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20 Best Christmas Markets in Ireland – from cosy moseys to festival fun

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Belfast Christmas market in the grounds of City Hall
Slane Distillery Christmas Market
Lisnavagh House
Cork Glow Festival
Christmas in Kilkenny
Christmas in Kilkenny
Butler House, Kilkenny, at Christmas
Surfers brave the cold at Strandhill, Co. Sligo
Limerick's Milk Market
Winterfest in Mullingar
Rugby giant and proud Carlow man, Sean O'Brien, prepares for Carlow Culinary Christmas with three year-old Iarlaith Flannery at The Arbortetum. Photo: Mary Browne
Fun at winterfest in Mullingar
Stencilize at Dublin Flea Christmas Market. Facebook
  • 20 Best Christmas Markets in Ireland – from cosy moseys to festival fun

    Independent.ie

    More and more Christmas Markets are popping up around Ireland every year, from small and kitschy village fairs to hipster craft shopping experiences.

    https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/ireland/20-best-christmas-markets-in-ireland-from-cosy-moseys-to-festival-fun-37570893.html

    https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/article37395423.ece/ad6ea/AUTOCROP/h342/belfast%20Christmas.jpg

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More and more Christmas Markets are popping up around Ireland every year, from small and kitschy village fairs to hipster craft shopping experiences.

Heres our list of the best around the land, where you can shop local for gifts, pick up a glass of mulled wine and get into the Christmas spirit.

The Big Hitters

Galway Continental Christmas Market

There were over 350,000 visitors to Galway's Christmas market last year, dipping between the 50 wooden chalets in Eyre Square. Galway's food game is strong, so go with an empty stomach and dig into crepes, bratwurst, pretzels and German beer. What says “Christmas” more than a straining belt, eh?

Details: November 16 – December 22, galwaytourism.ie

GLOW – A Cork Christmas Celebration

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Cork Glow Festival

With a giant Ferris wheel, choirs singing carols and Christmas lights a go-go, Cork comes to life at this time of year. There are plenty of market stalls to tempt you, too.

Details: Every weekend in December, corkchristmascelebration.ie.

Winterval in Waterford

This Christmas extravaganza takes over the whole city each year, with various festive merriment spread in every nook and cranny. Youll find market stalls in a few locations – following your nose is the best bet.

Details: November 17 – December 23, winterval.ie

Belfast

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Belfast Christmas market in the grounds of City Hall

You couldnt ask for a prettier backdrop – City Hall is festooned with twinkly lights, and the cute market huts are fit to burst with ornaments, gifts and a hefty amount of tempting food from all around the world. Our tip? Sniff out the hog roast.

Details: November 17 – December 23, facebook.com/BelfastXmasMark.

Limericks Milk Market

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Limerick's Milk Market

This weekly market consistently knocks it out of the park, but it comes into its own at Christmas. Pick up a festive wreath, a good stash of chutneys and as much local cheese as you can carry.

Details: December 14–16, 21–24, milkmarketlimerick.ie/xmas

Dublin

Après Dublin and the Stephens Green markets may not be taking place this year, but there are plenty of cool little alternatives around the city. You can pick up cool pieces of art and crafts in A Fabulous Christmas Market at The George, which is on December 1. The Designer Christmas Markets are being held in the Bank of Ireland forecourt on College Green on December 7, too.

Details: facebook.com/TheGeorgeBar, facebook.com/DesignerDublinChristmasMarket

More: 25 Christmas hotel breaks in Ireland: Skip the stress with our 2018 guide!

The Foodie Havens

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Slane Distillery Christmas Market

Slane Distillery, Co Meath

The Boyne Valley is a paradise for artisanal food, and you can pick up a good selection at the Slane Distillerys Christmas market (above). The setting, in the distillerys 250-year-old Georgian stables, is a beaut…. watch out for concert memorabilia, too.

Details:Every weekend November 30 – December 23, slaneirishwhiskey.com

Teeling Distillery, Dublin

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The Teeling Distillery Tour. Photo: Pól Ó Conghaile

Nothing kicks the season of jollity into gear like seeing the lighting of a Christmas tree. The one at the Teeling Whiskey Distillery is lit on December 5, with the Spirit of Dublin Christmas Craft Fair taking place on December 8. The distillery tour is pretty cool too…

Details: teelingdistillery.com

Carlow Culinary Christmas

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Rugby giant and proud Carlow man, Sean O'Brien, prepares for Carlow Culinary Christmas with three year-old Iarlaith Flannery at The Arbortetum. Photo: Mary Browne

Rachel Allen and Fishy Fishys Martin Shanahan will be on hand to field your questions about that pesky turkey, comedy Christmas cook offs and a host of local food for sale. Tickets are €19.50, which includes a €5 voucher for the Food Village.

Details: December 6 – 8, visualcarlow.ie

The Indie Favourites

Dublin Flea

The regular Dublin Flea market is sorely missed in the city. So until they find a new home, pop along to their Christmas market in The Point. There are over 280 highly curated stalls over the two long weekends – expect to see handcrafted jewellery, excellent vintage and swoonworthy home décor.

Details: December 6-9 & 13-16, dublinchristmasflea.ie

Strandhill Peoples Market

From their set up in Hangar 1 at Sligo Airport, the Strandhill Peoples Market is a popular favourite among Sligonians, and their Christmas market is no exception. Youll find local crafts, artworks and decadent treats, alongside their regular collection of healthy juices, sushi and wholefoods.

Details:December 2, 9, 14-16, 21-23, strandhillpeoplesmarket.ie

The Lisnavagh Christmas Fair 2018

Held in the grounds of the gorgeous Lisnavagh House, this crafty fair is the perfect place to pick up some gifts. There are also Childrens Christmas Craft Workshops held in the afternoon, which include hot chocolate and a visit from the big man himself (€13).

Details:December 8-9, lisnavagh.com

Family Fun

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Butler House, Kilkenny, at Christmas

YuleFest Kilkenny

Things are delightfully bonkers at Yulefest Kilkenny – expect to see Stormtroopers and an Irish Wolfhound called Fionn (mascot for the 3rd Infantry Battalion) popping up around the city. Theres a strong charitable spirit too, which feels like a far more fitting Christmas theme than tinsel and baubles.

Details: Throughout December, yulefestkilkenny.ie

Wicklow Christmas Market

Held in the Abbey Grounds in Wicklow town, the market brings the usual selection of wreaths, crafts and tempting food. But youll forget about all of that when you find out that there are actual alpacas on the scene. How we did Christmas without alpacas for all these years, Ill never know.

Details:Every weekend from December 8, wicklowchristmasmarket.com.

Winterfest Mullingar

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Fun at winterfest in Mullingar

All the wintery merriment is based around a 600-square-metre ice rink in Mullingar Town Park, with a Swedish Fika style Christmas market held on December 6-9.

Details: November 23 – January 6,winterfestmullingar.ie

Dundalk Christmas Market

Held as part of Frostival, the stalls in Market Square are packed full of Christmassy treats, and there is plenty else to capture the attention of little ones, too.

Details: December 14-15, dundalktown.ie/frostival

Christmas in Donegal

There's loads going on in Donegal this Christmas, including Santa's Kingdom in Buncrana (November 24 to December 23), a craft and art fair in Letterkenny's An Grianán theatre on December 1, and later in December, Letterkenny's artisan Christmas market.

Carrigaholt Christmas Market, Co Clare

Some 30 stalls are expected selling artisan food, handmade gifts and more local produce on the Loop Head Peninsula on Sunday, December 7. Read more on the community's sustainable approach to tourism on Loop Head here.

Details: loophead.ie;

Westport Houses Winter Wonderland

OK, so its not strictly a market. But with story telling, face painting, crafting, treats, the Santa Express Train across the Estate and, of course, Santa himself, we had to include Westport Houses Winter Wonderland. There are also festive movies shown in the Drive-In, too, because it aint Christmas until youve seen Elf.

Details: November 24th to December 23, €14-€28.50, westporthouse.ie

NB: All prices and dates subject to change.

Read more:

Top 10 Christmas markets for 2018: City breaks with festive feeling

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