Laois loses out on Fáilte Ireland's Halloween festival money

While Laois hosts Ireland's biggest festival, Electric Picnic and is a favourite spot for the National Ploughing Championships, it has not qualified as a Fáilte Ireland Home of Halloween.

A total of €1.5 million has been granted by Fáilte Ireland over the next three years (2025–2028) to seven county councils to launch a new Irish festival celebrating Halloween, to be marketed globally to tourists. 

The ‘Ireland, Home of Halloween Strategy’ aims to establish Ireland as the authentic global home of Halloween.  The projects are expected to attract 270,000 additional visitors over three years, generating €17 million for local economies, and supporting over 500 direct and indirect jobs.

The winning local authorities getting €100,000 a year each to hold festivals, are Galway City Council, Longford and Westmeath County Councils in a joint project, Meath and Louth County Councils in a joint project, Kerry County Council and Fingal County Council.

Laois County Council Director of Services Angela McEvoy explained why Laois lost out, speaking at the May council meeting.

"Halloween is one of the festivals we had hoped to develop. One of the criteria was there had to be 4,000 beds available in the area. Obviously we were going to struggle to meet that. 

"I'll follow up with Fáilte Ireland. I'll see if it's something we can look into in the future," Ms McEvoy said.

She was answering Cllr Vivienne Phelan who asked if Laois County Council had applied.

"This was a pilot scheme for a Halloween festival. We will not be hosting any seaside festivals but there are quite a few sites in Laois that would lend themselves to a Halloween festival, such as the Rock of Dunamase and Timahoe Round Tower," Cllr Phelan said.

The pilot Home of Halloween Pilot Destination Development Scheme had invited all Local Authorities to apply for funding to create a new season for Halloween festivals rooted in local culture, folklore, and community engagement, to attract visitors during the off-peak season.

The pilot scheme is part of the ‘Ireland, Home of Halloween Strategy’ which was developed collaboratively by Fáilte Ireland, Tourism Ireland, and Tourism Northern Ireland. It aims to deliver immersive cultural Halloween experiences that will extend the tourism season into October and November and drive regional economic growth.

The successful winners of funding were announced by Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke.

“The Home of Halloween strategy outlines a strong vision for positioning Ireland as a ‘must-do’ cultural tourism experience. The investment announced today will bring Ireland’s Halloween story to life, creating authentic visitor experiences, generating economic benefits, sustaining communities, and supporting long-term employment. It’s a powerful way to celebrate our culture and grow tourism sustainably in the shoulder season,” he said.

Read also: Date announced for last chance of Electric Picnic 2025 tickets.

The new pilot scheme builds on the success of the Púca Festival co-developed by Fáilte Ireland and Meath County Council in 2019. Rooted in the ancient tradition of Samhain, Púca has become a flagship Halloween event, attracting thousands with its vibrant mix of spectacle, music, and food. In 2024, the festival welcomed 49,050 attendees, delivering €7.11 million in economic impact, and supporting 174 jobs.  

In 2023, Fáilte Ireland also introduced Fire & Shadows Processions in Limerick, Longford, and Waterford to further establish Ireland’s position as the Home of Halloween.