This Halloween, folklore enthusiasts and festivalgoers can look forward to the highly anticipated return of the Púca Festival to Co. Meath.
Developed by Fáilte Ireland in partnership with Meath County Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween with an authentic, immersive, and otherworldly festival.
Vibrant, fun, and contemporary in feel but strongly rooted in tradition, Púca will take place in festival hubs Trim and Athboy in County Meath, from Thursday 31st October to Sunday 3rd November 2024.
Working in partnership with Irish artists, seanchaí storytellers, and the local community Púca will showcase the best in contemporary Irish music, spectacle, and performance over four days and nights in Ireland’s Ancient East.
Púca Festival tells the origin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’. In Irish and Celtic traditions Samhain is the end of the harvest season, when all the crops have been picked and stored for the ‘New Year’.
This was historically a time of celebration, involving lighting fires, feasting on the crops of the harvest, music, gathering, and storytelling. A familiar character in Ireland’s narrative of Halloween, Púca (pronounced poo-kuh) is a shape-shifting character from Celtic folklore that comes alive at ancient new year to roam the night and change the fortunes of those that cross it.
Púca Festival was devised to encourage more international visitors to visit Ireland during October and November, and to encourage domestic visitors to explore different regions of Ireland, outside of the traditional tourism hotspots.
Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland said: “Fáilte Ireland is pleased to announce the launch of this year’s Púca Festival, which celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween. Festivals and events like Púca present an excellent opportunity to showcase the rich heritage and unique culture that Ireland has to offer to both domestic and international visitors. They are also important drivers of tourism revenue across the country, particularly in areas that are outside of the traditional tourism hotspots. We look forward to once again collaborating with Meath County Council, and local tourism and hospitality businesses in our festival hubs of Trim and Athboy to create an unforgettable experience for Púca Festival 2024.”
Martin Nolan, Púca Festival Director and Founder of MPI Artists said: “This is MPI Artists’ third year rolling out Púca festival and we’re delighted with how the programme is coming together at this early stage. There’s been huge interest from music artists, comedians and creatives who feel as strongly about the Púca Festival as we do. Given the fantastic feedback from almost 44,000 visitors in 2023, we’re looking forward to entertaining even more international and domestic visitors this October.”
PÚCA FESTIVAL HUBS 2024
This year’s festival hubs are Athboy and Trim, both steeped in Samhain legend and tradition.
PÚCA PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS
Púca will comprise four breath-taking days and four nights of music, myth, food, folklore, fire, feasting and merriment in the country where Halloween began, with a range of events on offer. In addition to the traditional ceremonies, celebrations, and offerings across Trim and Athboy, the Púca’s proclivity for mischief and entertainment will be brought to life with high profile contemporary acts in music, comedy, and performance.
Confirmed acts include Bell X1,The High Kings, Dermot Whelan, Panti Bliss, Mary Coughlan, Deirdre O’Kane, Neil Delamere, The Dirt Birds, Davina Devine, Tom Dunne, Fiachna O’Braonáin & Alan Connor, Emma Langford, Ruaile Buaile, Qween and Dublin Gospel Choir, The Classic Beatles and The Hans Zimmer Experience. More musical, comedy, storytelling and folklore acts will be announced shortly. Events will take place across various venues in Trim and Athboy and tickets go on sale on Friday, 28th June 2024.
Many more acts will be added to the line up over the coming weeks, and festivalgoers are advised to keep an eye on www.pucafestival.com for news and tickets.