November Event Guide: The best of what’s happening throughout Ireland this month

Lú – Drogheda Festival of Light

2-4 November

This dazzling display of urban animation will illuminate the historic buildings of Drogheda Town, featuring a magical mix of lights, colour and sound to illustrate the myths and legends from Ireland’s mythological past. Journey through time along the trail and discover the stories of Boann, the Salmon of Knowledge, Amergin, the Gods of Newgrange and many more. The illuminations focus on these magical stories that are rooted in the beautiful Boyne Valley region, and there’ll also be an array of street performances including stilt walkers, face painters and fire breathers.

Beta Festival of Art and Technology

2-5 November

Beta is a new festival of art and technology critically engaging with the impact of emerging technologies on society. Taking Ireland’s role as a central node in today’s wired world as a starting point, Beta will showcase and celebrate Ireland’s research and artistic communities through a combination of creativity, debate and experimentation. Beta will allow members of the public to engage playfully and critically with new technologies essentially beta testing ethical issues facing society.

Samhain Festival of Food & Culture

2-5 November

Celebrating the food and culture of Ireland past, present and future, this Kells festival hosts cooking demonstrations, tasting sessions, food safaris, farm tours, children’s workshops, supper clubs, panel discussions and much, much more. Welcoming an array of award-winning chefs, best-selling cookbook authors, culinary experts, and thought leaders in sustainability and agriculture, this is one weekend not to be missed.

National Circus Festival of Ireland

2-5 November

Bringing an incredible celebration of circus and a mix of world class entertainment for all ages to Tralee, Co. Kerry, National Circus Festival of Ireland promises a jam-packed weekend filled with amazing homegrown and international talent and entertainment for all ages. Expect world and Irish show premieres, professional masterclasses, workshops for kids and the fantastic Festival Parade which winds its way through the town.

A Conscious Christmas Fashion Show

4 November

The Conscious Atelier are hosting a Conscious Christmas Fashion Show in Naas Town Centre with an after party, shopping and refreshment sponsored by Glendalough Distillery. Take advantage of this opportunity to mingle with the fashionistas and discover new independent sustainable brands, cutting through the noise of fast fashion and fashioning a greener future. There’ll be a focus on seasonal fashion, unisex brands, accessories, homeware, and personalised gifts.

Dublin Folk Festival

7-12 November

After an absence of over 45 years, Singular Artists and Conor Byrne are proud to announce the welcome return of Dublin Folk Festival in the iconic surrounds of Dublin’s Liberty Hall, in the heart of the city. Acclaimed acts Byrne, Harper & Cooney, Gemma Hayes, John Spillane, Daoirí Farrell Trio, Ralph McTell and Scullion will headline the festival’s six evening shows, with support acts still to be announced.

The Perfect Immigrant

9-11 November

After a sold-out run at The New Theatre, Dublin Fringe Festival 2022 and a short run at Smock Alley 2022, The Perfect Immigrant play is coming to The Civic theatre in Tallaght as part of the show’s 2023 Ireland tour. What else does a young Black man have to say if it isn’t about racism? Too busy trying to be an adult, leaving Nigeria and settling in Ireland, he has to find a way to hold on to both worlds. With a story woven through prose and poetry, you will shift in your seat as you are teased with the discomfort of this immigrant settling into a new land.

Light Moves Festival

9-12 November

An Irish festival with a global reach, Light Moves Festival returns for its 7th edition in Limerick City with its unique blend of performance, dance, film, music, and digital art. Offering a thrilling showcase of the richness and diversity of work from Ireland and across the world, as artists embrace dance, movement, and the screen as a powerful platform for activism and visibility and challenge social and gender inequalities, the festival features both internationally-renowned and early-career artists.

IMRAM: Féile

10-18 November

IMRAM brings its audiences on a ‘voyage of discovery’ that reveals the rich diversity of modern Irish language literature. From the launch of thrilling new crime novels to a multi-media exploration on the theme of climate emergency, there’ll be poetry readings, celebrations of women’s lives, theatrical displays and much, much more. Find the full programme of events here.

Wonderlights

10 November — 2 January

Embark on Wonderlights’ The Magic of Winter and be transported into a fairytale realm. Discover enthralling projections on the Castle and enchantment at every footstep. Meet the beloved Talking Tree, venture into the deep Arctic Oceans and explore life in the Frozen Lands as light explodes into life. Take a stroll among the Magical Flying Fairies, as you watch them dance in the night sky. Awe-inspiring displays of majestic Woodland Creatures await your admiration. With the integration of cutting-edge technology, Wonderlights offers new areas to explore, providing engaging and entertaining experiences for guests of all ages.

Killruddery’s annual Harvest Moon Gala Charity Ball

11 November

Killruddery House and Gardens, Wicklow, are hosting their annual Harvest Moon Gala Charity Ball in aid of Their Lives Matter, Tanzania — a charity very close to Lady Ardee’s heart. With this wonderful event making a return for another year, you will be welcomed with a drinks reception in Killruddery Yard before making your way to our 19th Century Grain Store for a gala dinner with music, dancing and general merriment until late. Complete with a raffle and auction in the evening, proceeds from this charity ball will go towards the wonderful work that Their Lives Matter does, expanding children’s cancer services in Tanzania.

Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo

Opens 16 November

Wild Lights, the award-winning night-time spectacular returns with a brand-new theme, ‘The Enchanted Zoo’. Offering an incredibly unique opportunity to explore the secret life of Dublin Zoo like never before, you’ll be greeted by a wizard and presented with a choice of three pathways to explore first. From there, you’ll be transported to lands of magic and wonder, with fairies, mythical creatures, multi-coloured animals and even a candyland, all lit up as beautiful silk lanterns. As you journey through this immersive experience, you’ll also have the chance to meet the nocturnal keepers and guardians of the mystical animals and creatures, the Zoo gnomes, visible only in the Zoo at night.

Top 8 Street Dance Battle

18 & 19 November

Top 8 Vol. 8 returns to Dublin for the outreach workshops at Fade Street Studios and The Well for the Battles, Exhibitions and Cyphers to showcase street dance and hip-hop culture in its raw and authentic form. This year focuses on crew battles and exchanges paying homage to how the art-form came to be, and there’ll be both old and new crews taking to the stage to showcase in an exhibition battle where there are no judges or the pressure of having one, which will allow each crew to fully showcase their artistry.

The IMAGE Business of Beauty Awards 2023

19 November

Are you ready? The IMAGE Business of Beauty Awards, Ireland’s biggest, glittery-est, most stylish, adrenaline-charged awards, honouring the very best in Irish hair and beauty returns to the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 4 for its much-anticipated ninth year. The theme for this year’s awards is Carnival in Rio de Janeiro – think flamboyant feathers, samba, sequins, and the pulsating rhythms of Carnival. The dress code? Black tie (we know you love to dress to impress). The hosts? The incomparable Melanie Morris, alongside the utterly divine Darren Kennedy. Find out more here.

Santa’s House Express at Palmerstown House Estate, Kildare

24 November – 23 December

This year, Santa’s House Express is celebrating a decade of bringing the joy of Santa Claus to Palmerstown House Estate in Kildare. Hop on a magical train ride through the twinkling lights of the beautiful Palmerstown House Estate, visit Santa’s manor, decorate cookies with Mrs Claus, meet the Elves and have a private meeting with the man himself. Afterward in the beautiful grounds, you visit a Winter Wonderland village complete with a funfair for all the family and festive food trucks – an annual Christmas must-see.

Ink & Imagination exhibition

Running throughout November

Ink & Imagination is a new exhibition at the Museum of Literature Ireland, in partnership with UCD Library, which displays rare letters and manuscripts from leading Irish authors, including James Joyce, Edna O’Brien, Maeve Binchy and Frank McGuinness, alongside precious manuscripts and contemporary filmed readings from UCD’s vast Irish Poetry Reading Archive. More than 500 years of creativity is represented in this exhibition of items from Special Collections. You can see archives that reveal literary work as it was being written, beautiful rare books cherished for many decades, today’s poets reading their own poems – and much more.

Ill Communication exhibition by Omin

24 November — 22 December

Renowned graphic artist Omin opens his first solo show this month entitled Ill Communication, which will be on show at The Basement Gallery, An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk. A body of work created that looks at how we perceive and interact with information, the exhibition spans a variety of mediums and surfaces ranging from large-scale murals, canvas works, and explorations in print.

The Station House Hotel’s Boyne Valley Dinners

25 November

The Station House Hotel in Kilmessan, Co. Meath will host their next Boyne Valley Tasting Dinners this November, pairing the finest wines with a seven course dinner featuring the best of Boyne Valley produce. The Station House have always championed local food and producers from the Boyne Valley and the 7 course tasting menu by Head Chef Gordon and his team will feature ingredients including “The Wooded Pig” chorizo, Slane Irish Whiskey and Boyne Valley Cheese.

Santa’s Magical Market at the Marina Market

25 November — 23 December

Santa’s Magical Market is returning to the Marina Market in Cork City, and will be bigger and even more magical than ever. The brand new experience includes interactive areas full of Christmas magic! Families can wander through snow kissed woods, ride on the amazing ‘Polar Express’ train into the magical Christmas village, help the elves make toys at the Elf Toy Workshop, make treats at Mrs Claus’s bakery, and pay a visit to the South Pole Post Office. Plus, it’s dog-friendly!

Featured photography of Wonderlights at Malahide Castle & Gardens.