Halloween in Ireland: 20 Unforgettable Spooky Experiences

Halloween in Ireland is a magical time when ancient traditions blend seamlessly with modern celebrations, creating a unique experience you won't find anywhere else in the world. For 2025, Ireland promises an unforgettable Halloween season packed with spine-tingling events, haunted locations, and eerie encounters. Ireland is the perfect destination for those seeking thrills, from historical festivals rooted in Celtic origins to modern parades, ghost tours, and haunted castles. Whether you're a fan of haunted history, spine-chilling ghost tours, or family-friendly festivities, these 20 spooky experiences in Ireland will make your Halloween 2025 genuinely memorable.

Traditionally referred to as “Samhain” in Ireland, Halloween in Ireland is celebrated from October 31 to November 1 and signifies the conclusion of the harvest season and the onset of winter. Halloween originated in Ireland and is rooted in an ancient Celtic festival that dates back over 2,000 years; it was believed that on October 31, the barrier between our world and the 'other world' became indistinct during the long, dark nights of winter. As a result, it was thought that Aos Sí (spirits), banshees, and púkas (ghosts) could enter our realm and create trouble.

On this night, it was believed that benevolent spirits, such as those of departed friends and family, would return to visit their loved ones. The festivities of Samhain included bonfires, feasting, and rituals aimed at honoring and protecting against malevolent spirits. Samhain, a significant celebration in Celtic culture, is regarded as the root of contemporary Halloween.

Halloween in Ireland is a lively celebration that captivates adults and children. Costume-wearing is a central tradition, with revelers dressing as witches, ghosts, zombies, and other eerie characters to participate in costume parties and go "trick-or-treating" for children.

Many locals celebrate Halloween in Ireland with traditions, including elaborate bonfires and lighting fireworks, which add to the festive spirit. Homes are adorned with festive decorations featuring Jack O'Lanterns, broomsticks, and various Halloween ornaments, creating a spooky yet inviting atmosphere. Families often indulge in a traditional Halloween fruitcake called Barnbrack, which adds a special touch to the festivities.

Towns like Derry host impressive Halloween in Ireland festivals, showcasing spooky parades, live music, and theatrical performances. With its rich history and lively celebrations, Halloween in Ireland offers a unique and thrilling experience that attracts visitors worldwide. This delightful combination of costumes, decorations, and seasonal treats makes Halloween in Ireland a memorable and enchanting occasion for all ages.

The Derry Halloween Festival is recognized as Europe’s largest Halloween celebration, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. Taking place from October 28 to 31, 2025, the festival transforms Derry, Londonderry, into a world of folklore, fire, and imagination. Visitors can enjoy delicious local food, street performances, captivating light installations, live music, and themed events spread across the city. In 2025, the program promises even more thrilling spectacles, building on its reputation as one of the world’s top Halloween experiences.

Highlights include "The Awakening The Walled City Trail" (Oct 28–30), where historic streets come alive with illuminated displays, haunted storytelling, and ghostly characters. On October 31, the iconic "Carnival Parade" takes over the city with giant spooky sculptures, costumed performers, and ends with a dazzling fireworks finale over the River Foyle.

Honoring the famous author Bram Stoker, who first published the novel Dracula in 1897, the Bram Stoker Festival combines literary excellence with eerie celebrations as part of Halloween in Dublin. In 2025, the festival takes place from October 31 to November 3, offering four days and nights filled with thrilling “deadly adventures.”

The program includes movie screenings, panel discussions, and themed tours that reveal Dublin’s darker history, visiting places linked to Stoker, such as Marsh’s Library, Trinity College, and Dublin Castle. Families can enjoy Stokerland, a Victorian-style fun park, while cultural enthusiasts can experience special highlights like the Kwaidan film screening with live music, the Songs of the Spirits concert, and international collaborations tied to Expo 2025 Osaka.

The Haunted History Tour of Dublin is a walking tour lasting one and a half hours that reveals the dark and disturbing elements of the city's past, making it a perfect way to experience Halloween in Ireland. Dublin's ghost tours provide insight into its haunted history. With its cobblestone streets and ancient buildings, Dublin sets an ideal scene for supernatural encounters.

During these tours, guides will lead you to spooky places like St. Michan's Church, home to mummies in underground vaults, and the Hellfire Club, known for its connections to occult practices. While strolling through the nighttime streets, you'll hear stories about ghostly figures, unresolved murders, and the spirits rumored to still linger in Dublin.

The Boyne Valley in County Meath is one of the best places to celebrate Halloween in Ireland, hosting the Púca Festival, a four-day celebration inspired by the legend of the púca — a shape-shifting spirit from Celtic folklore. In 2025, the festival will run from October 30 to November 2, bringing Trim and Athboy to life with music, myth, food, and folklore.

The program includes both free and ticketed events, ranging from large-scale outdoor performances to intimate heritage tours. Highlights of the 2025 line-up feature shows from The 2 Johnnies, Blindboy, Kíla, Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, Qween, The Dublin Gospel Choir, Davina Devine, and more to be announced. Visitors can also enjoy the Púca Procession in Trim, the Lighting of the Samhain Fire in Athboy, the Samhain Circus, storytelling events, markets, and the brand-new Samhain Banquet.

At EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin, Halloween is marked with special family-friendly and heritage-themed events. While the 2025 programme has not yet been officially announced, visitors can take reference from the 2024 line-up to get an idea of what to expect.

In 2024, EPIC hosted the popular “Beware of Dracula Halloween Family Tour”, which ran from October 26 to November 3. The interactive trail, inspired by Bram Stoker’s Dracula, guided children aged 6–12 through the museum with hidden clues and spooky storytelling. Tickets were priced at €23 for adults and €15 for children, including museum admission.

Choose from the Gates of Hell virtual reality experience or a separate day or night tour at Wicklow Gaol, one of the spookiest attractions during Halloween in Ireland. The VR tour takes you back to the 1700s, offering a 3D view of the prison's conditions and featuring its notorious prisoners and a famous ghost. The VR experience lasts 19 minutes and is suitable for ages 10 and up. The ticket includes a regular tour with encounters with the prison's matron, Mary Morris, her rude husband, and a simulated convict ship journey aboard HMS Hercules.

The Macnas Halloween Parade, created by the Galway-based performance company Macnas, remains one of Ireland’s most spectacular Halloween traditions, drawing tens of thousands of spectators into Galway’s city center. In 2025, the parade will take place on Sunday, October 26, at 5:30 PM, filling the streets with giant puppets, live performers, and dramatic visual displays.

This year’s theme, “An Treun – The Summoning of the Lost”, is inspired by a forgotten tale from Bram Stoker and the haunting call of the vanished Corncrake bird. The production combines myth, memory, and nature in a magical large-scale outdoor performance, directed by Louise Lowe and designed by Owen Boss of ANU Productions. Known for its breathtaking creativity, Macnas transforms Galway into a world of towering figures, eerie music, and surreal storytelling, making the 2025 Halloween Parade a must-see event for locals and visitors alike.

The Nightmare Realm, Ireland’s multi-award-winning Halloween scream park, has been named Europe’s Best Scream Park and is widely regarded as the scariest Halloween experience in the country. In 2025, the event moves to its new home at the Royal Liver Retail Park, Inchicore, Dublin 12, running for 21 nights from October 4 to November 2.

This year’s story arc, “The Curse of the Five”, introduces five brand-new haunted mazes: Gallows Hill Asylum, Trappers, Clowns in the Attic, SILO C, and A Haunting at Blackmore. Each features live scare actors, immersive sets, and terrifying special effects. Beyond the mazes, visitors can explore the expanded Halloween Town, featuring themed food, shops, sideshows, and eerie installations. The event is recommended for ages 13 and up, with parental guidance advised for under-16s. Tickets typically range from €24 to €40 depending on dates, and advance booking online is strongly recommended due to high demand.

The Cork Ghost Tour, a popular attraction during Halloween in Ireland, takes you through 1700s-era Cork, sharing "hilarious, horrible histories, local tales, ghost stories & hysterical shenanigans." Starting and ending outside the Cork Opera House, this 1-hour tour on the Titanic Trail reveals haunted stories from the town, once Ireland's most significant emigration port, where over 2.5 million people departed between 1848 and 1950.

This dark tour through Kilkenny, home to the world's first witch trial, is a must-see during Halloween in Ireland. It includes stops at Kilkenny Castle, Shee Alms House, the Medieval Mile Museum, Kyteler's Inn (once home to a Kilkenny witch), Grace's Castle, and other spooky sites. In 2016, four skeletons believed to belong to the city's poor were uncovered in the area.

The Hooky Spooky Halloween Experience returns to Luggwoods in 2025, running from October 17 to November 1 (dates for 2025 as listed by Visit Dublin). Nestled in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains near Saggart, Luggwoods transforms its enchanted forest into a magical outdoor adventure designed for families.

Children can join the Hooky Spooky characters on a guided forest trail, helping to collect ingredients for the Friendly Witches’ Halloween Brew while meeting fun, spooky figures along the way. The experience also includes a visit to the Luggwoods Pumpkin Patch, where every family can pick their own pumpkin to take home.

For a unique and quieter experience during Halloween in Ireland, visit Rathcrogan, the lesser-known birthplace of Halloween. This ancient Neolithic site in Roscommon, once a royal center and a contender for UNESCO membership, is now known as the "gateway to Hell." The Owneynagat Cave, situated beneath a modest road, was once revered as a portal to the fairy world before Christianity. It was here that the festival of Samhain, the precursor to Halloween, originated. Each Halloween, guided tours explore the cave's dark corners and crevices with particular Samhain themes.

Farmaphobia is not for the faint-hearted. Running from 3 October to 1 November 2025, this terrifying scream park at Causey Farm, Fordstown, County Meath, is Ireland’s biggest Halloween fright experience. The event now features six haunted attractions — The Cornjuring, Hellfire High, Slaughter House, Bobo’s Carnival, The Crypt, and the ever-popular Zombie Morgue. Each haunt combines live scare actors, immersive sets, and chilling special effects, with the full experience lasting around 1.5 to 2 hours.

Advance booking is essential, as ticketed sessions often sell out, especially at weekends. Tickets for 2025 start at around €29 and vary by date and haunt package. The event is recommended for ages 13+, with teens (13–16) requiring adult supervision. Since much of the experience takes place outdoors, visitors are advised to bring wellies, a warm coat, and their loudest scream. Farmaphobia continues to be one of the most unmissable Halloween attractions in Ireland.

Discover the dark history of Ireland’s oldest city with the special Halloween edition of the Waterford Treasures Dark History Tour. Led by expert museum curators, this 90-minute walking tour takes you from the Viking Triangle to Ballybricken Square, uncovering Waterford’s bloody past and chilling ghost stories that still haunt its medieval streets. The tour is recommended for ages 16 and up, as it explores some of the city’s most sinister tales. Tickets in recent years have started at around €15, making it an accessible way to experience Halloween in Waterford.

👉 Note for 2025: The official schedule has not yet been announced. In 2024, the Dark History Tour ran from October 25–30 at 7:00 PM each evening, so visitors in 2025 can expect similar dates, but should check the official Waterford Treasures website closer to Halloween for confirmed times and ticket details.

Experience Dublin's spookiest sites on a two-hour ghost bus tour that traces 600 years of eerie history brought to life by the Gravedigger actors. This chilling journey takes you past notable landmarks such as Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, Cork Hill, and other sites steeped in fascinating secrets and stories. The tour culminates at the iconic Gravediggers Pub, making it a memorable part of Halloween in Ireland.

Best for: Adults and teens with supervision. Tickets start at €29.

Location: Dame Street, Dublin.

On Halloween night, the city of Cork transforms into a vibrant spectacle as it hosts the Dragon of Shandon Samhain Parade, filled with enchanting creatures from the underworld. Join thousands of spectators as they walk alongside a magnificent dragon, intricately crafted from tape and maneuvered by skilled puppeteers, journeying between realms in a tribute to both the living and the dead.

This festive parade not only celebrates the rich tradition of Samhain but also highlights local artists' creative collaborations, culminating in various dynamic performances at Coal Quay. The event is free and is perfect for both adults and families. It will take place in Shandon, Cork City, on October 31, making it a standout event in the celebration of Halloween in Ireland.

Are you feeling morbid? Explore the themes of life and death on an After Dark Tour at the Irish Wake Museum. As part of Halloween in Ireland, discover the traditions and superstitions related to death that trace back to early Christian times while examining the eerie artifacts housed in this distinctive museum in Waterford. This experience best suits adults and teens aged 14 and older, with tickets starting at €11.

Location: Waterford Treasures, Irish Wake Museum, County Waterford.

If you enjoy haunted trails, the Cornmaze Massacre 2025 will take you on an unforgettable journey through terror at Secret Valley Wildlife Park in County Wexford. Visitors will navigate eerie woodland paths, abandoned farmyards, and the twisting corn maze itself, where unsettling surprises, grotesque characters, and spine-tingling scares await at every turn.

This year’s event introduces multiple haunted zones, including The Lost Cult, Widow’s Nest, The Butcher’s Block, Carnevil, The Asylum, Riot Night: Anarchy, and more, ensuring a night of immersive horror. For 2025, the Cornmaze Massacre will run from October 17 through November 1, with evening sessions from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Advance booking is required, and the event is recommended for older teens and adults due to its high-scary content.

Get ready for a thrilling Halloween at the Amber Springs Hotel in Gorey, Co. Wexford, with two spooktacular events designed for different age groups.

Halloween Train Experience (Family-Friendly)

Climb aboard the Train to Transylvania and explore Count Dracula’s eerie village, where you’ll meet Mavis, Frankenstein, and other spooky characters. Kids can wear costumes, solve fun clues, and enjoy tasty Halloween treats. In 2025, the train runs on 18–19 October and from 24 October to 2 November, making it a magical family outing during Halloween in Ireland.

Fright Night Maze (Horror Experience)

For the brave, the Fright Night Maze brings twisted clowns, haunted houses, and terrifying jump scares. This experience is not recommended for the faint-hearted and is suitable for ages 12 and up. The official 2025 schedule for Fright Night has not yet been confirmed, but in previous years, it ran across late October. Visitors should check closer to Halloween for confirmed dates.

🔔In addition to attractive entertainment venues, costumes are indispensable on Halloween. Discover now the Top 20+ Trending Halloween Costumes in Ireland for 2025

Whether you're a local or a visitor, celebrating Halloween in Ireland is an enchanting experience that merges rich history with modern festivities. From ghost tours to family-friendly events, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Embrace the spirit of Samhain and immerse yourself in these 20 unforgettable spooky experiences for 2025. Prepare to create lasting memories filled with thrills, chills, and a touch of Irish magic!