Things to do in Dublin, events and local news

Morning at Malahide Castle from Clontarf

For the best start to a day in Clontarf, go early. The promenade is quieter in the morning, when the light sits low over Dublin Bay and the view towards Howth is often at its clearest. Watch the runners, dog walkers and rowing clubs beginning their routines around Bull Wall, then take a worthwhile detour north to Malahide Castle and Gardens in Malahide, County Dublin. Malahide Castle is around a short drive from Clontarf and rewards an unhurried visit. Dating back to 1185, it was home to the Talbot family for almost 800 years, and its rooms make that long history feel tangible rather than distant. Inside, look out for the Great Hall’s portraits and dark timber details, then spend time in the Oak Room, where the carved woodwork gives the castle a more intimate scale. Morning is especially good for the gardens. Before the busiest hours, paths through the walled garden and wider demesne feel calm, with dew still on the lawns and softer light on the castle’s stone façade. The gardens are not simply a backdrop: they are part of the visit, shifting from formal planting to broad parkland. If you are travelling with children, the butterfly house adds a lively stop between the historic interiors and the outdoor walk. Back in Clontarf, save sunset for the seafront. The bay-facing stretch near the Wooden Bridge is the place to slow down and watch the sky change behind the water, with Howth Head becoming a darker outline to the north. But for history, architecture and a genuinely useful morning excursion, Malahide Castle and Gardens is well worth the detour.

Evento

Dublin City Council Liffey Festival, 12–13 September 2026

12 settembre 2026 alle ore 12:00

Custom House Quay, George’s Dock, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and the River Liffey

Dublin City Council Liffey Festival, 12–13 September 2026 — September 12, 2026 — Custom House Quay, George’s Dock, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and the River Liffey, Dublin

Dublin City Council Liffey Festival will take place across Dublin on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026, running from 12:00 to 18:00 each day. Organised by Dublin City Council, the event centres on the River Liffey and venues at Custom House Quay, George’s Dock and Sir John Rogerson’s Quay. The programme includes the 106th Liffey Swim, visiting ships and vessel visits, watersports, aerial and jet-pack displays, walking tours and maritime talks. Live music, street theatre, craft workshops, family activities, food and drink, and fairground attractions are also listed. Attendance is free, although a small number of activities are paid. Some activities can be booked in advance.

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Event details

When: September 12, 2026 at 12:00 PM – September 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Where: Custom House Quay, George’s Dock, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and the River LiffeyDublin, IE
Organizer: Dublin City Council
Admission: Free

Official event page

Verified event facts

The festival takes place on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September 2026, from 12:00 to 18:00 each day.
The event covers Custom House Quay, George’s Dock, Sir John Rogerson’s Quay and the River Liffey.
The festival is free to attend, with a small number of paid activities; some activities can be booked in advance.
Featured activities include the 106th Liffey Swim, visiting ships, vessel visits, aerial and jet-pack displays, watersports, walking tours, maritime talks, live music, street theatre, craft workshops, family activities, food and drink, and fairground attractions.
The festival is organised by Dublin City Council.

Verified sources

dublincity.ie

Information last verified August 28, 2026.

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Evento

Dublin City Council SportsFest 2026 at Grangegorman

26 settembre 2026 alle ore 12:00

TU Dublin Grangegorman Sports Campus

Dublin City Council SportsFest 2026, a free family sports day, takes place on Saturday 26 September from 12:00 to 17:00 at the TU Dublin Grangegorman Sports Campus in Dublin 7. The programme includes opportunities to take part in NFL football, basketball, GAA, soccer, rugby, athletics, rock climbing, boxing, parkour, ultimate frisbee and tug-of-war. Dance workshops, fitness classes and yoga are also scheduled. Neurodiverse activities and age-friendly sports form part of the day, alongside face painting and a Sensory Bus. The event is organised by Dublin City Council Sports & Recreation Section in partnership with the Central Area Office and TU Dublin.

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Event details

When: September 26, 2026 at 12:00 PM – September 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Where: TU Dublin Grangegorman Sports CampusGrangegorman Lower, D07 C972 Dublin 7, Dublin, IE
Organizer: Dublin City Council Sports & Recreation Section, in partnership with the Central Area Office and TU Dublin
Admission: Free

Official event page

Verified event facts

The free family sports day will take place on Saturday, 26 September 2026, from 12:00 to 17:00.
The event is being hosted at the TU Dublin Grangegorman Sports Campus.
Activities include NFL football, basketball, GAA, soccer, rugby, athletics, rock climbing, boxing, parkour, ultimate frisbee and tug-of-war.
The programme also includes dance workshops, fitness classes, yoga, neurodiverse activities, age-friendly sports, face painting and a Sensory Bus.
The TU Dublin Grangegorman campus address is Grangegorman Lower, Dublin 7, D07 C972, Ireland.

Verified sources

tudublin.ie

Information last verified August 25, 2026.

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Evento

Dublin City Council Dublin City Fleadh, August 22–23

22 agosto 2026 alle ore 12:00

Various Dublin city-centre locations

Dublin City Council Dublin City Fleadh takes place across Dublin city centre on Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, 2026. Events run from 12:00 to 18:00 on both days, with free activity spread across five hubs: Smithfield Square, Meeting House Square, Wolfe Tone Square, Parliament Street and Capel Street. The programme brings traditional Irish music, céilís, art workshops and pop-up street sessions to these central locations. Saturday’s named performers include Sharon Shannon Big Band, Altan and Dervish. The Sunday line-up includes The Scratch, Madra Salach and Kíla. With activity scheduled at several city-centre sites, the Fleadh offers two afternoons of music, dance and workshops across Dublin’s streets and squares.

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Event details

When: August 22, 2026 at 12:00 PM – August 23, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Where: Various Dublin city-centre locationsDublin, IE
Organizer: Dublin City Council
Admission: Free

Official event page

Verified event facts

The event takes place on Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 12:00 to 18:00 each day.
Admission is free and the event is unticketed.
The five event hubs are Smithfield Square, Meeting House Square, Wolfe Tone Square, Parliament Street and Capel Street.
The programme includes traditional Irish music, céilís, art workshops and pop-up street sessions.
Named performers include Sharon Shannon Big Band, Altan and Dervish on Saturday, and The Scratch, Madra Salach and Kíla on Sunday.

Verified sources

Information last verified August 21, 2026.

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Fish and chips by Coliemore Harbour

In Dalkey, the best food moments are often shaped by the weather and the walk that comes before them. After time by the sea, when the breeze is coming in from Dublin Bay and the village streets are beginning to quieten, fish and chips feels like exactly the right answer. It is not about a formal dinner or a long reservation; it is about something hot, salty and satisfying, eaten while the harbour boats move gently below Coliemore Road. Start in the village around Castle Street, where old shopfronts sit alongside cafés, pubs and easy-going places to eat. Rather than looking for an elaborate seafood experience, keep it simple and ask what fish is available that day. A piece of fresh white fish in crisp batter, thick-cut chips, malt vinegar and lemon is all that is needed. If you prefer to sit in, a relaxed pub can be a good option too, especially on a colder afternoon when the sea air has done its job. From the centre of Dalkey, Coliemore Harbour is only a short walk away, but it changes the mood completely. The narrow road drops towards stone walls, small boats and open views across the water to Dalkey Island. A paper-wrapped portion of fish and chips tastes better here than it ever could eaten in a car or on the train home. Find a spot overlooking the harbour, keep an eye out for seabirds, and take your time before the food gets cold. Of course, this plan depends a little on the Irish weather. On a bright day, continue along the coast towards Sorrento Terrace once you have finished. If rain or wind takes over, head back towards Castle Street for a pint or a pot of tea instead. Either way, fish and chips by Coliemore Harbour is a small, practical pleasure that suits Dalkey perfectly: coastal, unfussy and best enjoyed without rushing.

Saggart’s name still points to a priest’s house

Saggart’s name still carries a surprisingly direct link to its early identity. The Irish form, Teach Sagard, is commonly understood as “the priest’s house,” suggesting a settlement shaped around a local church presence long before modern commuter routes, housing estates and the Citywest development changed the wider area. It is only a place name, but it gives the village a different sense of depth. That older character is still easiest to notice around St Mary’s Church and the village centre. Here, the roads narrow and bend through a compact mix of homes, small businesses and older stone boundaries. It does not feel frozen in time, but the layout still hints at the village that existed before Saggart became closely connected to suburban Dublin. Look beyond the buildings and the setting becomes part of the story too. The Dublin Mountains rise to the south, while the routes through the village point towards the older rural landscape beyond the city. Saggart sits at a clear threshold: close enough to Dublin’s expanding edge to feel connected, yet still facing the hills and countryside that have shaped this part of County Dublin for generations. The interesting detail here is not a grand landmark or a hidden attraction with an information board. It is the survival of a name that sounds almost personal: the priest’s house. In a county where place names often preserve references to saints, land, families and old settlements, Saggart keeps a simple reminder of someone who may once have been central to everyday local life. For a short walk, begin near St Mary’s, follow the older streets through the village, and pause where the view opens towards the hills. From there, the journey back towards the Luas terminus makes the contrast especially clear. Saggart is an ordinary, lived-in place, but its name shows how much local history can remain in plain sight.

Evento

Dublin Theatre Festival 2026 across Dublin, 24 September–11 October

24 settembre 2026

Various venues across Dublin

Dublin Theatre Festival 2026 runs from 24 September to 11 October, bringing 18 days of theatre to venues across the city. Tickets are currently on sale for the festival, whose programme also includes talks, forums, accessible performances and family programming. Events are scheduled in a range of Dublin settings, including the Gaiety Theatre, Abbey Theatre, Project Arts Centre, Smock Alley and Samuel Beckett Theatre. The venue list also extends to the National Botanic Gardens and Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire, placing festival activity across central Dublin and beyond. The festival is organised by Dublin Theatre Festival Company Limited by Guarantee.

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Event details

When: September 24, 2026 – October 11, 2026
Where: Various venues across DublinDublin, IE
Organizer: Dublin Theatre Festival Company Limited by Guarantee

Official event page

Verified event facts

The festival runs from 24 September to 11 October 2026.
The programme describes 18 days of theatre taking place across Dublin.
Tickets are currently on sale.
The 2026 programme includes theatre, talks, forums, accessible performances and family programming.
Listed venues include the Gaiety Theatre, Abbey Theatre, Project Arts Centre, Smock Alley, Samuel Beckett Theatre, National Botanic Gardens and Pavilion Theatre in Dún Laoghaire.

Information last verified August 18, 2026.

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Evento

Dublin Festival of History 2026: Free Events Across the City

26 settembre 2026

Various venues across Dublin

Dublin Festival of History 2026 runs across the city from 26 September to 11 October, with a free programme of talks, panel discussions and seminars. The opening Saturday, 26 September, includes events at Richmond Barracks, Pearse Street Library, Central Library, Cabra Library and Coolock Library. On Sunday 27 September, festival events move to the Round Room at the Mansion House. The closing day, Sunday 11 October, marks Europe Day with a full day of talks and discussions at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. The festival is organised by Dublin City Libraries in partnership with Dublin City Council Culture Company.

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Event details

When: September 26, 2026 – October 11, 2026
Where: Various venues across DublinDublin, IE
Organizer: Dublin City Libraries, in partnership with Dublin City Council Culture Company
Admission: Free

Official event page

Verified event facts

The festival runs from 26 September to 11 October 2026.
The festival is free.
Advance booking is required for festival events; booking details vary by event.
Saturday 26 September includes talks, panel discussions and seminars at Richmond Barracks, Pearse Street Library, Central Library, Cabra Library and Coolock Library.
Events are held at the Round Room at the Mansion House on Sunday 27 September.

Verified sources

Information last verified August 18, 2026.