Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin is quite an experience, and with good reason. The Irish capital hosts the most famous March 17th festivities on the planet.

However, while it’s hard to beat Dublin for the big day, the whole country is filled with many other Saint Patrick’s Day festivals. From way up in Northern Ireland to down south in Cork, these are some of the best places to visit in Ireland to go green and toast like a proper Irish person.

Limerick

Limerick, located in western Ireland, proudly stands as the third largest city in the country. This city founded by Vikings is all about fun for Saint Patrick’s Day. Limerick keeps things lively for the celebration indeed, hosting St. Patrick’s events from March 15th through the 17th. Limerick is well known for its wonderful St. Patrick’s Festival. Celebrations also include live music, theater performances, and a food market.

Galway

Galway started as a humble fishing village, located on the western coast of Ireland. Today, the city rejoices in its diverse, bohemian spirit. Known for its festivals, bar life, art scene, and youthful student population, Galway hosts an annual Saint Patrick’s Day Festival that is extremely popular. The fountain in the town square is even dyed green just for the occasion! Enjoy live music or ride on an authentic vintage carousel. You can totally expect to see plenty of local artists and rich talent on display throughout the festivities.

Cork

Cork is a cosmopolitan city in southwestern Ireland with plenty of coffee shops, art galleries, pubs, and museums. Based on the city’s popularity, it’s no surprise that Cork also hosts an amazing Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. Beyond the parade, you can expect plenty of fun activities, such as traditional Irish music sessions hosted at pubs all around Cork. Kids can get crafty in art workshops. And, there’s even a Patrick’s Hill Ball Run during which 11,000 balls are launched down Patrick’s Hill! The balls are individually numbered and each is assigned to someone present. The first six balls to make it to the bottom earn a prize.

Armagh

Armagh is known as the ecclesiastical capital of Ireland. This Northern Ireland city hosts its Home of St. Patrick Festival each year. In the 1400s, Saint Patrick began his Christian mission in Armagh. The city celebrates this honor with its own festival complete with parades, religious events, concerts, kids activities, and film screenings.

Killarney

Killarney is the quintessential small Irish town, nestled in picturesque County Kerry. Its home to the rolling green hills that one imagines when thinking about the Irish countryside. The town embraces all the merriment and traditions that go with honoring Ireland’s patron saint.

But the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade remains the heart of the festivities. The parade attracts thousands of marchers and bagpipers. It also includes street performers, many of whom perform ceili, Irish folk dances. After the parade, stop by one of Killarney’s countless pubs for a pint of Guinness and take in the atmosphere. Additionally, you should check out Killarney National Park to experience the city’s natural beauty. Along with the chance of spotting red deer and seeing the heights of the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountains, you can also tour Ross Castle, a fortification dating back to the 15th century.

Belfast

St. Patrick’s Day in Belfast embraces all the cultural milestones of the Emerald Isle. Belfast’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities take place over the course of several days, just like most major cities in Ireland. While the parade on March 17th is the centerpiece of the city’s celebrations, Belfast has many other activities during the St. Patrick’s Day season.

Belfast’s live music is still one of its biggest attraction. Belfast City Council hosts concerts of major Irish singers in the days leading up to and following St. Patrick’s Day. Meanwhile, the Belfast Trad Trail is one of the most celebrated city music tours in the world, introducing guests to music venues far off the beaten path.

And if you’d like to learn more about St. Patrick, you’ll have many opportunities to do so in Belfast. For example, you’ll be just around the corner from the saint’s burial site. You’ll be able to see where Saint Patrick built his first church in 432 CE.

Derry

Derry offers one of the most family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Northern Ireland. Each year, the city hosts the Derry Spring Carnival, which kicks off with the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. In addition to heralding the arrival of spring, the carnival also emphasizes the role of children and mystical creatures in Celtic myths. You’ll be amazed by the creative costumes that celebrants wear to bring these classic stories to life.

While parents will enjoy traditional Irish foods, kids can explore Derry’s famed Garden of Reflection. The Garden has been turned into a mythical forest of old complete with a Fairy Tree that grants wishes. One of Derry’s biggest draws is its famed City Walls. They were built in the 17th century and are responsible for Derry’s moniker as the Walled City.

Kilkenny City

Kilkenny City is a municipality that prides itself on its devotion to Irish history and culture. The residents of the city work tirelessly to make the annual St. Patrick’s Festival an amazing experience for guests and residents alike. Locals are proud of Kilkenny’s reputation as the beating heart of Ireland’s art scene.

During the Festival, you’ll enjoy fun rides, live music, and even a marketplace where you can buy everything from locally made crafts to authentic Irish foods. If you have an eye for history, you’ll also love learning about Kilkenny City’s medieval past. The city’s narrow, limestone streets possess the grandeur of time and nobility. And Kilkenny Castle stands as a reminder of the country’s past and as testament to the incredible changes that Ireland has undergone over the past 800 years.

Have you attended another Saint Patrick’s Day festival in Ireland that you’d add to the list? Share your pick with us in the comments below!