On this first day of April, its wonderful to see the sun shining upon Ireland’s green fields. Ireland may still be restricted by Covid-19 but that doesn’t stop the seasons from coming and the spring season is surely most welcome! The country is alive in a beautiful glow of yellow from the daffodils, a rainbow’s worth of colors among the tulips, and the sun is shining brighter than ever before at this time of the year! Former First Lady Johnson of the United States once remarked, “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Our flowers have certainly bloomed, and so our hope for the future also remains as strong as ever. At this time of year, the people of Ireland will continue to keep Easter traditions as best they can.
Traditional Easter dinners will still be cooked, the Easter bunny will still make his way to every home, and prayers will still be said. Bring a predominately Catholic country, Easter is a huge celebration in Ireland, second to Christmas. Good Friday was traditionally the quietest day of the year as it was the one day that all the pubs and most hotels and attractions were closed, but that has all since changed.
On Easter Sunday, everyone gets dressed in their Sunday best for Mass and the Celebrations begin. Traditional Easter dinner is usually a roast beef or lamb. Always beef in our house as no takers on Irish lamb! Easter Sunday marked the end of lent and as a child, you got to finally eat the stash of chocolate eggs you had saved up from Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles. It was always a competition to see who got the most eggs!
When the time is right to travel again, there are so many historic places of interest that you should consider visiting! And if you happen to be in Ireland over the Easter period next year (fingers crossed), you may want to check out these sites that have a unique Easter connection:
In Ireland, Easter Monday is not just the day after Easter Sunday; it’s the day that the Republic of Ireland remembers the 1916 Easter Rising. On Easter Monday 24 April 1916 a group of Irish nationalists proclaimed the establishment of the Irish Republic and staged a rebellion against the British government in Ireland. It is known as the Easter Rising in Ireland and a day that is always honored. During the Easter Rising of 1916 the GPO (General Post Office) in Dublin served as the headquarters of the uprising’s leaders. The GPO still stands today on O’ Connell Street in Dublin and is one of Irelands most famous buildings. The GPO award winning visitor center and museum is an immersive, interactive and engaging experience of modern Irish history from the late 19th century to modern times with emphasis on the 1916 Easter Rising, the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Civil War and the peace process in Northern Ireland. A must for anyone with an interest in Irish history.
Croke Park is a Gaelic games stadium located in Dublin, Ireland and for Easter they have a child friendly stadium tour with a fun Easter egg hunt for the kids after. Croke park or Croker as the local’s call it is Ireland’s largest sporting arena and is the headquarters of the GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) . The Croke Park Museum is like no other sporting museum you’ll ever visit. It not only celebrates the history of Ireland’s national games, it also vividly brings to life how the GAA has contributed to our cultural, social and sporting heritage.Tours can be booked all year round.
Fairyhouse Easter Festival is one of the most important dates on the Irish racing calendar. It’s not too far from my hometown of Kells, so it was a much-anticipated date for lots of the locals and indeed for me growing up. It didn’t matter if you didn’t attend in person the local pubs were packed and the atmosphere was like being in Fairyhouse. Kicking off on Easter Saturday the festival runs for 3 days and has a mix of live music and entertainment. There is a most stylish lady competition and lots of entertainment for the kids. A great family day.
Causey Farm, located in Co Meath just a few miles from my childhood homeplace is a traditional Irish farm run by the Murtagh family. The farm hosts year round farm and food experiences and traditional Irish cultural and seasonal experiences…..Halloween, Christmas and now Easter which is a wonderful family visit. My sister took her family to the first event in 2019. Her girls Kate and Aoife loved the whole experience of cooking an actual egg “campfire style” that they were given by the Easter bunny – when they visited his house on the hill and then painting it when it was done. Not many can say they have cooked an egg from the Easter bunny. Causey is a great place to visit year-round for small groups and less than an hour from Dublin City.
One of the most iconic and historical places of interest if visiting Ireland over Easter is Kilmainhaim Gaol. Kilmainham Gaol opened in 1796 and closed its doors in 1924. Leaders of the rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848,1867 and 1916 were detained and in some cases executed here. It should not be forgotten however that, as a county gaol, Kilmainham held thousands of ordinary men, women and children. Their crimes ranged from petty offences such as stealing food to more serious crimes such as murder. Convicts from many parts of Ireland were held here for long periods waiting to be transported to Australia. In my opinion, this is one of the best attractions in Dublin City and another must for those interested in Irish history.To guarantee entry, tickets must be booked in advance as they are quite often sold out. For all Katie Daly’s Ireland bookings, we will book the time in advance for all clients.
As always when visiting Ireland there are so many places to visit but when you visit over a holiday you get to feel a sense of connection to the Irish people and you get to experience first-hand their unique traditions.
Wishing you all good health and a very Happy Easter!
