What’s on in Dublin Summer 2024

From tall tales to amazing art, and from gorgeous gardens to dancing the night away, Dublin is full of the joys of summer

A full programme of events is in the calendar for Summer in Dublin 2024. We take a look at what’s on, when and where, to help you plan your ideal itinerary. Whatever takes your fancy, there’s always something to tempt you in our beautiful city.

Gorgeous Gardens
We love Dublin’s parks, but the June Bank Holiday weekend sees the biggest Irish garden festival of them all.

Bord Bia Bloom
Filling acres of the Phoenix Park with incredible gardens to inspire both delight and envy, and soothe the soul, Bloom is simply lovely. See the show gardens, green up your fingers at expert sessions and see if you can pick the winners this time round. Advance tickets recommended. May 30 to June 3

 

Tall tales and stunning stories
With a host of famous writers to our name, Dublin is the place to get your literary fix at any time of year, but this summer the word really is on the streets.

The International Literary Festival Dublin
Richard E. Grant, Marian Keyes, Amor Towles and many more are in conversation, alongside songwriters, comedians, artists, and poets at the Festival Hub in our neighbouring Merrion Square Park, and various venues across the city. Including how-to sessions for aspiring writers, and the chance to chat to your literary heroes, with conversations into the night. Now in its 27th year, this is always a great event. May 17 to 26.

Bloomsday Festival 2024
You don’t have to have read James Joyce’s 265,000 word masterpiece to get into the magic of the Bloomsday Festival. Celebrate the date immortalised in Ulysses, as people dress up in period costume, tuck into gorgonzola, nutty gizzards, and other delights mentioned in the book – washed down with burgundy of course – and visit the sites brought to life by Joyce’s marvellous words. From walking tours to readings, street performances to street parties, events continue for a week, wrapping up on Bloomsday itself: June 16. Don’t miss Sweny’s Chemist, Davy Byrne’s Pub and the James Joyce Tower in Sandycove. June 11 to 16.

Dalkey Book Festival
A pretty thirty minute train ride around the coast, or just a short drive from the city, Dalkey is a charming place to visit all summer long. Famous bars, such as local-favourite, Finnegan’s; excellent restaurants and rock-star hideaway houses overlooking Dublin Bay all add to the magic. And then there is the book festival… Discover the event that Salman Rushdie described as “the best little festival in the world” from June 13 to 16. The 2024 Programme includes Neil Jordan, Stephen Rea, Booker prize winner Paul Lynch, Colm Tóibín, Claire Keegan and more.

Amazing Art
Whether you love cutting edge contemporary or truly old masters, Dublin’s galleries have put on quite the show, and The Merrion Hotel is at the heart of it all.

Turning Heads at the National Gallery
The best portraits are timeless, connecting us to lives lived hundreds of years ago. This gorgeous exhibition showcases works by some of the greatest masters of them all: Rembrandt, Rubens and Vermeer; alongside those who were influenced by them. The National Gallery has an amazing collection anyway, including celebrated work by Vermeer, Caravaggio and Ireland’s Jack Yeats and Walter Osbourne, but this show, in partnership with the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, is something special. Ends May 26, tickets required. While you’re there, see also An Túr Gloine, a fascinating look at the stained glass studio, established in 1903, (An Túr Gloine literally means “the glass tower”) that gathered together some of the greatest talents of the day. Runs until January 2025.

Royal Hibernian Academy Annual Exhibition
From more than 5,300 artworks submitted, the artists of the Royal Hibernian Academy have selected the 194th Annual Exhibition, always the largest and most interesting showcase of the newest and best in contemporary art in Ireland today. And – whisper it – almost all the work is for sale, so you may well leave with something new for your collection, or at very least something to dream of. Admission is free, no ticket required. Runs May 20 to August 5.

Art at The Merrion Now established on the Irish Art Calendar, The Merrion Plinth is an eagerly awaited biennial art commission. Inviting artists to submit work for a €5,000 bursary, the winner of the 2024 Merrion Plinth Award will be announced in June. See Liminal Space, the 2022 winning work by Susan Mannion in the Merrion now, and stay on for Art Afternoon Tea, a feast for the eyes, as well as the tastebuds, inspired by the Merrion Collection. One of the most important private collections of 19th and 20th century art, it is displayed throughout the hotel. Audio guides are available. Booking essential for Art Afternoon Tea.

Music and Dancing
The pubs of Dublin are great for impromptu sessions, while venues such as Whelan’s and Vicar Street are the places to go for the newest bands. On the classical side, the Merrion Hotel Concierge will fill you in on all the National Concert Hall events during your stay, as well as the big West End and Broadway shows coming to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, including Wicked, Pretty Woman and Bonny and Clyde. We have singled out a few of our favourites coming up.

Music in Great Irish Houses
Recently rebranded as the Dublin International Chamber Music Festival features marvellous music by some of Ireland and the world’s finest talents, with many events taking place in magical settings. Taking in the Casino Marino, said to be one of the most perfect neo classical buildings in the world, Kilruddery House, the Botanic Gardens and more, the programme features music by Bach, Brahms, Beethoven and Schubert, and performances from Hugh Tinney, Abel Selaocoe and more. June 4 to 9

Riverdance at the Gaiety
It wowed the world when it first danced on to the Eurovision stage in 1994. That was thirty years ago, and since then, Riverdance has played across six continents, and has been seen live by more than 30 million people. Now it comes home to Dublin, for a celebratory run at The Gaiety, with a limited number of special VIP tickets available including meet the cast and dancers moments. June 5 to September 8

Now, your only problem is choosing when to come. Whenever it is, we look forward to seeing you at The Merrion Hotel. Hotel guests can book for these, and a host of other events with our Concierge.