Bealtaine
An exciting programme of events and initiatives for Senior Citizens is taking place at various heritage sites across the country to align with the Bealtaine Festival- “Celebrating Arts and Creativity as We Age” this May.
From musical performances to yoga and drumming workshops; there is a range of diverse and exciting events on offer.
On Friday 22 May, the Office of Public Works will also be offering a free admission day for senior citizens at all fee paying heritage sites*.
*Free admission to all fee-paying sites except for Kilmainham Gaol Museum and Brú na Bóinne Visitor Centre.
Free Admission on May 22nd
Dr Tara Byrne, Arts programme manager at age & opportunity and Arts Director of Bealtaine Festival, discusses the collaboration between the OPW and Bealtaine Festival.
Illustrated Talk: 'The Muses & Mars' - Charles Fort and the Arts.
Charles Fort
This illustrated talk by Brendan Shiels shall take us on an artistic journey covering three centuries including poetry, song, opera and ‘music hall’, drama and farce, plans and paintings.
Literary Tour
Custom House Visitor Centre
The Custom House is proud to be part of this year’s Bealtaine Festival celebrating age and opportunities and promoting greater participation in society by older people in Ireland.
Garden Talk Series: A walk and talk through Kilkenny Castle Park
Kilkenny Castle Park
‘A walk and talk through Kilkenny Castle Park’
Colm Mangan is the Manager of Kilkenny Castle Park. Under his stewardship, the park has been managed in a more and more ecologically sustainable and nature-centred manner. His walks and talks, where he demonstrates the ways in which the flora and fauna in the park are nurtured and cared for is an annual highlight of the talk series.
All talks are free and entry is on a first come first served basis.
Clay/Works by Ceramic Ireland
Clay/Works features the work of over 80 makers from the four corners of the country.
A diverse range of ceramic pieces will be on show including functional, decorative, wall panels and sculptural forms. The Clay/Works exhibition is in partnership with the National Botanic Gardens and The Office of Public Works.
This is a free exhibition taking place daily in the Visitor Centre Gallery from Sunday 3rd of May to Saturday 16th of May.
This is a free exhibition taking place daily in the Visitor Centre Gallery from Sunday 3rd of May to Saturday 16th of May.
Bealtaine Tours at Castletown House
Castletown House & Parklands are happy to offer, for the month of May, Free Guided Tours every Tuesday at 12pm for senior citizens to celebrate this festival time.
Ar an Imeall/On the Edge
Ar an Imeall/On the Edge – Rathfarnham Castle
Ar an Imeall is an exhibition of up to 50 oil paintings of Ireland’s offshore islands. The exhibition is part of a larger project exploring and documenting the islands and seeking to record, celebrate, respect and remember the individual world that each island is and was to those that lived and still live on it.
Chair Yoga at the Castle.
Chair Yoga at the Castle – Parke’s Castle
Chair Yoga Bealtaine Festival overlooking Lough Gill, a celebration of the arts and ageing at Parke’s Castle on Monday 25th May. Join us for a peaceful Chair Yoga session in the serene surroundings of Parke’s Castle OPW, suitable for all levels of fitness and experience. This gentle, slow-paced practice focuses on mindful movement, gentle stretches, breath awareness, and relaxation.
The Sacred Spark - Awakening Bealtaine
The Sacred Spark – Awakening Bealtaine – Sligo Abbey
An Evening of Lore at Sligo Abbey
Step back in time and join us for a very special after-hours event! We are thrilled to host our traditional Seanchaí for an evening of folklore and ancient tales in the origins and traditions of the Bealtaine festival.
'Echoes' Irish Patchwork Society exhibition
National Botanic Gardens
Join us for ‘Echoes’, an exhibition to mark the 45th anniversary of the Irish Patchwork Society.
Since its foundation in 1981, the Irish Patchwork Society (IPS) has been significantly influential in the development of patchwork and quilting in Ireland through education, mentorship and connecting with communities.
Silent Exposure – The Photography of William Despard Hemphill (1816-1902)
The Main Guard
Silent Exposure: The Photography of William Despard Hemphill (816-1902) explores the remarkable work of one of Ireland’s early photographic pioneers.
Held in The Main Guard in Clonmel, this exhibition offers a rare glimpse into 19th-century life through Hemphill’s lens.
Visitors can discover a collection of images that reveal both the artistry and historical significance of early photography.
Royal Irish Academy of Music – Academy Artists in Concert
A concert of diverse musical pieces by a selection of high-performance students from the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
The Royal Irish Academy of Music, Ireland’s oldest music conservatoire, is a home for those who choose to live in music. It is the language through which its passionate earning community expresses itself, grows, and flourishes.
This special concert, set in the magnificent surroundings of Rathfarnham Castle, offers a vivid glimpse of that spirit, and an invitation to experience the artistry, care, and high performance that shape Academy students.
Colours of Nature
Colours of Nature – Ormond Castle
Pigments, history and hands-on creativity. Discover the Medieval Art of Natural Pigment-Making.
Bealtaine Feastival at Cahir Castle
Men’s Shed members are invited to a special evening at Cahir Castle. Enjoy the spectacle of a rhythmic drum circle! All members welcome to wander, explore or
take a tour of one of Ireland’s largest and best preserved medieval castles.
Ceol Binn Linn music performance for Bealtaine Festival
Ceol Binn Linn music performance for Bealtaine Festival – Céide Fields.
A musical performance by Ceol Binn Linn, a group of nine musicians from Sligo.
Irish Sign Language Tours
Heritage Ireland is offering Irish Sign Language (ISL) tours at selected sites across the country.
Led by experienced guides and ISL interpreters, each tour is designed to bring the past to life through visual storytelling and shared discovery.
This is to create an inclusive and engaging experiences for Deaf and hard of hearing visitors.
Entrance to the site and tour are free of charge. Check out a tour near you this May!
Pond Dipping with Ecologist Lorraine O Sullivan
The John F Kenedy Arboretum
Pond Dipping with Ecologist Lorraine O Sullivan on Saturday 16th May 2026.
Piping Recitals in Carrowmore for Bealtaine
To celebrate the month of Bealtaine, OPW guide Martin Byrne will give a series of four informal uilleann piping recitals at the Carrowmore Megalithic Cemetery.
Fossil trees and Dinosaurs
The John F Kennedy Arboretum
Paddy Madden is an Ecologist and author of Go Wild at School. Learn all about Fossil trees and Dinosaurs at the JFK Arboretum on 20th May 2026.
Four Courts Tour
Four Courts Tour – Custom House
Learn about the architecture, the destruction of the building during the Civil War and important court cases over the last few centuries.
Free but booking is essential.
Discover the Decorative Arts Collection of Emo Court
Discover the beauty and artistry of Emo Court on a guided tour of the decorative arts collection on the ground floor of the house.
