· Dublin
Irish Famine Exhibition
When: Friday 19th – Sun 21st
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/irish-famine-exhibition-tickets-329537785387?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Family Admission - 2 Adults 2 Children €30.00
This Exhibition tells the story of what happened during those horrific years. We use rare 19th century photographs, witness accounts, contemporary sketches as well as maps and statistical information. Also on display are three American Newspapers containing articles on the state of Ireland at this time. A 15 minute film with seating is included in the Exhibition and the average time spent by visitors is 1 and 1/4 hours.
· Kerry
Movies & Musicals - 100 Years of the Green
When: Fri, 19 August 2022
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/movies-musicals-100-years-of-the-green-tickets-394526869487?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Free
A Celebration of 100 Years of Tralee Town Park with Live Choral, Classical & Musical performances followed by Movie Night. Funded under the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (TCAGSM), and Kerry County Council.
· Dublin
Family Film Fun in Blackrock Library
When: Saturday 20th August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/family-film-fun-in-blackrock-library-tickets-392453949327?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Free
Join us this summer in Blackrock Library for some family film fun every Saturday in August!
· Galway
Dusk Bat Walk
When: Sat, 20 August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dusk-bat-walk-tickets-399434739057?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Free
Join us on a walk along the river at dusk . Using bat detectors ( which allow us to listen to the high frequency calls of bats ) and torches, we will listen and look for some of our local bats. We might see and hear Pipistrelles, Leisler's bats and maybe even the Daubenton's bat that hunts by trawling over the surface of the river.
Suitable for families. Please wear a high viz jacket/bib as the walk is at dusk close to the river. Bring a torch and wear strong footwear. Please keep a close eye on any children present.
· Offaly
The Midlands Throwdown - 10 Year Special
When: Saturday August 20th & Sun August 21st
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-midlands-throwdown-10-year-special-registration-367953247067?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Kids go free, Adults €15
The Midlands Throwdown - 10 Year Special
The Midlands Throwdown returns to Tullamore this August Teams of 3 will compete at CrossFit Tullamore with divisions for scaled and intermediate teams including masters.
· Waterford
Waterford Walls Festival
When: 12 August - 21 August
Link: https://www.discoverireland.ie/waterford/waterford-walls-international-street-art-festival
Admission: Free
Join 30 National and International street artists across Waterford City and the county for large scale mural artworks, live art, music, workshops, guided tours and so much more! Waterford Walls is back for the 8th year from 12 - 21 August 2022.
Waterford Walls is the largest National and International Street Art Festival in Ireland. The festival began in 2015 after the economic crisis when Waterford was still reeling from the crash. A small grass roots voluntary group took on the challenge to enhance and regenerate forlorn buildings and facades with large scale mural art. The festival brings joy, colour and life back into the city.
· Limerick
Irish Youth Choir Limerick Concert - Summer 2022
When: Fri, 19 August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/irish-youth-choir-limerick-concert-summer-2022-tickets-389467928057?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: €12-15
This summer, the Irish Youth Choir will present an incredible programme of wonderful pieces, each one featuring birds - either tucked away in the background or strutting centre-stage.
Whether pieces are from the 1400s or 2021, or by Panufnik or Brahms, there’s a bird in there, somewhere. They appear in music that profoundly celebrates the whole wide world of nature. Sometimes they just sit above, wry observers of the canoodling behaviour of human lovers, and at other times they are feathered symbols of freedom or longing. And sometimes they are simply themselves, the stars in beautiful music that’s all about them.
· Galway
Community Sports Day
When: Sun 21st August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-sports-day-as-part-of-connemara-wests-50th-birthday-year-tickets-399559622587?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Free
As part of our 50th birthday celebrations, Connemara West are sponsoring a family fun sports day on Sunday 21st August which will start at 2pm. We are planning a mixture of races and novelty events which we hope will please all the family. The event will take place on the Diamond Hill Community sports pitch in Letterfrack. The new centre will also be open and it will also give the local community the opportunity to see all the new facilities in the centre. We hope to have a good crowd on the day and have a bit of fun before the children head back into the new school year.
· Cork
Storytime with Barbara for Babies, Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers
When: Fri 19th August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/storytime-with-barbara-for-babies-toddlers-and-pre-schoolers-tickets-348017308137?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Free
Storytime with Barbara for Babies, Toddlers and Pre-schoolers and their adults on Friday mornings Join in the Storytime and have some fun!
· Mayo
Family Day at Knock Shrine
When: 21 August 2022
Link: https://www.discoverireland.ie/mayo/family-day-at-knock-shrine
Admission: Free
The 21st August is the Anniversary of the Apparition and to celebrate this day Knock Shrine are inviting families to join them for a special day of fun on their beautiful grounds. This Family Day is organised by the Youth Ministry Team.
Family Day at Knock Shrine is a lovely opportunity for families to get together to enjoy a range of fun activities.
All events and activities are free of charge and take place on the beautiful grounds of Knock Shrine, close to the award-winning Knock Museum and Café Le Chéile.
There will be outdoor activities taking place on the green (weather permitting) and marquees with indoor workshops, games and more.
· Cork
Bandon Walled Towns Festival
When: 15 August - 21 August 2022
Link: https://www.discoverireland.ie/cork/bandon-walled-towns-festival
Admission: Free
Bandon Walled Town Festival returns in 2022. From historical talks and guided walks to the local family fun day – the focus is on bringing the past to life through play -there is something here for everyone to enjoy.
From 15 to 21 August, history comes alive on the streets of Bandon. Delighted to be back with their Walled Town Festival, join in for a historical lecture series including a talk from a renowned whiskey expert on what was once one of the most important whiskey distillers in Ireland in the 19th century. There will be guided historical talks taking in sights and points of interest. Classical music abounds with a celebrated harpist and evening vocal music to delight.
The Family Fun Day on Sunday 21st will bring past skills and forgotten lore to life with demonstrations and workshops of candle making, coin making, pole lathe, battle reenactments.
· Cork
Cork on a Fork Festival
When: 17 August - 21 August 2022
Link: https://www.discoverireland.ie/cork/cork-on-a-fork-festival
Admission: Free
Calling all food lovers! Add a delicious week to your diary as a brand-new 5-day food festival will take place in venues and streets across Cork City centre from 17 - 21 August 2022.
Cork on a Fork Festival is the perfect opportunity for locals and visitors alike to feast on the finest local food, take part in unique culinary experiences, discover the incredible range of local producers in the region, and enjoy the buzz of the city’s vibrant new outdoor dining and nightlife scene with food trails, tasting masterclasses, cooking demos, food talks, family fun, exciting night-time events, and more!
Cork on a Fork Festival will celebrate Cork food and the city’s ever evolving dining and nightlife scene.
· Laois
Ballintubbert Garden Open Day
When: Thursday 18 August 10:00 to 15:00
Link: https://www.discoverireland.ie/laois/ballintubbert-garden-open-day
Admission: €10
Enjoy Ballintubbert Garden Open Days! visit Ireland's first organic ornamental garden and learn how to garden organically in your own garden.
Explore the gardens at you own pace, linger under a ancient apple tree, immerse yourself in birdsong, drink a cup of tea and eat cake whilst hearing about their organic principles. Explore their 14 acres at your own pace. The Tabernacle Tea Shop will serve refreshments and cakes throughout the day.
· Down
Wake the Giant Festival
When: Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 August
Link: https://discovernorthernireland.com/whats-on/wake-the-giant-p792981
Admission: Free
The Wake the Giant Festival is a two-day event with the theme of `Myths and Legends`. This year’s festival sees the Giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill come back to Warrenpoint for a weekend of celebrating all things Giant.
Original Puppeteer and this year’s Creative Director, Francis Morgan will fully transform Fionn for this year’s Festival which will be one of largest moving and speaking Giants in the UK and Ireland.
The Town of Warrenpoint will come alive with street performances over the weekend and some buildings being transformed into Giants themselves.
Many food, drink and accommodation providers will be running Giant Specials to celebrate Fionns Return. There is a strong attachment to sustainability right across the weekend with the Myth and Time Street Performance, compostable food packaging, beach clean, tree planting and the Giants Craft Village.
· Dublin
Eurohockey Championship Qualifiers
When: Thursday 18th August - Sunday 21st August
Link: https://dublin.ie/whats-on/listings/eurohockey-championship-qualifiers/
Admission: Starting at €8.50
It will be the first capped games for the Green Army on home turf since the 2019 Olympic qualifiers in Donnybrook with Ireland coming up against the Czech Republic (World Ranked 23rd), Poland (27th) and Turkey (33rd).
The winner of the competition will qualify for the top tier of 2023’s European Championships which is, in turn, a vital stepping stone on the road to Paris 2024. The Euros in Monchengladbach offers the first direct qualification ticket to the Olympic Games.
In addition, the places in the Olympic qualifying tournaments will also be determined by performances at the 2023 Euros and so reaching the top table is crucial for Ireland.
· Dublin
Dublin Horse Show
When: Wednesday 17th August - Sunday 21st August
Link: https://dublin.ie/whats-on/listings/discover-ireland-dublin-horse-show/
Admission: Starts at €17
One of the highlights of the Irish summer, the Dublin Horse Show effortlessly combines sport, style and socialising. Returning from the 17-21 August 2022, the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Dublin Horse Show is regarded as one of the best equestrian shows in the world, a celebration of Ireland’s affinity with the horse. But superb horses are just one of the reasons to attend a Show that is also renowned for style, shopping and socialising. It’s also one for families too, with dedicated children’s entertainment and pony rides found around the grounds.
Combined with hundreds of browsing opportunities, a range of quality food offerings in restaurants, bars and cafes, live music, daily entertainment and an array of family fun in the Kids’ Zone, the Dublin Horse Show is where summer memories are made.
· Dublin
Funtropolis
When: Sunday 21st August
Link: https://dublin.ie/whats-on/listings/funtropolis/
Admission: Free
Dublin City Council are delighted to announce the inaugural FUNTROPOLIS Family Fun events coming to Dublin City Centre this July & August. Two fun filled days,absolutely jam-packed with FREE live performances, exciting street theatre and science shows, immersive storytelling, delicious food and drink and everything in between!
The ultimate summer events and the perfect occasion for making memories, reconnecting and having some good old fashioned family fun and frolics, all set in the very heart of Dublin’s fair city and easily accessible by Luas & Bus routes.
The first of these amazing days will took place at Dublin's Merrion Square Park, a park with a rich cultural and literary heritage, surrounded by and steeped in the history of Ireland's finest writers.
· Antrim
Belfast Mela
When: 21st - 27th August
Link: https://discovernorthernireland.com/whats-on/belfast-mela-p802101
Admission: Free
A week long celebration of culture, colour and creativity as it comes together across a magical series of events finishing with the fabulous festival finale at Botanic Gardens.
Belfast Mela is the city’s annual celebration of global cultures when tens of thousands of visitors come together to celebrate our people and diversity.
The festival begins with the Carnival Parade on 20th August - the first ever Mela parade weaving its way through the heart of the city centre in a fabulous fusion of colour, music and dance. A week long programme of cultural events across the city follows as part of Mela + from 21st - 27th August. For full details of events taking place, please visit belfastmela.org.uk
Finally, Mela Day takes place on 28th August. The Mela transforms the park into a magical global garden filled with the sights, sounds and aromas of nations right around the world. Music, dance, arts and culture come together to create a heady, good humoured atmosphere which invites the world into the heart of our city.
· Fermanagh
Eco Showboat at Carrybridge
When: Sun, 21 August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/eco-showboat-at-carrybridge-tickets-313747596507?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission: Free
The Eco Showboat Mayfly expedition is a four month arts voyage from Limerick to Enniskillen on the Mayfly, the flagship of the Eco Showboat project, and the first solar electric boat to make this journey.
On Sunday 21st August the Mayfly will dock at Carrybridge for the last stop of our 2022 river expedition. You are invited to join us for this wonderful afternoon of art, conversation and workshop
· Limerick
Cappamore Agricultural Show
When: Sat, 20 August
Link: https://www.limerick.ie/discover/whats-on/festivals/cappamore-agricultural-show-2022
Admission: Free
Runnning since 1954, Cappamore Agricultural Show is one of Ireland’s leading one day shows, and is very highly regarded among exhibitors and regular show supporters throughout the Munster region, and nationally.
Cappamore Agricultural Show 2022 will take place on Saturday 20th August.
Cappamore Show incorporates displays and competitions in areas such as cookery, crafts, agricultural and horticultural produce, and other areas that draw on the traditional skills, arts and crafts of the region, as well as more traditional show sections such as cattle and horse showing, and jumping classes.
Free children's entertainment will also be provided on the day. Bring friends and family along for a great day at the showground, Ballyvoreen, Cappamore.
· Donegal
Ards Forest Park
When: Year Round
Link: Visit Ards Forest Park with Discover Ireland
Admission Free
Hike through beautiful woodlands, explore golden beaches, sand dunes and saltwater lakes in Ards Forest Park, Co Donegal. It’s one of the most unique forest walks in Donegal.
With breathtaking coastal scenery, beautiful woodland trails, rivers, lakes and megalithic tombs, Ards Forest Park is easily one of the most beautiful and varied of Ireland's forest parks with trees down to the water's edge.
· Leitrim
Fenagh Heritage Tours
When: Sat 20th, Sun 21st August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/fenagh-heritage-tours-tickets-378545378417?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
Admission Free
Explore the fantastic historical attractions of Fenagh with our tour guide Karin Holzschneider. Tours are available in English, German or Spanish.
The tour takes 1.5 hours and starts from Fenagh Visitor Centre and takes in standing stones, the Abbeys, St. Catherine’s Church and much more.
We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and bring water / a snack. Hi-Vis Vests are available from the Visitor Centre.
· Cavan
Experience The Big Dig: Killykeen Forest Park
When: Sun 21st August
Link: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/experience-the-big-dig-killykeen-forest-park-national-heritage-week-tickets-368429772367?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Admission Free
The excavation offers children an opportunity to experience what it is like to be an archaeologist by learning how to excavate the remains of a Viking house. During their dig for Viking treasures and artifacts, they also learn about the lifestyles of their Viking ancestors, guided by our team of professional working archaeologists. Then join Geopark staff for a chance to learn about fossils and to make your own fossil to take home with you!
· Wicklow
The National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh
When: Year Round
Link: https://botanicgardens.ie/kilmacurragh/
Admission Free
The National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh lie within an estate developed extensively during the 19th century by Thomas Acton in conjunction with David Moore and his son Sir Frederick Moore, Curators of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin at that time. It was a period of great botanical and geographical explorations with numerous plant species from around the world being introduced to Ireland for the first time.
The different soil and climatic conditions at Kilmacurragh resulted in many of these specimens succeeding there while struggling or failing at Glasnevin. Kilmacurragh is particularly famous for its conifer and rhododendron collections.
· Sligo
Achonry Farmers Market
When: Saturday Aug. 20th
Link: www.achonryfarmersmarket.ie
Admission Free
All roads lead to Achonry in South Sligo this Saturday Aug. 20th for the 2nd birthday of this wonderful community market. Along with the usual great food and craft stalls, you will be guaranteed a great family fun day out. Live music and lots of children’s entertainment will really add to the experience for customers and tourists. Looking forward to seeing you all for the celebrations!