Experience the real Samhain in Waterford — Where Stories Begin!
Ireland’s oldest city knows its ghosts. From sirens to spooks, Waterford has always danced with the supernatural — but this year, it’s going to be truly spooktacular. 
Beware The Siren Sisters — Suiri, Naire, and Boru — grotesque daughters of the deep who haunt the south-east coast. Each night, they sing their eerie songs, luring sailors and wanderers alike to their watery doom upon the hidden rocks.
On Samhain Night — Saturday 1 November, the veil between worlds grows thin. As the harvest ends and winter’s chill begins, the lost souls of the Suir, the Nore, and the Barrow will rise once more through a secret portal in Waterford Harbour.
If you’re brave enough, you might glimpse them — ghost ships drifting through the mist, lost brides seeking their beloved, and creatures crawling from the fiery pits of the Otherworld.
But take heed: the Sirens still sing… and they are hungry for new souls.
🎃 A Weekend of Wicked Wonders Awaits
Step into the shadows with a city-wide celebration of all things eerie and enchanted:
- ⚰️ Visit the grave of the Dearg Due and then hear her blood-chilling tale in the medieval undercrofts.
- 🍔 Feast on blood-burgers at Hell’s Kitchen.
- ⚓ Hear haunted maritime stories from the riverbanks — or join a boat trip on the ghostly Suir.
- 🧵 Get crafty at our Halloween Decoration Workshops.
- 📖 Gather the little ghouls for Kitty Kaboodle’s scary storytelling.
- 🎤 Share your own tale at the Live Ghostly Mic — if you dare.
From myth to music, from legend to laughter, Waterford’s Samhain Weekend is where stories return to life…
and the dead come home!
A haunting weekend of art, stories, music, and mischief across the city.
Thursday 30 October – Pre-Scare
20.00: Bank Lane, Waterford: The Night Before Halloween: Block Party with the Hive Collective: Lithium Lounge, AliensinCaves, Porcelain Eyes, Flexx Carter, Ellen Quilty, Chevythegoodfella, Syn & Ozzosmile. Booking
Friday 31 October — Samhain Eve
10.00 – 19.00: Irish Wake Museum, Cathedral Square, Waterford: Discover old traditions, strange superstitions and the fascinating ways people marked life and death 
in Ireland from early Christian times right up to the 20th century. Bookings.
14.00: Waterford Gallery of Art, O’Connell Street, Waterford Halloween Decoration Workshop
Summon your inner maker and conjure new life from the scraps of the everyday. Bring old clothes, odd trinkets, and the contents of your green bin — together we’ll craft decorations fit for a haunted hall. All ages welcome.
15.00: Venue Waterford Gallery of Art, O’Connell St., Waterford. Art Workshop with Rachel Roberts — “Boo!” An eerie afternoon of playful creativity. Paint, laugh, and maybe let a few ghosts slip through your brush. Fancy dress most welcome.
16.30: Departing from Dock Gate at the Millennium Plaza – Samhain on the Suir. Climb aboard and drift into the mists of the River Suir. Hear strange tales from its shadowed waters — whispers of what still stirs beneath. Limited spaces (50 minutes).
For paid bookings: offspreycruises@gmail.com or ring Andy 085 196 7779
14.00–17.00: Waterford Comics, Patrick Street, Waterford: Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set Launch Party
Venture into dungeons, face dragons, and join the Anime Club for watch parties, quizzes, and popcorn. Costumes encouraged — heroes and villains equally welcome.
18.00–21.00: WCQ Hub, O’Connell Street, Waterford
Adult Fancy Dress for FaNCy Folk — Queen and Co.
A glamorous gathering for the bold and the bewitched. Expect queens, jesters, portraits, DJs, snacks, laughter, and more sparkle than a witch’s mirror. All welcome.
Saturday 1 November — The Waking of the Dead
10.00 – 17.00: Irish Wake Museum, Cathedral Square, Waterford: Discover old traditions, strange superstitions and the fascinating ways people marked life and death in Ireland from early Christian times right up to the 20th century. Bookings.
11.00–13.00: GOMA Gallery, Lombard Street, Waterford: Art Workshop with Ruth Flynn. Unleash your imagination in this hands-on art ritual — a perfect way to greet the ghostly day.
12.00 & 14.00: The Book Centre, John Roberts Square, Waterford. Spooky storytelling with Kitty Kaboodle
Spine-tingling tales and laughter for brave hearts of all ages. Gather close… she has stories to tell that may not end quite as you expect.
12.00 & 14.00: The Waterford Medieval Museum Undercroft, Cathedral Square, Waterford: FREE Scary theatre – The Curse of the Dearg Duth by Derek Flynn. Step into the candlelit halls of history and meet Dearg Due, the Irish vampire whose hunger is older than time. Btw… Its just around the corner from the grave of the Dearg Duth – dare you take a selfie there?
12.00–15.00: Waterford Comics, Patrick Street, Waterford: Dungeons & Dragons Art Workshop. Sketch your familiars, design your monsters, and let Antoine and Franco guide your hand through the art of fantasy.
15.00: Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Square, Waterford: World Uilleann Pipe Day Celebrations. The haunting voice of the pipes fills the cathedral with echoes of the past. Presented with Music Generation Waterford (TBC).
17.00: Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Square, Waterford: Music Recital with composer Marion Ingoldsby (piano), Gerald Dower (flute), and Cathy Desmond (violin). Shut your eyes and open your soul while the musicians weave a spell of harmony and melancholy as dusk falls.
17.30: Departing from Dock Gate at the Millennium Plaza – Samhain on the Suir. Climb aboard and drift into the mists of the River Suir. Hear strange tales from its shadowed waters — whispers of what still stirs beneath. Limited spaces (50 minutes).
For paid bookings: offspreycruises@gmail.com or ring Andy 085 196 7779
19.00: Constitution Square, Waterford: The Siren Sisters / Sisters of the sea / The Haunted Waves Parade (Spraoi). Be prepared to be petrified (don’t worry its family friendly) It kicks off near the grave of the Dearg Duth and ends… You will just have to follow the parade and see! Fancy Dress recommended.
19.30: Christ Church Cathedral, Cathedral Square, Waterford: Scary Stories and Songs of the Sea
Tales of shipwrecks, selkies, and spirits told through words and song. With Andrew Doherty, Killian DeLahunty, and Martin Travis.
20.00: The Apple Market, John’s Street, Waterford: Monticelli – A night of music to raise the dead (or at least the dance floor).
Sunday 2 November — The Spirits Settle
11.00 – 17.00: Irish Wake Museum, Cathedral Square, Waterford: Discover old traditions, strange superstitions and the fascinating ways people marked life and death in Ireland from early Christian times right up to the 20th century. Bookings.
11.00 & 13.00 The Waterford Medieval Museum Undercroft, Cathedral Square, Waterford: FREE Scary theatre – The Curse of the Dearg Duth by Derek Flynn. Step into the candlelit halls of history and meet Dearg Due, the Irish vampire whose hunger is older than time. Btw… Its just around the corner from the grave of the Dearg Duth – dare you take a selfie there?
12.30–15.30: Waterford Comics, Patrick Street, Waterford: Discover new worlds and new characters in this Halloween Dungeons and Dragons special!
15.00: Jordan’s Bar, The Quays, Waterford: Ales and Tales including ‘The Live Ghost Story Mic’ with special guest MC Wayne Power. Regale us with your story and perhaps take a story or two home! Resident Claire Horgan and special guests!
20.00: The Apple Market, John’s Street (rumored to be a former Gallows site) Craic Sabbath
A devilishly good night of music and mayhem to close the festival — where the living and the lively meet.
Other events to be listed including the Live Ghost Mic. Watch this space.
10.00 – 17.00: Waterford Greenway – Clonea Road to Durrow section, County Waterford: The Spooky Tunnel Experience on the Waterford Greenway! This is a ‘walk through experience’ that spooktastic for all the family and best of all it’s free! Visit the Ballyvoyle Tunnel if you dare!
10am-5pm
Various times: Mount Congreive, County Waterford, Guardians of the Gardens: 
Interactive Dragon Trail: Friday, 31st October 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 & 17:00 Entry) and Sunday, 2nd November: 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00 & 18:00
Admission: €17.50 per entrant
—o—
- NIGHTMARE ON BOURBON STREET with Revolution
An evening of scary imbibing with Halloween themed Cocktails and creepy classics – Bloody Mary anyone?
Strictly over 18s
5pm till late.
Revolution Gastrobar at the AppleMarket
- Terrifying tipples at Tulys
Put the Spectre into Spectacular with Cocktails, Mocktails and Mayhem!
Strictly over 18s
5pm till late.
Tully’s O’Connell Street.
Dare you eat at Hell’s Kitchen?
Featuring all kinds of nefarious nosh including Blood Burgers, Non beating hearts and the infamous Mexican Stand-off!
1pm till late
O’Connell Street, Waterford.
Samhain Waterford is produced by Waterford City and County Council, Spraoi, Failte Ireland, Creative Ireland, and Night Time Economy Ireland via the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport & Media.
*The Big Stage, complete with Lighting & Sound, was purchased with the aid of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport & Media.