VIDEO: Upcoming Púca Festival’s €3m boost for the county
Image 1 of 2
Aerial performer, Polina Shapkina from Broken Theatre with Claire Morrissey from Kildalkey at the launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre, Trim. Photos: Barry CroniN Barry CroninImage 2 of 2
Ciara Sugrue, head of festivals and events, Fáilte Ireland, speaking at the launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre. Barry CroninThe Púca Festival has not just grown annually, it’s leaping ahead every year, Failte Ireland’s head of festivals and events said in Trim last week.
At the launch of the 2023 festival at the Swift Cultural Centre, Ciara Sugrue said that the “international interest in the event is far beyond what they would have imagined it would be at this stage.”
The five-day Halloween festival is projected to bring a revenue of €3 million into the local economy, described as an economic driver for communities and business across the region.
Image 1 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Comedian Emma Doran pictured at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninImage 2 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Comedian Emma Doran pictured at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninImage 3 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals & Events, Fáilte Ireland pictured at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninImage 4 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Irish Dancers from the Creepy Céilí pictured at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninImage 5 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Angela Murtagh (left) from Causey Farm with Aerial performer, Polina Shapkina from Broken Theatre pictured at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninImage 6 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals & Events, Fáilte Ireland, Aimee Graham Fáilte Ireland (back),Aerial performer, Polina Shapkina from Broken Theatre,Eibhlis Maher (Failte Ireland) Fiona Dalton (Tlachtga Abhaile) and front Angela Murtagh (Causey Farm) pictured at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninImage 7 of 7
NO REPRO FEES Comedian Emma Doran with Aerial performer, Polina Shapkina from Broken Theatre with Martin Nolan, Púca Festival Co-Director from MPI Bands pictured with Claire from Kildalkey at the locaL launch of Púca Festival in the Swift Cultural Centre,Ireland’s most authentic Halloween festival, returning to Trim and Athboy in CountyMeath, from Friday 27th to Tuesday 31st October 2023. Developed by Fáilte Ireland(the National Tourism Development Authority of Ireland), in partnership with MeathCounty Council, Púca celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween, telling theorigin story of Samhain or ‘Summer’s End’.This year’s programme features spectacle and storytelling, music and mischief,comedy, feasting & much more, with headline acts including Macy Gray, TheCharlatans, The Waterboys and Damien Dempsey, as well as Reginald D Hunter,Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, and special events with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, Bressie, LeaHeart and more. See www.pucafestival.com to explore the programme and booktickets for events and transport. Photo:Barry Cronin Photo by Barry CroninA number of new features have been added to this year’s event which are really exciting, she promised, including new opening and closing processions.
“Failte Ireland did a lot of research going back to 2016, and recognised that there was a real opportunity in Ireland to be the birthplace of Halloween, and we had to take ownership of what is now a globally celebrated holiday,” she explained.
They decided to put on an amazing event based on deep heritage and culture, when tourism is in a ‘shoulder season’, that can really deliver for a local area, bringing not just international visitors, but those from across the country too. All the events and activities are inspired by themes of identity, landscape and language to connect visitors to the ancient past, and the festival will strengthen Ireland’s profile as the home of Halloween, right here in Meath, she said.
Martin Nolan of MPI Artists, co-director of the festival with Anne O’Brien, revealed some of the details of the opening and closing processions in Trim and Athboy respectively, and highlighted the role of Kildalkey woman Claire Morrissey in these. There will be wolfhounds, massive structures and live music in the opening procession in Trim, and in Athboy, the ceremony will see the lighting of four sculptures, signifying the hills of Tlachtga, Tara, Loughcrew and Uisneach.
As well as the music events, there will be an expanded food and craft harvest market at the Porchfields, interactive experiences with workshops such as baking neolithic bread, and a wood sculpture where everyone can make a piece for it.
As Halloween is about connecting with our ancestors, there will be an opportunity to write notes to them which will be burned within a sculpture in Athboy, he explained.
A shuttle bus will run between the two towns.
Meath County Council chief executive Fiona Lawless said that last year’s festival brought 36,000 visitors to Meath, and brought over €3 million into the economy, with 12 international tour operators and 40 international media representatives in the county during the week. She said the opening of the new Swift Centre in Trim would anchor the festival in the county for the future.