge you not to find yourself humming the tune to yourself as you head onto Grafton Street. This is Ireland’s premier shopping street, a pedestrianized cornucopia of capitalism that’s chock full of big-brand stores, plus dozens of bars and restaurants at which to pause for refreshment and watch the buskers and street performers. You never know, you might even spot Ireland’s next megastar – musicians including Damien Rice and Bono started their careers right here. After lunch, leave Grafton’s carnival atmosphere behind and make for nearby St Stephen’s Green, an idyllic Victorian oasis of manicured gardens, vibrant flower beds, and all manner of monuments and sculptures. Look out for Henry Moore’s abstract memorial to W.B. Yeats and the imposing bust of James Joyce and. You could even go full Dublin immersion mode and finally get around to tackling Ulysses (or at least a few pages of it) in a quiet spot by the duck pond. If you’re not yet all sightseeing-ed out, you might also consider squeezing in one of the nearby museums, among them the mighty National Gallery, Irish Whiskey Museum and Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). But you came here for the craic as well as the culture, right? In which case, get ready for an evening of rabble-rousing Irish entertainment in the cobbled lanes of the Temple Bar district. The most iconic pub here is the Temple Bar itself, with it’s distinctive red facade, colorful hanging baskets and live bands. But really there are dozens of typical Irish bars to choose from here. We recommend bar-hopping to find the best craic, with an occasional dram of whiskey and/or pint of Guinness to keep your energy levels up! Day 3: Medieval Dublin and Mmmmore Guinness We’re going to take it a little more easy with a trip to Dublin’s medieval quarter on day two. And, yes, there will be more Guinness in the evening. But first up is 13th-century Dublin Castle, with its sumptuous state apartments, ancient Viking defenses, and beautiful castle gardens. Once home to the dark tidal pool (Dubh Linn) from which the city takes its name, the gardens now form an ornamental oasis perfect for strolling or simply watching the world go by. You’ll also want to make a pilgrimage to Christ Church Cathedral, the city’s oldest building at nearly 1,000 years young. There’s loads to see and do inside this medieval gothic masterpiece. Seek out the crypt with its ancient memorials and mummified cat and rat, immortalized in Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. Admire the vaulted ceilings and soaring stained glass windows, and pay your respects at the final resting place of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke aka Strongbow. You can even view a rare copy of the Magna Carta and the heart of 12th-century saint Laurence O’Toole. Fascinating stuff. Cathedral fanatics can continue their religious experience at nearby St Patrick’s, named for Ireland’s legendary snake-hater. Or pop just next door to Dublinia where you can travel back in time to get a taste of what Dublin life was like in Viking and medieval times. Alternatively, having whet your appetite for Temple Bar last night (how’s the head, by the way?) it’s worth returning to for a mooch around its many independent shops, cute cafés and cool galleries. You were promised Guinness, so Guinness you shall now have. Hit up the Guinness Storehouse for your fix of the black stuff, accompanied by 360-degree views of the city from its 7th-floor Gravity Bar. You can also stock up on cans in the shop, where other souvenirs of your visit include Guinness coffee, Guinness cookbooks and Guinness apparel. Day 3: Immerse Yourself in Irish Culture On your final day in Dublin, it’s time to fully immerse in the city’s rich culture. And no, we don’t mean more Guinness. Today is the day to stop by one of the museums or tours you missed along the way. The National Gallery, with its extensive collection of art spanning the last seven centuries, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio, Goya and several Irish artists, is particularly good. Then there’s the Irish Whisky Museum – great for understanding Ireland’s long-standing relationship with the hard stuff – and the Jameson Distillery, great for sampling it for yourself. Join a literary walking tour that takes in the Dublin Writers Museum, Gutter Bookshop and a cozy pub like Toners, once frequented by Joyce, Stoker and Patrick Kavanagh. Looking for something a little less... highbrow? Visit King’s Landing and Winterfell and go beyond the wall on this studio tour of some of Game of Thrones’ most iconic locations. If you really want to get under the skin of Irish culture, we’d suggest choosing just one of these and pairing it with a visit to the aptly named EPIC Irish Emigration Museum and Jeanie Johnston Tallship. Between them these two fascinating museums peer deep inside Ireland’s soul. Go on a moving and revealing journey through Irish identity and heritage at EPIC and discover the tallship’s critical role in helping thousands of desperate people flee the Great Famine in search of a better life in North America. Save on things to do in Dublin Save on admission to Dublin attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Wooden Guinness barrel.
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4 Days in Dublin

Four days is the perfect amount of time to liberally drench yourself in Dublin’s rich heritage, from its medieval center and imposing castle to lively cobbled lanes lined with bars and restaurants, illustrious literary culture, beautiful parks and fine museums. Our guide takes in all of these and more, leaving plenty of time to enjoy the legendary craic and sample the city’s most famous exports: the twin joys of Guinness and whiskey. So, pack your passport, walking shoes and Alka-Seltzer and get ready to say ‘sláinte’ to Dublin! Our guide includes: Christ Church Cathedral Dublin Castle Malahide Castle Trinity College Temple Bar St Stephen’s Green EPIC Irish Immigration Museum The Guinness Storehouse Grafton Street Day 1: Dublin: A Brief History One of the best things about Dublin is how compact and easily walkable it is. A well-planned itinerary will mean you never have to stroll far for the next big-ticket attraction. But do wear comfy shoes to tackle the ubiquitous cobbles! Our suggested itinerary kicks off with a handful of Dublin’s must-sees, all within just a few minutes’ walk of each other. Trinity College, Dublin’s stunning 16th-century seat of learning is our first port of call. Here, aficionados of Irish literature can walk in the footsteps of exalted alumni including Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Bram Stoker, to name-drop just a few. Wander the cobbled quadrangles and admire the grand neoclassical architecture ahead of the main event: a guided tour of the atmospheric Old Library that takes in the extraordinary Book of Kells, easily the most astonishing preserved medieval manuscript in the British Isles, if not the entire planet. Suitably awed, head over to Grafton Street, grabbing a selfie by the statue of Molly Malone – she of the classic ‘Cockles and Mussels’ ballad (known locally (and rather unkindly) as ‘the tart with a cart)’ – on the way. A fine spot for lunch (and a shopper’s paradise), Grafton Street also brims with street performers. Expect to enjoy music, magic and all manner of other sensory delights as you dine. This will no doubt whet your appetite for an evening in Temple Bar, Dublin’s legendary nightlife district, where cobbles, colorful characters and great craic are all but guaranteed. But before all that, make sure to spend an afternoon chilling in the relative peace and tranquility of stunning St Stephen’s Green. Manicured gardens, vibrant flower beds, duck ponds and monuments to James Joyce and W.B. Yeats are the order of the day in this lush Victorian idyll. Day 2: Dublin’s Best Museums and Booze Dublin’s museums are plentiful, offering myriad methods of getting under the skin of this fine city. You can view timeless masterpieces by some of the world’s greatest ever artists – Caravaggio, Goya, Monet, Picasso, Rembrandt, Turner, Vermeer and more – at the excellent National Gallery, and explore the best of contemporary local art at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). Delve into the city’s storied history at the, well, epic EPIC Irish Emigration Museum and discover how desperate Irish citizens fled the Great Famine aboard the Jeanie Johnston Tallship in the 19th Century, in search of a better life in North America. Whiskey connoisseurs will also be in clover in Dublin. Ireland’s complex relationship with the amber nectar is explored in depth at the Irish Museum of Whiskey, and you can sample it for yourself on distillery tours at (amongst others) Jameson and Teeling, as well as in pretty much any Irish bar worth its salt. Prefer books to booze? Get yourself down the Writers Museum and Museum of Literature Ireland, where exhibits celebrate the great and good of Irish wordsmithery, from Shaw to Sheridan, Joyce to Wilde. A Game of Thrones studio tour and a National Leprechaun Museum offer further fantastical japes and prove beyond all doubt that there really is something for everyone in Dublin! Head full of dragons, poetry and folklore, mosey on down to the Guinness Storehouse for a well-deserved pint of the black stuff, accompanied by panoramic views from its space-age 7th-floor Gravity Bar, taking in Dublin Bay, the Wicklow Mountains and everything in between. You can continue the party at Guinness's Open Gate Brewery, an experimental taproom where you can sample the iconic brewer’s newest tipples. Day 3: Day Trip to Malahide Castle Sure, there’s stacks more you can be doing in Dublin on day three of your getaway. But what could possibly be more decadent than taking a break from your city break? Banish the specter of last night’s overindulgence on a day trip out to magnificent medieval Malahide Castle, a stunningly preserved stone fortress on the north Dublin coast. Set in 260 acres of glorious parkland, this turreted confection and its grounds promise diversions enough to fill an entire day. We’re talking opulent interiors bedecked with period furniture, carved friezes and huge portraits of the Talbot family, who owned the castle between the 12th century and the 20th. There are also botanical gardens featuring a four-acre walled garden plus several glasshouses (including a Victorian conservatory), a butterfly garden and a fairy trail. Heck, there’s even a cricket pitch in the grounds. How the other half live, eh? If that doesn’t tickle your pickle, alternative out-of-town marvels include the picturesque harbor town of Howth (also with its own castle, natch), and the marvelous 18th-century folly that is Casino Marino, a Tardis-like gem of neoclassical architecture just beyond the city limits. A cold pint or three of Guinness awaits the weary traveler on their inevitable return to Temple Bar in the evening – the promise of lively banter, traditional Irish music and cozy pub nooks providing the perfect antidote to sightseeing fatigue. Day 4: Medieval Dublin Morning! How’s the head today? Delighted to hear it! Because there’s still A LOT to see before we send you off on your merry way. First up on our whistle-stop tour of medieval Dublin is Christ Church Cathedral, where the arresting site of a mummified cat and rat locked in eternal chase should help shake off that biblical hangover of yours. And that’s not all. There are many more weird and wonderful highlights to seek out inside this, the city’s oldest building (around 1,000 years, but who’s counting?). Check out those epic vaulted ceilings and ogle stained-glass windows that rival those of York Minster and Canterbury for sheer scale and vividness. There’s even a rare copy of the Magna Carta for your perusal as well as the inevitable relics, among them the heart (encased inside a heart-shaped casket) of 12th-century saint Laurence O’Toole. Continue your religious pilgrimage at nearby St Patrick’s, named in honor of Ireland’s snake-chaser-in-chief. Or pop just next door to the excellent Dublinia experience, where immersive and interactive exhibits take you back to the Dublin of Viking and medieval times. Last but by no means least, Dublin Castle should be considered an essential element of your 4-day Dublin itinerary, if only to secure a selfie in front of its imposing medieval tower. The castle’s sumptuous state apartments, Viking defenses, gothic Chapel Royal, and formal gardens, once home to the dark tidal pool (Dubh Linn) from which the city takes its name, are also well worth a few hours of your time. Save on things to do in Dublin Save on admission to Dublin attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
awesome-autumn-landscape-canal-dublin
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Things to Do in Dublin this Autumn: Events, Festivals and More

One of our favourite times of the year, find out why you should visit Dublin this Autumn! As the leaves change, so does Dublin's events calendar and cultural festivals come to the fore. While you'll have to wait till the spring for the likes of St Patrick's Day, the autumn brings theatrical and literary festivals as well as brand new artistic exhibitions specifically for 2017. Get inspired with our list of highlights below. Have a drink at one of Dublin's oldest pubs Grab a pint of the black stuff at one of Dublin's local watering holes, where you'll be able to wash your drink down with a dash of history. Whether you're stopping off at The Gravediggers after checking out Glasnevin Cemetery or basking in the Victorian era Stag's Head establishment, join in the centuries old tradition of unwinding at a pub and check out our full list of oldest pubs to see what's nearest you. Frederic William Burton: For the Love of Art The National Gallery of Ireland is the region's most important artistic venues, providing a rich look at the world and history of Irish creativity and international artists. Beyond the Caravaggios and Vermeers of the permanent collection, there's an entire exhibit dedicated to Frederic William Burton, an accomplished Irish watercolour artist that would go on to work as director of London's National Gallery. The exhibit opens on October 25 and bookings are recommended. Get cultural at the Dublin Theatre Festival See what the brightest of the Irish theatrical scene has to offer at Dublin Theatre Festival, an eighteen day cultural extravaganza. Running from September 28 - October 15, there's everything from Hamnet, an eleven year old's personal exploration of Shakespeare and actual Shakespeare with Venus and Adonis. There's also going to be a stage production of Ulysses, one of Ireland's most seminal literary works, so that's a great way to get insight into the country's heritage. Bram Stoker Festival Now here's something you might not have known - Dracula's author Bram Stoker was actually a through and through Irishman. Abraham 'Bram' Stoker was a Dublin native and he's being honoured October 27-30 with a four day festival, which will celebrate the best Gothic literature has to offer. Spend a day at Stokerland, a Victorian fun park that'll take you way into the past, take a pen and paper to a number of talks delving into Stoker's canon and celebrate the end of the festival with an incredible parade. Dublin Festival of History History buffs, this one goes out to you. For the fifth year running, the Dublin Festival of History brings a diverse range of talks, lectures and more to the capital to uncover the past in an engaging way until October 14. Beyond being totally free, some of its events are going to be held in Dublin Castle including a themed version of Question Time - what better venue to soak in centuries of history than a bonafide castle?
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