Dublin’s New Year’s Festival, a three-day programme of fireworks and concerts at venues across the city and county, gets under way on Monday.
Events will be held in a number of city centre locations, including Dublin Castle and Meeting House Square, but will also this year stretch from Dún Laoghaire to Howth, with both towns hosting fireworks displays.
The celebrations start on Monday, December 30th at 3.30pm at Dublin Castle with Echoes of Ireland, a series of free performances running until 9pm featuring Cormac Begley, The West Kerry Dancers and Stephanie Keane, Róisín O, Ispíní na hÉireann, Niamh Regan and Stomptown Brass.
Also on Monday, and again on New Year’s Day, a number of live music spots in the city centre will open for free events, with dozens of artists performing at venues including Whelan’s, The Workman’s Club, Pygmalion, and The Grand Social.
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On Tuesday, two New Year’s Eve concerts will be held in Dublin Castle, a matinee event at 4pm and a later countdown concert starting at 8pm. Both events feature Cork singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot, Aby Coulibaly, Kabin Crew & Lisdoonvarna Crew, and Saibh Skelly. These are ticketed events with a matinee family ticket costing €34.90 for two adults and two children and with single tickets from €7.90 for a child to €12.90 for adults. The evening show costs €49.90.
Howth Harbour and Dún Laoghaire Harbour will be the twin venues for simultaneous fireworks displays at 8pm on New Year’s Eve. Viewing will be possible from Howth Pier Park and along Harbour Road on the northside and Sandycove to Dún Laoghaire on the southside.
There are more free events for New Year’s Day, with Dublin Castle hosting performances from Hothouse Flowers, Emma Langford, The Bonny Men and Attention Bébé from 1pm-5pm. In Meeting House Square John Francis Flynn, Saileog Ní Cheannabháin, Kevin Fowley and Paahto and The Bull will perform from 2pm-6pm.
A full lineup of events is available at nyfdublin.ie.
Galway city is celebrating New Year’s Eve with a programme of free entertainment from 6pm at St Nicholas’s Collegiate Church and on Cross Street in Galway’s Latin Quarter. The Church stage will feature Screaming Blue Cats followed by John Conneely, while at Cross Street GIRO Galway International Retro Orchestra, Barbara Vulso, and Vixen and the Cool Cats will preform.
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