The Púca Festival in Ireland
Since 2019, the towns of Athboy and Trim in the historically rich County Meath, also known as Ireland’s Ancient East, have transformed into the grounds for one of Ireland’s most popular Halloween festivals: Púca Festival.
Created as a celebration and tribute to Samhain, the original Halloween and the Gaelic word for summer’s end, Púca Festival roots our contemporary world in traditions from over 2000 years ago. It is a festive reminder that Ireland is the birthplace of this iconic October holiday.
The theme for Púca Halloween Festival 2025 is ‘Connecting with Our Roots’. This subject matter makes the festival a unique celebratory demonstration of old rituals being reimagined and remembered for our present, connecting people with their ancestry and land.
The festival’s name refers to the mischievous, shapeshifting troublemaker spirit known as Púca. From roaming at night to meddling with drunkards and farmers during harvest season, the Celtic folklore figure is strongly connected to Halloween.
November 1st is also known as Púca’s Day, and marks the end of harvest and Samhain. The festival honours this day with its renowned Púca Procession parade, with Púca characters wandering and performing through the streets of Trim.
In addition to the Púca Procession on November 1st, the festival’s other highlight event is the Lighting of the Samahin Fire on Halloween night. Taking place at sunset in Fairgreen, Athboy, a series of fire show performances and sacred storytelling will mark the thinning of the veil between the physical and spiritual realms. Both of these events are free to attend.
Some of the featured guests on 2025’s lineup include the much-loved podcaster and writer Blindboy, the iconic showgirl drag queen Davina Devine, and comedians Emma Doran, Jason Byrne, and The 2 Johnnies.
Musical guests include the Block Rockin Beats (with a special DJ set by Groove Armada), the tribute band Qween with support from The Dublin Gospel Choir, and the Irish folk group The High Kings.
Púca festival will also feature a diverse range of artistic performances, including immersive fire acts, cabaret and burlesque shows, and spooky circus groups. There’s plenty of entertainment for every festival goer.
For a more relaxed and calmer experience, the festival will also have a series of tours, talks and workshops, all created to connect people with their roots, be that culturally, spiritually or environmentally.
The festival will take place from Thursday, the 30th of October to Sunday, the 2nd of November. With a fantastic lineup of spectacles and some of Ireland’s best performers, Púca Festival surely promises four days of otherworldly and autumnal fun.
Writer: Leona VC
Copyeditor: Mia Craven
