ST. PATRICK’S DAY has rolled around once more and comes with the added benefit of landing on a Friday this year, giving us a long weekend to savour the craic. 

It may be celebrated tomorrow, but there are tons of events around the country to mark our national holiday for all of the long weekend. After the bout of recent bad weather, let’s hope it stays dry this weekend so we can properly celebrate the man who rid Ireland of snakes. 

To help you plan your weekend, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions for great ways to spend the bank holiday.

Catch a parade 

What would St.Patrick’s day be without a parade? Every corner of the country will be marking the day with a parade. From Letterkenny in Donegal to Listowel in Kerry, to Galway in the west and Dublin in the east, the streets will be full of green parade participants. Dublin’s parade goes right through the city centre and is certainly unmissable for those looking to revel in festive cheer. The parades are normally a celebration of culture and local communities, with music in the form of marching bands a regular staple. A comprehensive list of parades is available from Discover Ireland, so you can check the nearest parade to you if you’re keen on checking one out. 

Climb Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick in Mayo is where, according to legend, St. Patrick fasted for 40 days and nights before banishing snakes and demons. Climbing the mountain is a rite of passage for many Irish people and would be the perfect adventure for those looking to get active this weekend. Make sure you prepare well for the climb, which should take you about four hours to get up and down. The view from the summit is stunning and well worth the effort!

Seachtain na Gaeilge

Tullamore is the site of the five-day festival Seachtain na Gaeilge, which celebrates everything Irish, with a special focus on our language. Expect fun for all the family, including painting and games, as well as a parade on the 17th itself. Enjoy some live traditional music that will have you tapping your foot along or else out of your chair altogether to get up dancing. 

House party

If you’d rather avoid the madness of those out celebrating this weekend, why not gather some friends and family for a house party? Ireland play England in the last game of the Six Nations on Saturday, which would be the perfect excuse to invite people over. You can dazzle your guests with a cocktail party that will leave them in awe. Here are a few green-themed recipes from Absolut that will get the party started.

Vodka Mojito 

Ingredients

45 ml Absolut Vodka

20 ml simple syrup

6 whole mint leaf

4 quarters lime

Soda water

Mint leaf

How to make

Muddle mint leaves, lime and simple syrup in a highball glass. Fill with crushed ice. Add Absolut Vodka. Stir. Top up with soda water. Garnish with mint leaf. 

Appletini

https://youtu.be/9Veo7UGhY-Y

Ingredients

Ice cubes

1½ Parts Absolut Vodka

¾ part lemon juice

⅔ part apple liqueur

⅔ part apple juice

¾ part simple syrup

How to make

Chill a martini glass. Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Measure and pour in the simple syrup, apple juice and lemon juice. Shake. Measure and pour the apple liqueur and vodka. Shake it again, really well. Strain and pour the cocktail into a chilled martini glass. Garnish your martini glass with an apple slice and serve. 

Vodka Basil Smash

Ingredients

45 ml Absolut Vodka

20 ml lemon juice

10 ml simple syrup

15 leaves basil

How to make

Gently muddle the basil leaves and the lemon juice in a shaker, “smashing them together”. Add simple syrup and Absolut Vodka and top up with ice. Shake forcefully! Double strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with basil leaves.

St. Patrick’s Festival

Dublin is throwing a St. Patrick’s Festival to mark the weekend, with a jam-packed programme of events taking place at the historic National Museum of Ireland Collins Barracks, including events around music, dance, circus, conversation, spectacle, food and drink. More events are taking place throughout Dublin such as the aforementioned parade. Take the stress out of the weekend with a ticket to one of the festival’s events and enjoy a guaranteed great day.