The ultimate guide to New Year's Eve & New Year's Day in Dublin

Get your party shoes for Dublin’s New Year’s Festival – a festive celebration that takes over various locations across the city centre with a mixture of free and ticketed events. 

December 30

Kick off the celebrations in Dublin Castle with Echoes of Ireland, a series of concerts which showcase talented Irish musicians belting out toe-tapping folk music, old and new. Tickets are free and the concerts run from 3pm to 7pm.

Media captionHead to Dublin Castle for live music and DJs.

December 31

If you have kids (or can’t stay awake past 10pm), then the family-friendly celebrations on December 31 in the city centre are just the ticket. Get wrapped up in the spectacular music, marching bands and light shows at the Ignite and Excite Procession as it takes over the city streets. Meanwhile, Dublin Castle has all the fun of the New Year's Eve midnight countdown, but with an earlier finish. The Countdown Concert Matinee kicks off at 4pm with music from female trad group BIIRD, Indie songstress Florence Road and DJ Shelly Gray, before a spectacular visual and musical display leads into the countdown to “midnight.” It’s the ideal compromise – you get to ring in the New Year but leave soon after the event wraps up at 6.30pm, ready for an early bedtime. Tickets start at €9.90, with family packages from €24.90.

Media captionBring the kids to the Countdown Concert Matinee.

When it’s time to see in the New Year for real, get ready to bust a move to tunes from Irish-born rock band Inhaler, who'll be taking to the stage from 8pm alongside afternoon performers BIIRD, Florence Road and DJ Shelly Gray. As midnight strikes, the skies above will light up with a pyrotechnics show. Tickets for the gig start at €59.90.

Media captionSee the city shine at the pyrotechnics show.

Meanwhile, the coast north and south of the city will be lit up with two spectacular firework displays. The pier in Howth will be prime viewing location for one, while the harbour in Dún Laoghaire is the place to be for the other; the free festivities kick off in both places at 6.30pm.

Media captionCountdown to midnight at Dublin's New Year's Festival.

January 1

All won't be quiet on New Year's Day. Dublin Castle is keeping the festivities going with a free concert between 1-5pm, plus shows from talented street performers and fun activities to get the whole family involved. Meanwhile, over in Temple Bar, Meeting House Square will host a celebration of traditional and folk music with a free afternoon gig between 1-5pm. Both are unticketed events; all you need to do is show up. 

An exciting addition to any music lover's calendar, the NYF music trail showcases some of Ireland's up and coming musicians and DJs. The free event runs only on December 30 and will hit up some of the city's best known musical hubs, pubs and intimate venues.

As you might expect, there’s plenty else going on in Dublin this New Year's Eve, with many venues putting on a shindig to usher in the new year. There’s a party in Fitzsimons in Temple Bar, while Rascals Brewery in Inchicore will have DJs on the decks for the New Year's Eve Party, alongside a menu of woodfired pizzas and, of course, their very own beer. 

Media captionHave a dance and a bite to eat at Rascals Brewing on New Year's Eve.

The Talbot Hotel in Stillorgan is putting on their own Back in Time Ball, complete with a four-course meal, prosecco and live entertainment courtesy of Bobby Mc & The Dukes. If you prefer a more Irish twist to your new year's celebrations, the Celtic Nights New Year's Eve Show at the Arlington Hotel also comes with a meal and prosecco to accompany the festive traditional tunes. 

Swing into the new year with jazz trumpeter Guy Barker and his Big Band alongside the RTÉ Concert Orchestra at the National Concert Hall. They'll bring the swing era back to Dublin with songs by iconic jazz artists like Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Hilliard and Dick Miles. 

There will also be an afternoon concert the following day, when soprano Ava Dodd joins the National Symphony Orchestra for the NSOI New Year's Day Gala, featuring a menu of Viennese waltzes penned by famous Austrian composer Johann Strauss II. 

Media captionVisit the National Concert Hall this New Year's Eve.

If you’re dealing with a slightly fuzzy head or simply want to kick off 2026 with virtue, a big long walk is always a good idea on New Year’s Day. You’ll see loads of Dubliners out for a bracing stroll along the cliffs at Howth Head, following the narrow path along the headland as the waves crash below. The trails at Ticknock are a popular choice too, the tracks weaving through the trees leading to epic views of the city and coastline.

Media captionHead out on a walk to clear your head on New Year's Day.

If you really want to blow off the cobwebs, join the people who mark the start of the year with a swim (or a lightning fast dip) at the Forty Foot. There's also the option of a swim at the Dún Laoghaire Baths; while the pool itself is yet to be complete, you can swim from the jetty that juts into the sea towards Sandycove.

Though New Year’s Day is a bank holiday, the National Gallery of Ireland is open for all to explore. Every year, the gallery famously showcases its exhibition of J.M.W. Turner's watercolours. 2026 marks the return of 31 of Turner's masterpieces following their loan to the National Galleries of Scotland last year. Alongside his beautiful depictions of the English countryside, Venice and the Alps, Turner's works will be joined by watercolours and prints by artists who found inspiration in his use of light, colour and atmosphere. They'll only be in the city for the month of January so don't miss out.  

For a quirky look back at the capital over the past century, the Little Museum of Dublin will be welcoming visitors on New Year's Day. Tours are also running at Kilmainham Gaol, and you can wander around IMMA afterwards to view the first solo exhibition by artist Cecilia Vicuña. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is open and running a special guided tour led by one of their experts. Or pay a visit to the Jeanie Johnston just a few minutes’ walk away.

Media captionVisit the Little Museum of Dublin on New Year's Day.

If you’re looking for a laidback bar to celebrate the New Year or a peaceful pint on January 1, check out our guide to Dublin’s cosiest pubs.