Festivals Create Hospitality Bonanza

Every available bed within a ten-mile radius of Wexford Town has been booked ahead of the 2024 Fleadh Cheoil nah Eireann which takes place this week.

Up to 30,000 traditional musicians and 300,000 visitors are expected to converge on the town for a week of traditional music, dance and revelry.

The Fleadh, which was formally opened by President Michael D. Higgins, is one of a range of festivals which are boosting tourism this month, spanning the Dublin Horse Show, Forever Young and the Kilkenny Arts Festival among others.

Hotels, restaurants, pubs and visitor attractions all benefit from the events, and while room rates are at a seasonal high, there have been few complaints of over-pricing.

The month of festivals started spectacularly at the annual Spraoi Festival in Waterford with street artistes from Ireland, UK and Europe serving up an array of entertainment spanning dance, circus, mime and music, culminating in the annual Spraoi Parade and Fireworks.

Among the upcoming events is a return of the two-day Irish traditional music festival “Dublin City Council Smithfield Fleadh”. This free, family-friendly outdoor summer event will take place on the 24th and 25th August from 12pm – 6pm at Smithfield Square, Dublin city centre’s largest dedicated event space. 

This year will see more opportunities for attendees to engage with the artists through sessions, workshops and céilís.

Saturday finishes with a performance by Paddy Keenan of The Bothy Band, alongside Aoife Ní Bhriain, Daoirí Farrell and Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin headlining the Main Stage. To close the festival, the legendary Frankie Gavin and Dé Dannan bring their high-energy performance to the Main Stage.