2013 is the year of the Gathering, if you are one of the 70 million people who claim Irish ancestry or you just want to be part of the craic then consider a weekend break in Ireland. You’ll experience all the fun, festivals and best of all fighting spirit of the Irish.
- weekend break to IrelandÉole / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
The Gathering Ireland is a yearlong celebration of the people, their culture and country. Anyone with a link to Ireland however tenuous (for example, you once drank Guinness on St Patrick’s Day) is invited to visit the island for festivities and celebrations galore. Take a look at our guide to the places to be to get involved in this emerald-themed Irish love-fest.
Dublin, Jan 01 2013
Dublin is the perfect weekend break and what better time to visit than for the Gathering celebrations? The organisers have set their sights high, hoping to rival Edinburgh’s famous Hogmanay celebrations. The whole city centre will be transformed into an outdoor playground. There will be music, dancing, fireworks and plenty of fun for all the family.
The New Year party starts with the People’s Procession of Light at 6.30pm. This parade promises pageantry, stilt walkers and musicians as well as thousands of people carrying lanterns. The procession is followed by The Big Bang which will light up the night sky above Dublin’s Georgian city centre with fireworks for the first time ever – not to be missed. Finally get yourself into the Countdown Concert and ring in the New Year to the sound of Imelda May and Bell X1.
But don’t worry if you have other plans to bring in the new year, Dublin has loads of things to do every single month. Dublin Zoo is considered on of the best in Europe, whilst the International Slavery Museum is a poignant reminder of Europe’s dark past, and fantastic for adults and children alike. And of course there is the world famous Guinness factory, where you can sample the world’s favourite beer and learn about its history before hitting Dublin’s fantastic selection of pubs and clubs.
Galway, January 10 2013
If you need something to warm you up this January look no further than the 300th Galway traditional session celebrations. This re-union aims to bring traditional Irish musicians, singers and dancers who have been playing in the Western Hotel music sessions for the last six years together. Join them as they celebrate their 300th consecutive weekly session. Bring your own instrument, sing-along, tap your toes or clap your hands but get there if you can.
Cork, June 16 2013
Cork is known as Ireland’s second city and is a must for anyone wanting to experience the very best of the country. This port city has plenty of individual character living up to its moniker ‘the rebel county’. A weekend break to Cork could easily see you kissing the Blarney Stone, sipping whiskey at the Midleton Distillery and wandering around the genteel gardens at Bantry House.
If you time your Irish weekend break well you could also enjoy the Buttevant Walled Town Day. There’s free admission for all the family and once inside you can enjoy battle re-enactments, tug o’ war, metal working, thatching and archery… treasure hunts, puppet shows and music…phew, can’t say fairer than that.
Ireland is an easy destination to get to no matter where you are flying from. It ranges from the beautiful and vibrant city of Dublin to the tranquillity of Achill Island in the west of the country. And with great flight deals from Ireland there’s no excuse not to take the craic to the rest of the world too.
What is your favourite Irish city or county?Â
