As 2024 comes to an end, it is the ideal time to look forward into the next year to see what will be happening on the island of Ireland. As ever, 2025 looks to be a year packed full of festivals, culture, sports, history and family fun. So many reasons to book a holiday on the Emerald Isle. Here are a few to get you started.
A very Ernest anniversary
2025 marks 130 years since Irish writer, Oscar Wilde penned his famous play The Importance of Being Ernest.
It is also the 125th anniversary of Wilde’s death.
As a result, there is bound to be a huge focus on the Irish wit and raconteur, not least a new event, In Our Dreams taking place in October in the town of Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, where Wilde went to school.
There will be more Wildean fun in Dublin, with themed guided tours of Oscar Wilde House and Trinity College and the third annual Oscarina, a showcase dedicated to the writer that is taking place in October.
Festival Fun
Ireland is well known for its plethora of festivals that take place across the island every year. Each boasting its own theme, music, food and followers, there is a huge choice for visitors to enjoy in 2025.
Some famous festivals include the Galway Oyster Festival happening in September.
Music lovers will enjoy Imbloc Festival – an eight-day extravaganza happening in Derry at the end of January and into February and Longitude, Dublin’s most famous music festival taking place later in the year.
Dublin will also host an International Film Festival in late February, showcasing the best of Irish cinema and film.
The City of Derry Jazz Festival is another occasion not to be missed, happening in early May.
St Patrick’s celebrations
Ireland’s biggest calendar date is arguably St Patrick’s Day on 17 March – an occasion to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland and participate in parties and parades all over the country.
Some of the more popular St Patrick’s Day festivals and parades will take place in Kilkenny, Dublin, Cork and Killarney – don’t miss out on the party of the year.
As well as parades and events, people dress up, enjoy a pint or two of Ireland’s national drink – Guinness – and enjoy spending time with family and friends as winter’s cold weather gives way to spring just in time for parades and parties to take place outdoors.
This sporting life
Ireland has plenty to offer sports fans in 2025 too, from horse races in Galway, County Kildare and Tipperary in the summer to Gaelic football and hurling matches found all over the island.
The 153rd Open Championship will be held at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland in mind July, attracting golf fans from all over the world for this exciting international tournament.
Finally, several Guinness Six Nations rugby tournament games will take place at various stadia across Ireland in spring 2025, including Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium and Cork’s Virgin Media Park.
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