What's on in Dublin, Ireland through the year

Busy — Christmas break in Ireland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Rule

  Book of Kells timed tickets

  1 Jan – 31 DecBook early

  Trinity sells dated, timed slots for the Book of Kells and the Old Library, and the summer mornings go days ahead. The Long Room has been through a long conservation project, so check what is actually on show. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Six Nations home weekends, February mid-term break in Ireland

• Festival

  Six Nations home weekends

  1 Feb – 20 Mar · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Two or three Saturdays between early February and mid-March when the Aviva is full and the whole city prices as if it were New Year. Book around them rather than into them. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Six Nations home weekends, St Patrick's Festival

• Festival

  St Patrick's Festival

  14–17 MarMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Four days building to the parade down O'Connell Street at noon on the 17th. Most of the programme is free, the pubs are not, and central rooms are gone by January. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Six Nations home weekends (1 Feb – 20 Mar (usually))

Busy — Easter break in Ireland, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Dublin Pride, Summer holidays in Ireland

• Festival

  Bloomsday

  16 JunMajor festival

  Readings and Edwardian breakfasts retrace Ulysses around the city on 16 June. The Martello tower at Sandycove and Davy Byrnes on Duke Street are the two fixed points of the day. Source ↗

• Festival

  Dublin Pride

  20–30 Jun · usuallyCrowdedClosures

  The parade takes O'Connell Street and Dame Street on the last Saturday of June and the city centre is closed to traffic for most of the day. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — All-Ireland finals at Croke Park, Summer holidays in Ireland

• Festival

  All-Ireland finals at Croke Park

  10 Jul – 5 Aug · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Eighty thousand people arrive from two counties for a Sunday, twice in a month, and the city's hotel prices behave accordingly. Tickets go through the clubs, not the box office. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — All-Ireland finals at Croke Park, Dublin Horse Show

• Festival

  Dublin Horse Show

  5–9 AugMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Five days at the RDS in Ballsbridge in August, ending with the Aga Khan Cup. The southside hotels fill with it and the dress code is taken more seriously than the sport. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec), All-Ireland finals at Croke Park (10 Jul – 5 Aug (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Festival

  Culture Night

  15–25 Sep · usuallyMajor festival

  One Friday in September when several hundred buildings — studios, embassies, the odd government office — open late and free. The ones with small rooms need queueing for early. Source ↗

• Festival

  Dublin Theatre Festival

  24 Sep – 11 OctMajor festivalBook early

  A fortnight from late September across the Abbey, the Gate and a dozen smaller rooms. The shows people talk about afterwards sell out before the festival opens. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Bram Stoker Festival and Samhain, Dublin Marathon

• Festival

  Bram Stoker Festival and Samhain

  23–26 OctMajor festivalCrowded

  Halloween started here, and the city marks it over the late-October bank holiday with a Stoker-themed programme and a parade that closes the quays for the evening. Source ↗

• Festival

  Dublin Marathon

  24–31 Oct · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedClosures

  The bank holiday Sunday at the end of October closes a loop through the city and the Phoenix Park, and it lands on the same weekend as the Samhain festivals. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Dublin Theatre Festival (24 Sep – 11 Oct)

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — Christmas break in Ireland, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

• Closure

  Christmas Day shutdown

  24–26 Dec

  On 25 December there is no bus, no tram and no train anywhere in the city, and almost nothing open. St Stephen's Day brings back the shops and the racing at Leopardstown, not much else. Source ↗

Still on: Book of Kells timed tickets (1 Jan – 31 Dec)