Dead of Night Festival 2023
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Dead of Night Festival with ‘Fire and Shadows’ Procession
Longford's annual Dead of Night Festival returns bigger and better than ever and taking over the entire Halloween bank holiday weekend! It all kicks off on Friday, 27 October and concludes with a Fire and Shadow Procession and spectacular finale in Connolly Barracks on Halloween night Tuesday, 31 October. See all of what is happening below!
Dead of Night 2023 Events
Friday, 27 October
Monster Mayhem
Creepy crafts and spooky storytelling at Ballymahon, Longford, Edgeworthstown and Granard Libraries. Check Longford Library's Facebook for event time. Free event.
Féile na Samha: Shivers and Shakes
Ghostly takes and tunes at Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre in Keenagh from 7.30pm. Come early as seating is limited. Free event.
Fright Night Gig: Almost Famous
Fancy dress with best dressed prize and live music from 9pm at Eden Night Club at PV Fallons, Longford. Contact PV Fallons directly for more information.
Halloween Music Night: Tommy Kelly and the Elvis Presley Show
Live music and spookiness in the air from 9.30pm at Eddie Valentines, Longford. Contact Eddie Valentine's Bar directly for more information.
Saturday, 28 October
Samhain Town Family Fun
Happening in Connolly Barracks on Saturday and Sunday, 28-29 October, with two sessions each day: from 12-2.30pm and from 3-5.30pm.
Cost: €5 per child (ages 2-18) with all activities included, while accompanying adults and children under 2 years old go free. Tickets are now available from TicketTailor.com.
- A Pumpkin Patch*
- The haunted House Experience in the old army headquarters,
- Halloween Arts and Craft Tent with family activities including decorating pumpkins, making tombstones, and mask making for taking part in the Fire and Shadows Procession
- Entertainment Big Top with several shows throughout the day including storytelling, music, circus acts and puppet show
- Archery Range and Climbing Wall (weather permitting)
- Food stands and craft markets ensuring you can #ShopLongford from local businesses
*Additional purchase required of €3, with one pumpkin per ticket, pumpkins may be decorated in our Arts and Crafts Tent after picking
Find out more and purchase your tickets now!
Féile na Samha: Samhain Stories
Mystery of the Body in the Bog and other lore at Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre in Keenagh from 11am-5pm. Contact Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre to book your place for this free event.
The Halloween Takeover
Terrifying tunes from 10.30pm at Eddie Valentines, Longford, with €400 in prizes for best dressed over the entire weekend. Contact Eddie Valentine's Bar directly for more information.
Sunday, 29 October
Samhain Town Family Fun
Same as listed for Saturday, 28 October.
Samhain Artisan Market
Local arts and crafts, as well as the best food to warm you up from 10am-3pm at Pig Market Lane, Herterichs in Longford. Free event. See Pig Market Lane on Facebook for more information.
Féile na Samha: Corlea Púca Spooka Quest and Halloween at the Harbour
Battle creatures and find your way to Keenagh Harbour to light the sacred fire. Leaving from Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre to Keenagh Harbour at 5.15pm. Contact Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre to book your place for this free event.
Halloween Kids Disco
Kiddos put on their best spooky costume and dance to the monster mash (or whatever the kids are listening to these days!) at Ballycloghan-Carrickboy Community Centre from 5-7pm. €5 entry. No booking required.
Halloween Fancy Dress
Prizes for best costume at Eden Night Club at PV Fallons, Longford from 9.30pm. Contact PV Fallons directly for more information.
Monday, 30 October
Samhain Artisan Market
Local arts and crafts, as well as the best food to warm you up from 10am-3pm at Pig Market Lane, Herterichs in Longford. Free event. See Pig Market Lane on Facebook for more information.
Ballinamuck Halloween Spooky Drive
Join in with this spooky two kilometre drive of twists and turns from 98 Memorial Hall, Ballinamuck (Eircode: N39 Y7C1). Time to be confirmed. Book your place on Eventbrite.
Lisryan Spooky Halloween Party
Halloween games, raffle and spooky kids disco at Lisryan Community Hall from 5-8pm. €20 per family. See Lisryan Tidy Village and Development Facebook page for more information.
Féile na Samha: Double Double Toil and Trouble, and Otherworld Picnic
Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre in Keenagh is the place to be for the Double Double Toil and Trouble play from 2-3.30pm. Bring your goulish treats for the Otherworld Picnic from 4-5pm (weather permitting). Contact Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre to book your place for this free event.
Tuesday, 31 October
Monster Mayhem
Creepy crafts and spooky storytelling at Ballymahon, Longford, Edgeworthstown and Granard Libraries. Check Longford Library's Facebook for event time. Free event.
Fire and Shadows Procession and Spectacular Finale
Join us for Samhain mythology woven with the spirits of nature as the Owl, Fox, Stag and Crow will cross over from the Otherworld to stalk the streets of Longford Town! Afterwards we will meet at Connolly Barracks for a spectacular finale to banish the these roaming spirits back into the Otherworld! It's all happening from 7-10pm. Free event.
Working in Partnership
This year's festival is a partnership between Longford County Council, Fáilte Ireland, Milestone Inventive and street carnival company ‘Spraoi’. It’s part of Longford’s inclusion in Fáilte Ireland’s three-year pilot scheme to show that Ireland is the true home of Halloween. The Dead of Night Festival is a Night-Time Economy initiative in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. All events will have community and public participation at their core, ensuring that the tradition of communities and families gathering is sustained.
Get involved in a scary (but safer) Halloween this year!
Dead of Night is one of County Longford's many safer Halloween initiatives. It is part of a campaign by Longford County Council Environment Department and Fire Service, Longford Local Community Safety Partnership, An Garda Síochána and the Longford County Council Fire Service to create a frightful and fun Halloween, free from anti-social behaviour, illegal fireworks and bonfires.
Can’t make it to Longford for Samhain?
Why not pop over to our our scarefest friends in Limerick, Meath or Waterford on the Bank Holliday Weekend? You will be guaranteed fun and fear for all the family as well as good food and plenty of banter.
