Kinsale’s new Halloween festival involves TWO parades
It’s going to be a howl in Kinsale this year.
The seaside town is pulling out all the stops this Halloween, hosting An Tulca Festival 2025 throughout the sp0oky season.
The highlights include two parades, a Trick or Treat Parade at 4pm on Halloween, Friday, October 31st and a second Lantern Parade on Saturday, November 1st.
Beginning at 6.30pm, gathering outside Kinsale Library with the beasts and shadows, the Lantern Parade will continue until darkness falls at 7.30pm.
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Afterwards you can check out the First South Samhain Céilí in The Big Tent beside the Youth Theatre, Yellow Building, on Pier Rd. Everyone is invited to an evening of music, dance, and myth where traditional céilí steps meet playful, otherworldly inventions.
“Guided by Martin O’Donoghue, this is no ordinary céilí. Participants are invited to join live musicians and wild costumed creatures in circle dances, line sets, and inventive new games that blur the line between performer and audience.” the organisers told us.
This year’s An Tulca Festival culminates in a powerful grand finale performance: “Songs at the Threshold.” An immersive, lantern-lit experience, by writer/director Yvonne Coughlan, invites the community to step into Irish myth and memory, where beasts, spirits, and stories come alive through chant, song, and movement.
Community Workshops
A series of free Community Workshops organised by Éidín Griffin are at the heart of An Tulca’s participatory spirit. All are free, all materials are supplied, and everyone is welcome:
- Friday, October 17th: 4pm–8pm – White Lady Creature Workshop (all ages but children accompanied by an adult) – Kinsale Youth Theatre project, Yellow Building, Pier Rd. P17N621
- Friday, October 24th, 1pm–5pm – Lantern & Upcycled Umbrella Workshop (all ages) – Kinsale Library
- Tuesday, October 28th, 3.15pm–5pm: Mask & Shadow Workshop (ages 6–10) – Kinsale Library
