St Patrick's Day 2026
Dublin (Baile Átha Cliath)
The National St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at 12pm on 17 March in Dublin City Centre, running from Parnell Square in the north of the city, down O’Connell Street, over O’Connell Bridge and through the south side of the city, ending at the Cuffe Street/Kevin Street junction.
The Parade will feature 12 large-scale floats from independent parade companies, with over 3,000 participants involved. Returning to the streets of Dublin are beloved pageant makers including Macnas, Bui Bolg, Spraoi, Inishowen Carnival Group, Curious State, Volkidana, The Outing Queer Arts Collective, Artastic and ArtFX, alongside exciting new entries from Lumen Street Theatre and Show CoMotion, a new Dublin-based parade company making its Festival debut. Adding to the festivities, The Rotunda Hospital makes its first appearance this year with a special float designed by ArtFX.
With road closures and traffic diversions throughout the weekend, the most relaxing way to enjoy all the activities is by rail. Rediscover the joy of the train and check out our low fares for all the family.
For a change of scenery, hop on the DART to Bray over the weekend. The coastal town has five days of family friendly activities planned, including a funfair and plenty of live music. Find out about using a TFI Leap card on the DART and save money on your travel.
Service Arrangements
Our regular services will operate on 17th March for all routes. For full list of services, please check our Journey Planner.
Cork (Kent)
The Cork's St.Patricks Day Parade 2026 takes place on March 17th at 1pm, featuring over 3,000 participants along a central city route. From historic streets and bridges to traditional music sessions and family-friendly events, Cork offers an authentic and welcoming St.Patrick’s Day experience for visitors of all ages.
.jpg)
The 2026 parade theme is “Marsh, Myth & Magic” - expect vibrant floats, community groups and performers celebrating Cork’s creativity. Over 50 buildings across Cork City will be illuminated in green throughout the festival, creating a city-wide St Patrick’s Day atmosphere.
Book with our lowest fares:
Middleton to Cork from €3.45
Mallow to Cork from €4.40
Fota to Cork from €2.20
Galway (Ceannt)
Galway’s St Patrick’s Day parade in 2026 will be the largest St Patrick’s Day spectacle the city has ever seen. Galway City Council have organised a series of events over the course of the bank holiday weekend from 14th to the 17th March 2026, to celebrate Ireland’s national holiday. The theme for the 2026 Galway parade is ‘Legends and Rising Stars’.
The parade starts at 11.00am and runs through Galway city centre for over 1 hour.
.jpg)
There are also free concerts and other weekend entertainment such as Curry’s funpark making it a perfect night out with friends and family.
Stroll along the River Corrib, taking in the breath-taking sights, such as `Eyre Square` or the `Galway Cathedral`. As the festival draws to a close visitors can look forward to a night of live music and dancing in the city's pubs and clubs, soaking up the local Irish culture and celebrating St. Patrick's Day in true Galway style.
Find more information on Galway St. Patricks day parade here.
Book with our lowest fares:
Athenry to Galway from €5.10
Athlone to Galway from €8.85
Gort to Galway from €5.95
Waterford (Plunkett)
The St. Patrick’s Day Festival will run for five fun-filled days from March 13th–17th, 2026, in Waterford City and will celebrate the very best of what the city has to offer and what makes it the best place to live, work and visit.
Immerse yourself in a vibrant tapestry of traditions, activities, rhythms and beats that showcase the rich diversity within Waterfords community. Get ready to lose yourself in a symphony of sounds, spectacular events and immerse yourself in an eclectic mix of historical and cultural attractions! We are thrilled to present a spectacular celebration of music that promises to captivate your senses and elevate your spirit.
Book with our lowest fares:
Carlow to Waterford from €8.85
Kilkenny to Waterford from €6.25
Clonmel to Waterford from €2.85
Sligo (MacDiarmada)
Sligo St. Patrick's Festival returns again for 2026 with colour, culture and creativity under the theme of Legends Live Here.
Alongside the annual parade, the festival will include the Shamrock Shuffle featuring a kids party and interactive games with Scruffy Duffy from 2pm-4pm in Queen Maeve’s Square Marquee with free entry.
Then get ready for the North West’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day event with some of Ireland’s top live acts taking to the stage in Queen Maeve’s Square Marquee including The Tumbling Paddies, One For The Road and Dublin City Ramblers. The event will be running from 5pm-11pm.
Whether you're a local or a visitor, come embrace the Irish spirit by joining in the festivities in the heart of Sligo.
Find more information on the Sligo St. Patricks day parade here.
Book with our lowest fares:
Mullingar to Sligo from €9.99
Carrick on Shannon to Sligo from €7.95
Longford to Sligo from €9.75
Please remember:
- If you are travelling on our Intercity services, we recommend that you book your travel in advance, including holders of free travel passes or existing valid tickets.
- Bikes must be booked online prior to travel.
Sunday schedules are in operation with some additional services for DART and Commuter services, please check our journey planner for a full list of services that will operate during the day both pre & post parade.
Tara Street Station is closed until 16:00, please use Connolly or Pearse.
For Intercity journeys you can enjoy great fares by booking online with Iarnród Éireann.
Then all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy the festivities - Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh go léir!
Leap Card
Customers can save up to 30 percent on DART and short hop zone rail journeys in the Dublin area when using Leap card instead of single or return tickets. Check out current Leap Card fares and see what you can save now.
Save time and money when you use a Leap Card to pay.
Alcohol Policy
Customers are reminded that in the interests of the comfort and safety of all on board, alcohol will not be permitted on board our services.
Left Luggage
Disclaimer: Event details correct at time of publication. Due to the nature of these events they may be cancelled or rescheduled at short notice. Always confirm the details before you travel.