The Púca emerges from the shadows
The annual Púca Festival launched last night, marking the beginning of the 2026 edition of the celebration of Samhain.
Taking it back to where it all started, the local launch took place on the Hill of Ward, or Tlachtga, in Athboy, where it is believed that Halloween first began.
The local launch saw members of Meath County Council, including Cathaoirleach Cllr Sarah Reilly and Chief Executive Kieran Kehoe join members of Fáilte Ireland and MPI gather at the ancient site.
Creative Director of the festival Claire Morrissey, who also worked on The Traitors Ireland at Slane Castle as Production Designer, and Master Creator Brian Walsh, joined to show off some of the fantastic creations and costumes that will appear at this years procession, including old favourites such as the fantastic Cú-Sídhe and some new mythological characters.
The festival will take place over four days across Trim and Athboy from Thursday 29th October to Sunday 1st November, and the festival has unveiled a host of new experiences for 2026, including daytime workshops in the Púca Big Top for the first time, a new Halloween Drag Brunch with Davina Devine and the festival’s biggest-ever Harvest Market.
Speaking on the scale of the festival and how it has grown over the years, Azeta Seery, Manager of Business, Festivals and Major Sporting Events at Fáilte Ireland, said: “We do see the festival being bigger this year, as it has just been on that trajectory since we started. It is on the backlog of an international global campaign that is establishing Ireland as the original and authentic birthplace of Halloween.
"With that global awareness, we are seeing more and more uplift with respect to international visitors coming to Ireland for the festival. Of the almost 60,000 people that came last year, 32,000 of them were tourist visitors. They can really experience the authenticity of Irish culture and based on the archaeological evidence here, Meath is deeply rooted as the authentic epicentre of Halloween.”
Martin Nolan, Púca Festival Director and Founder of MPI Artists, added: “The Hill of Ward is a fitting place to mark the countdown to Púca, drawing on the mystery and imagination at the heart of Samhain. It was also important to mark the occasion alongside the local partners and stakeholders who help bring Púca to life each year."
The late Glen Hansard was set to headline Púca Festival this year before his tragic and untimely death in July, casting a poignant shadow over the 2026 festival. Despite the shocking news of the singer-songwriter's passing, his memory will live on through the other acts performing on the night in an organic way.
When asked if there will be tribute paid to the late singer over the festival weekend, Azeta Seery touched on the topic by saying that: "There are so many people that love Glen Hansard, performers and fans alike, and it is such a tragedy what happened.
I believe the artists that are performing at the festival will of course acknowledge Glen Hansard and his wonderful life over the weekend, as will we. What happened was shocking and we know those that loved him will come together organically to pay respects to his life, and it is of course a very sensitive topic for those that were close to Glen."
The Púca Procession is a major highlight of the weekend, highlighting Irish folklore, nature and ancestry, featuring some fantastic costumes and spectacles that have been created locally by local artists and creators.
For more information on all things Púca Festival, please click here.