Halloween in Dublin - Top Events, Festivals and More

By Megan Hills

Spook yourself out this Halloween in Dublin

orange-halloween-carved-pumpkin-front-house

Spook yourself out this Halloween in Dublin

Historical architecture, dark times and colourful characters - Dublin is a city basically built for October 31st. Halloween's not the only spooky holiday on the cards as Samhain Festival crosses over with the festivities, celebrating the end of the harvest season and Dublin really turns it to eleven for the season. Here's the best things to get up to this Halloween in Dublin.

Murder Mystery Hunt

Whodunit? 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 one if you've got kiddos in tow.

Halloween at Dublinia

silhouette-trees-illuminated-by-vintage-street

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 theatre experience designed to be enjoyed by the entire family.

Spooktacular Boo!

lowland-gorilla-family-dublin-zoo

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

While books like Twilight may have ruined 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 mood. Just remember to have a garlicky meal beforehand and bring a vial of holy water with you - you know, just in case.

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, 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

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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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. Guinness Storehouse While a visit to the Guinness Storehouse isn't restricted to just the autumn months, it's well worth going to see the secrets behind the iconic stout. With several floors to explore and an in-depth exhibition spanning everything from their founder Arthur Guinness' life to its modern day incarnation, it's worth stopping off at the sky-high Gravity Bar afterwards for some gorgeous views over the city. 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. New exhibitions at the Irish Museum of Modern Art If Renaissance and more traditional art isn't your thing, the newer works over at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) might be more up your street. With a long and exciting list of exhibitions and cultural events packed into their calendar, this year's Lucien Freud (starting from October 21) and Coast-lines (starting from October 13) exhibitions are definitely worth a visit. Image via Dublin Theatre Festival 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. Image via Bram Stoker Festival 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. Image via Dublin Festival of History 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?
Go City Expert
Dublin
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Things to do in Dublin for teens

From castle-hopping to TV tours, here's what on offer for teens in Dublin...
Go City Expert
Getting around Dublin
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Getting around Dublin

If you're heading to Dublin this year and wondering how you'll be getting around the city, wonder no more. In this guide, we'll highlight all of the best ways to get around Dublin so you can make the most of your trip! Including: What is the easiest way to get around Dublin? Is Dublin easy to get around without a car? How many days do you need to see Dublin? Getting around Dublin: Public Transport What is the easiest way to get around Dublin? Walking is arguably the easiest and best way to get around Dublin. It's a relatively small city that is more than traversable by foot. But we'll get into that more down below! Is Dublin easy to get around without a car? Yes! Alongside the aforementioned walking, there are a ton of other ways to get around the city or even out of it. From trams to buses to national trains, you'll never be far from quick and affordable public transport. If you're traveling to Dublin from the States or another part of the world, we recommend you take a break from driving and let public transport do its thing. How many days do you need to see Dublin? It depends on how many things you want to do in the city! If you have a concert or other event to attend, or like the look of a number of Dublin attractions and experiences, you may want to spend 3-4 days in the city to make the most of it. If you want to travel outside of Dublin and see Ireland' natural beauty in all its splendor, maybe add a day or two to that. So, let's talk about getting around Dublin and the different forms of public transport you can take! Getting around Dublin: Buses You'll see Dublin's bright yellow buses all over the city, and they're easily one of the best ways of getting around Dublin. Buses run from the city center to the outer suburbs and vice versa from around 6AM until around 11PM, depending on the route. If you see any large blue or green lollipops sprouting from the ground, you've just seen a bus stop. There, you'll find maps, routes, and any other info you need to know. Cost-wise, journeys are determined by travel distance, so the longer you go, the more you pay. However, if you get a Leap Card, you can travel whenever and wherever you want without worrying about that. But what is a Leap Card? Image courtesy of EternalMoments/Shutterstock Getting around Dublin: Leap Cards Leap Cards allow unlimited travel on all buses or trains for a specific period of time. You buy a card for either 1, 3, or 7 days, depending on the length of your stay, and then tap it whenever you get on a bus or go through train gates to board any vessel. A 1-day ticket costs €8, a 3-day ticket costs €16, and a 7-day ticket costs €32. So, the more days you plan to use it, the less the daily cost. To pick one up, there are a couple of options to consider. Firstly, you can simply order it online. However, it does get delivered to your home address, so you need to book it far enough in advance of your trip to ensure it arrives in time! Alternatively, if you're reading this on the plane ride over, you can pick one up at the airport. Head to the T1 arrivals lounge and go to Wright's Airport Convenience Store. While it works on most forms of travel, it won't work on attractions like Dublin's Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour. But don't worry, we've got you covered! Getting around Dublin: DART DART stands for Dublin Area Rapid Transit, which is very clever when you think about it. While you may not use DART much if you're planning on spending most of your time in the city center, it's still an easy and affordable way to get around if you need to make longer journeys. DART serves over 30 stations, but you'll need to check ahead to see if it reaches a stop near you or your destination. If you're heading to the coast, DART is a quick and easy way to do it! DART trains run every 10 minutes from most stops, from 6AM - 12AM Monday - Saturday, and 9.30AM - 11PM on Sundays. Like buses, DART trains determine their cost by distance, so it's hard to talk about without knowing how far you're traveling. But, with a Leap Card, you needn't worry. Getting around Dublin: LUAS LUAS is Dublin's tram service, which is arguably the best way of getting around Dublin if you want to sightsee as you go! There are two lines, Red Line and Green Line, but since Dublin is so small, it's enough to get most people to where they're going. Trams run from 5:30AM - 12.30AM Monday to Friday, 6.30AM - 12.30AM on Saturdays, and 7AM - 11.30PM on Sundays. And guess what? Yes, repeat after us: your journey time determines the price. Look online if you want to buy single tickets, or pick up a Leap Card and throw caution - and worry - to the wind. Getting around Dublin: Irish Rail You'll only use Irish Rail if you're traveling out of Dublin, so bear that in mind. If you are, you'll be leaving from Dublin Connolly (which serves North Ireland and Northern Ireland, or Heuston, which serves the south. Ticket prices depend on distance, shocker, but just get a Leap Card and be done with it! Getting around Dublin: Walking And finally, perhaps most importantly, Dublin is a very small city. So small, in fact, that walking is arguably the best way to get around. If you're not familiar with walking, it's when you put one foot in front of the other until you reach your destination. It's a great way to burn off those Guinness calories while breathing in what scientists call "fresh air". Try it today and see the benefits for yourself! And that's everything you need to know about getting around Dublin! If you want some vacation inspiration to level up your visit, check out Go City! With our All-Inclusive Pass and Explorer Pass, you can see all of Dublin's best bits for one low price!
Dom Bewley

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