Kerry County Council is proud to announce that Kerry has been selected as one of seven destinations to receive funding under Fáilte Ireland’s Home of Halloween Pilot Destination Development Scheme. This exciting initiative is part of a national €1.5 million strategy (2025–2028) aimed at establishing Ireland as the authentic global home of Halloween.
Over the next three years, Kerry County Council will receive annual funding to develop and deliver Samhain Chiarraí: A Kerry Halloween—a festival rooted deeply in the county’s folklore, landscape, and community traditions.
A Festival of Harvest, Heritage & Folklore
Running from 16th October to 9th November, Samhain Chiarraí invites locals and visitors to experience the mystical and ancestral spirit of the Celtic New Year. Highlights include street spectacles and Samhain processions from 24th October to 2nd November, perfectly timed with the mid-term break, alongside community-led events across the county featuring music, food, storytelling, and folklore.
View the FESTIVAL PROGRAMME
At its heart is the ancient tale of An Cailleach Chiarraí—the wise and wild Goddess of Winter—who emerges each year to mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Her arrival signals the turning of the Celtic calendar and the enduring connection between the natural world and the supernatural.
Join us in Kerry this Halloween season and step into a world where ancient traditions come alive.
Click to view Transport Schedules matching Samhain Chiarraí events.
For more information and the latest new on planned events for the Samhain Chiarraí: A Kerry Halloween visit the dedicated social media platforms:
Samhain Chiarraí: A Kerry Halloween is part of Fáilte Ireland’s Home of Halloween Pilot Destination Development Scheme.
