Over 60,000 visitors attend Púca Festival
An estimated 60,000 people attended the spectacular Púca Festival in Trim and Athboy over the weekend to celebrate Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween.
Sunday concluded the incredible four day Púca Festival which featured a weekend full of live performances, markets and outstanding displays and spectacles.
From family friendly events to late night parties, Púca truly had something for everyone. Some highlights of the weekend were the Púca Procession - The Gathering of the Spirits and The Lighting of the Samhain Fire, which were both conveniently live streamed from the Púca Festival YouTube Channel, letting viewers enjoy the show without leaving the comfort of their homes. Despite a few of the earlier events being cancelled on Thursday due to adverse weather conditions, the rest of the weekend went ahead in full swing and was a true success.
The Lighting of the Samhain Fire took place on Friday night at the original birthplace of Samhain, The Hill of Ward in Athboy, before moving down to the Fairgreen. Fire performers, music, drums and story tellers took over as Samhain was welcomed and Halloween night began.
The Púca Procession took place on the streets of Trim on Saturday night, turning the town into a mystical world of Irish mythological spirits and characters. Thousands of people came out to watch the handmade puppets and floats come down the street accompanied by dancers, aerial performers and live music, truly capturing the spirit of Samhain.
The puppet leading the procession was a new character added to the parade, a ginormous nine meter long Púca, a shapeshifting and supernatural creature from Irish folklore, handmade by the wonderful and talented creative team in Athboy LMETB Buildings.
Creative Director Claire Morrissey from Kildalkey, and Master Creator Brian Walsh from Dunshaughlin, lead the incredible team of artists and volunteers in making the procession come to life. The entire weekend was rooted in tradition and involved the local community in every aspect.
The creature slowly crawled down the street being moved by those inside of the puppet, bringing the huge art piece to life. Smoke and music filled the air as the procession made its way through the streets, while different actors dressed as ravens and other creatures from Irish folklore interacted with the cheering crowd. An explanation of each puppet was given as they passed by and dancers, fire performers and aerial artists swung from lit up stages.
You couldn’t blink while watching the procession or you’d miss something. Not only was it an amazing visual experience but an educational one, too. Learning about Irish folklore and the origins of Samhain was made easy and accessible for visitors from all over the world. Every corner held something new to look at or interact with.
Trim Castle was lit up with a fantastic projection show on the side of the castle at night time, and from morning to evening, hours could be spent browsing the Halloween Market. Food stalls, craft stalls and local sellers took over the Porch Fields in Trim where you could treat yourself to something from one of the delicious food trucks or get a photo with a real life barn owl or raven. Multiple interactive craft stalls lined the field, with children and adults taking part in wood working, axe making and hand weaving.
Other workshops that took place over the weekend were circus training, arts and crafts and heritage tours, along with The Samhain Circus who put on amazing aerial, burlesque and cabaret performances all weekend. When nighttime took over, household names such as podcaster Blindboy and electronic music duo Groove Armada took to stages around Trim and Athboy.
Other acts that performed over the weekend included Block Rockin' Beats, Jason Byrne, Emma Doran, Young Hot Guys, Qween & The Dublin Gospel Choir and Davina Devine. Whether you were after a comedy gig or dancing the night away, Púca had it all.
Martin Nolan, Púca Festival Director said had been fantastic to see such strong engagement from both domestic and international audiences. “Our aim has always been to create a high-quality, authentic festival experience that celebrates Samhain through performance, music, storytelling and community participation, and 2025 delivered that in full. On behalf of the festival team at MPI Artists, I want to thank Fáilte Ireland, Meath County Council, our local partners and community groups for their ongoing collaboration and support, as well as everyone who joined us across the weekend.”
Kieran Kehoe, Chief Executive, Meath County Council said the collaboration between Meath County Council, Fáilte Ireland, MPI Artists and the local community continues to deliver outstanding results.
“This year’s success reinforces Púca Festival’s position as one of Ireland’s leading cultural celebrations. We’re proud to see Meath recognised on both a national and international stage and as a county that celebrates its heritage with creativity, authenticity, and pride. We would also like to express our sincere thanks to local businesses, community groups and residents for their incredible support and hard work, which play such a vital role in bringing the festival to life each year.”
Ciara Sugrue, Head of Festivals and Events at Fáilte Ireland said it was the biggest festival to date, celebrating the origins of Halloween in Ireland’s Ancient East.
“Festivals like Púca are central to Fáilte Ireland’s ambition to create compelling events and experiences that showcase Ireland’s rich culture, heritage and creativity. They also play a vital role in driving tourism revenue, particularly in areas beyond the traditional tourism hotspots. Working in partnership with Meath County Council, local businesses and communities, we look forward to the continued growth of Púca Festival and to welcoming even more visitors to County Meath and the wider Ireland’s Ancient East region.”