Autumn is one of Dublin’s most fun seasons of the year as it brings something for everyone to see and enjoy. Each autumn, the Irish capital hosts some of the biggest cultural events, festivals and happenings – from the Dublin Theatre Festival and Oktoberfest to the Open House Dublin, the biggest celebration of architecture in Ireland.
Here are Dublin autumn ‘dos’, just to get you started, but first, let’s talk about how to get from Dublin airport to the city center.
Getting from Dublin airport to the city center
Dublin airport is the busiest airport in Ireland located just 10 kilometers outside of central Dublin. Despite the massive amount of passengers traveling to and from the airport, there are only two ground transportation options; a taxi or a coach. We’d recommend getting a taxi to and from Dublin Airport since the overall experience is always far superior to public transportation, where space and privacy are very limited.
Dublin Theatre Festival (September 26th – October 13th)
Enjoy 18 wonderful days of world-class Irish and international theatre this autumn right across Ireland’s capital city.
This year features a new play by J.M.Synge The Playboy of the Western World, a new Mám by Michael Keegan-Dolan and Teaċ Daṁsa, and Sopro by Tiago Rodrigues, the theatre’s artistic director.
Alongside a packed program of theatrical productions, there’s a full house of ancillary fun too including theatre talks, critics events, actors salons, work in progress showcases, panel discussions, and exhibition tours, with most of the public events free.
Culture Night (September 20th)
Stay up late for Culture Night, a magical opportunity to visit the city’s museums, galleries, churches, historic houses, artists’ studios, and cultural centers – for free.
There’ll be so much nocturnal goings-on, from talks and tours to performances and events. Your problem won’t be staying awake, it will be fitting it all in – Let the kids stay up late and bring them too!
Hard Working Class Heroes (October 1st– 5th)
Keep ahead of the posse and find out for yourself which up and coming young band is going to be next to make it big at Hard Working Class Heroes.
With 100 bands strutting their stuff in six venues over three days, it’s going to rock the city like nothing else.
Open House Dublin (October 4th – 6th)
Autumn is an open season for Open House Dublin, the biggest celebration of architecture in Ireland. Open House Dublin invites all citizens to explore their city. Almost 100 buildings of all shapes, sizes and periods will open to the curious public.
Buildings that aren’t usually accessible to the public and buildings of architectural merit open their doors for one weekend, with architectural tours provided by expert guides.
All OHD tours are completely FREE!
Bram Stoker Festival (October 24th – 28th)
Get up close and personal with the creator of Dracula at the Bram Stoker– just in time for Halloween.
The Bram Stoker Festival playfully celebrates the gothic, the mysterious, the after-dark and the supernatural, and delves into the legacy of one of Ireland’s most treasured authors. The packed program of events devilishly mixes family-friendly adventures with late-night antics for mates, dates, and everything in between.
From unforgettable spectacles on water, to séances in complete darkness, dress-up screenings in the dead of night to daring theatre in evocative churches, pop-up Victorian fun parks to foodie tours with a devilish twist, there’s intimate performances in unusual spaces, live music, Instagram horrors, literary and once-off events – Bram Stoker Festival is full of surprises.
So go on, if you’re looking for a jam-packed few months full of culture and craic, don’t miss Dublin’s Festival season.
