October 31 – November 2
Athboy, Drogheda and Trim
pucafestival.com

With the inaugural Púca Festival, Ireland is reclaiming its rightful heritage as the birthplace of Halloween. Named after the legendary, shape-shifting harbinger of fortune, Púca will capture the original, authentic spirit of Samhain across three breathtaking nights of music, fire, feasting and mischief. Taking place in three towns, the festival opens with the time-honoured tradition of lighting the Samhain fires at the Hill Of Ward in Athboy. Trim Castle will meanwhile be lit up with illuminations and interactive art will allow members of the public to create some mischief of their own. Púca will also include performances from Jerry Fish, Just Mustard, Pillow Queens, Æ MAK, Kormac & The Irish Chamber Orchestra, David Keenan and Lisa O’Neill.

• While you’re in the area:

Whether you choose to stick around one town for the weekend, or explore all three, there’s no shortage of activities to keep you occupied. Boyne Boats offer spectacular guided paddling tours of the Boyne River, using handcrafted naomhóg currachs. Back on land, Púca’s Feast of Samhain food village in Trim will be stocked with delicious Samhain inspired foods from a host of different food vendors. While visiting Trim, drop by the award-winning James Griffin Pub on the High Street to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a great pint.

For more details about planning your trip around Ireland, go to www.discoverireland.ie