Things to do in Dublin this upcoming St Patrick’s Day

The best way to kick off St Paddy’s Day is by having a traditional full Irish Breakfast. What’s in it you may ask? If you’re already familiar with the English breakfast, the Irish breakfast isn't far off - but arguably better. It substitutes the English sausages and bacon (or ‘rashers’) with authentic Irish ones and adds black and white pudding slices to the mix. The rest stays the same: eggs, oven baked tomatoes, toast, and good old-fashioned baked beans! If you’re feeling fancy, you can even add a side of mushrooms - which really ties the whole together quite nicely. And of course, a cup of tea or coffee to wash it all down. 

Dublin’s best full Irish breakfast can be found at the Beanhive Cafe on Dawson Street, where they also offer yummy vegetarian and vegan options. 

The Dublin St Patrick’s Festival will take place from the 15th to the 18th of March and includes many exciting events such as the St Patrick’s Day Parade (more on that below) on March 17th as well as outdoor musical and dance performances in the Festival Quarter (located at the National Museum of Ireland) from the 16th to the 17th of March. 

Other events include the Aware Harbour2Harbour Walk on the 17th of March to support mental health and bipolar disorder in Ireland; this walk not only gives you an opportunity to meet new people and support a charitable cause, but also to take in all of the city’s ambiance on Saint Patrick’s day! Finally, we have yet another walking event: In the Footsteps of St Patrick guided walking tour from the 15th to the 19th of March at the Corner of Dame Street and Fownes Street, which traces you back to the steps of Saint Patrick himself during his visit to Dublin over 1,500 years ago! This’ll not only provide you with  the much celebrated holiday’s historical context, but also a fun tour of the city to places where most locals miss. 

The St Patrick’s Day Parade will take place on the 17th of March at 12PM, starting at the Parnell North Square, passing through Trinity College, and all the way to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral.​​ This amazing event gathers over half a million spectators, 4,000 participants, and artists from all over the world every year. Something special to note for this year, is that Ireland will be celebrating their 100th year of Olympic Games participation with the anticipation of Paris 2024. 

Every year the parade comes up with a specific theme for their performances and altogether spectacle, this year being the Irish word, “Spréach” (“Spark”). Safe to say that sparks will be flying as you fall in love with the Irish culture and spirit this Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin! 

Dublin’s St Patrick’s Festival Quarter will take place from the 16 to the 17th March at the National Museum of Ireland’s, and more specifically the Collins Barracks (an outdoor courtyard and common space), for non-stop day and night entertainment from over 50 guests! 

Now, you can imagine that all pubs and bars will be absolutely packed on St Paddy’s Day in Dublin. But hopefully some less than others, which is why we’ve compiled a quick list of the most authentic and must-go bars and pubs to crawl during Saint Patrick’s Day. They’re the perfect place to mingle with locals and listen to some fabulous live Irish music. And since we can’t seem to decide which is better, we’ve ranked them by chronological order:

The Brazen Head is located at 20 Lower Bridge Street, on Usher’s Quay.

The Stag’s Head is located at 1 Dame Court, Dublin 2. 

Kehoe’s Pub is located at 9 South Anne Street, Dublin 2. 

Toners Pub is located at 139 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2. 

The Palace Bar is located at 21 Fleet Street, Dublin 2.