Bealtaine Fire Festival to blaze trail on Uisneach

Get ready for an unforgettable night as the Bealtaine Fire Festival blazes back onto the Hill of Uisneach in Westmeath on Saturday, May 10.

This unique celebration revives the ancient tradition of lighting the Great Fire to welcome the Summer - a ritual that dates back over a thousand years to the time of Ireland’s High Kings.

The festival was reignited in 2017 by the Clarke family, with President Michael D. Higgins becoming the first Head of State in over a millennium to light the fire.

Today, Uisneach’s Bealtaine Fire Festival is a unique gathering like no other; where music, storytelling, live performances and ancient rituals fill the landscape.

Explore hidden pathways and sculptures whispering myths of Ireland’s past, enjoy traditional games and crafts, or find a moment of peace in the festival’s mindfulness spaces. As dusk falls, the atmosphere sparks to life with a spectacular procession of fire and light - costumed performers carrying flames across the landscape before the Great Fire is lit, its flames visible across 20 counties.

The Hill of Uisneach is one of Ireland’s six Royal Sites and is currently on World Heritage Tentative List for potential inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List - making this a truly historic setting for a modern-day celebration. Tickets are selling fast. For more information and to book, visit: https://uisneach.ie/events/bealtainefirefestival2025/

The Hill of Uisneach is an ancient ceremonial site at the very heart of Ireland, renowned in mythology as the meeting place of the provinces and the burial ground of the Earth goddess Ériu.