Great rugby afternoons, unusual festivals and the biggest event of them all: St. Patrick’s Day. Of the hundreds and hundreds of events, attractions and shows, we have picked nine of the best things to do in Dublin this March:
1. Guinness PRO12 Rugby
March will be a funny month for this fantastic Irish/Welsh/Scots/Italian club competition. We are going into rounds 17 and 18 with all four Irish teams at or near the top of the table of the Guinness PRO12.
That is all as it should be, but there is a bonus for sports fans: Leinster and Munster have an extra game each to play as their round 9 and 12 games were postponed. If you can’t make it to any of the games (Leinster’s home ground is less than a mile from the hotel), then get to a pub in Dublin and soak up the atmosphere.
2. RBS 6 Nations
Ireland’s two final games in the RBS Six Nations competition for 2016 will both be played in the Aviva Stadium on Landsdowne Road in Dublin: On the 12th March we play Italy and a week later on the 19th we face Scotland. While these are the two “weakest” teams in Europe at the moment, they always put up a ferocious fight so nothing is decided until we hear the final whistle.
If you are looking for tickets, talk to our concierge when you check in and if we can do anything, we will.
3. International Soccer Friendlies
Speaking of magnificent international sporting spectacles in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, there are two Republic of Ireland football friendlies in March. The first is against Switzerland on March 25th and the second is just four days later against Slovakia on March 29th. Again, a great time to be in Dublin as the whole city will be buzzing with excitement.
4. Adele Concert
The Adele concerts will be at the 3Arena on the banks of the River Liffey on the nights of Friday, March 4th and Saturday, March 5th. The international superstar has a huge following here in Ireland and unfortunately, tickets for both shows were sold out in minutes. It’s going to be a fantastic night.
5. Silk Road Film Festival
One the quirkier and more interesting festivals in Dublin each year: The Silk Road Film Festival celebrates cinema, culture and art (with a focus on films) from countries which were once part of the historical network of the Silk Road ancient trade routes. It’s a fascinating international film festival screening Asian, Arab, Persian, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean and European cinema from the 10th to the 14th of March right here in Dublin.
6. Dublin Walking Festival
This Easter, get out into the fresh air with the Dublin Walking Festival. Organised walks and routes will take you to scenic places that you never knew existed in Dublin. Or, if you’re an experienced hill walker, test yourself on a variety of walks in the Dublin mountains with levels ranging from easy and moderate to strenuous. The walking festival is from March 25th to March 27th which means it runs for three days. Sorry, we couldn’t resist that one.
7. Dublin Bay Prawn Festival
As part of Dublin’s St Patrick’s Day Festival 2016, the Dublin Bay Prawn Festival is held March 18th, 19th and 20th in Howth.
You will fall in love with this really beautiful fishing village just north of the city (20 minutes on the train). Whatever way you like your Dublin Bay prawns – barbecued, whole, shelled, fried, skewered, marinated, sauced – Howth’s many award-winning restaurants will serve your favourite dishes in bite-sized portions at the food village, as well as a variety of other miniature dishes.
8. St. Patrick’s Day Festival
This is the big one: The St Patrick’s Day Festival is the biggest celebration of it’s kind in Ireland. Probably Europe. Possibly the world. It’s huge and if you can, you’ve really got to come to Dublin and experience the parade and parties for yourself. Naturally, you can make your visit here even more special by staying in the very heart of it all at the Fitzwilliam Hotel Dublin, find out more here.
9. Celebration of 1916
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 which signaled the beginning of our national independence from the British. The Irish Government and many public and private organisations are planning a year-long programme of events to mark the centenary.
Most things will be happening in March (which is Easter after all) and events include a reading of 1916 Proclamation, a ceremony in the Garden of Remembrance and other important events at the GPO (the focus of the Rising 100 years ago). Take a look at our calendar of events here.
The St. Patrick’s Day Festival always makes March a busy, and great fun, time to visit Dublin. If you’d like more suggestions and news follow us on Twitter.