IllustrationChristmas lights · light shows · festive trails
Christmas lights in Ireland 2026: 6 light shows in 4 places
Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo, Wonderlights at Malahide Castle and Fota House, and the city lights of Dublin and Limerick — 6 Christmas light shows in Ireland with 2026 dates, prices, getting there and what visitors say.
📍 Find lights near meuntil Christmas
Christmas lights near you
We include light trails, zoo lantern festivals and city Christmas lights from organisers' and councils' pages. Dates are from the last confirmed season; 2026 dates are added once published. Visitor opinions are paraphrased from Google reviews of the event itself.
The most searched Christmas markets in 2026
Christmas lights by place
🧒 With kids
- Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo · Dublin
- Wonderlights at Malahide Castle · Malahide
- Wonderlights at Marlay Park (2025) · Dublin
- Wonderlights at Fota House · Cork
- Limerick Christmas Lights & Light-Up Procession · Limerick
✨ Date night
- Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo · Dublin
- Wonderlights at Malahide Castle · Malahide
- Wonderlights at Fota House · Cork
- Dublin City Christmas Lights · Dublin
🎉 With friends
- Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo · Dublin
- Dublin City Christmas Lights · Dublin
Christmas lights in other places
Cork
IllustrationCastle light trail · Cork
Wonderlights at Fota House
Wonderlights' Cork trail around the Regency house and gardens on Fota Island.
🧒 With kids✨ Date nightWhat's there
- Light trail through Fota's gardens
- Decorated house
- Santa experience at Fota House
Cork's biggest light show — the Fota Island train stop makes it easy.
- 2026
- select dates 5 Nov – 29 Dec 2026
- Last season
- 6 Nov – 28 Dec 2025
- Cost
- Ticketed
Getting there and parking
- Train from Cork Kent to Fota (Cobh/Midleton line).
Limerick
IllustrationCity lights · Limerick
Limerick Christmas Lights & Light-Up Procession
Limerick lights its city centre with an illuminated procession, and light installations such as 'Making Spirits Bright' at the bandstand.
🧒 With kidsWhat's there
- Illuminated procession
- Light installations
- King John's Castle Christmas experience (2026)
Go on procession night or combine with the Milk Market at Christmas.
- 2026
- 2026 programme on limerick.ie
- Last season
- switched on 22 Nov 2025
- Cost
- Free
Getting there and parking
- Colbert station is about 10 minutes' walk.
Malahide
IllustrationCastle light trail · Malahide
Wonderlights at Malahide Castle
Ireland's largest light-show brand — over 3 million lights — on a trail around Malahide Castle and gardens, with a festive village and market stalls.
🧒 With kids✨ Date nightWhat's there
- Light trail through the castle grounds
- Festive village with stalls
- Castle lit up
What visitors sayGoogle 4.3 ★ · 51 reviews
Most visitors loved the 40–60-minute walk, the light-and-music installations and the projection mapping on the castle; kids especially. Complaints: full-price tickets (around €28 per adult) feel steep, loud music in places, expensive food at the end, and toilets only at the entrance.
North Dublin's big Christmas evening out — check the calendar, it isn't open every night.
- 2026
- select dates 12 Nov – 29 Dec 2026
- Last season
- 2025 season
- Cost
- Ticketed (2025 offers from €15–17.50)
Getting there and parking
- DART to Malahide, then about 15 minutes' walk to the castle.
Worth knowing
- In 2026 Wonderlights runs at Malahide Castle and Fota House (Cork); Marlay Park hosted it in 2025.
Dublin's big light shows
Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo (12 November 2026 – 5 January 2027, every night) is Ireland's largest festival of lights; Wonderlights runs at Malahide Castle on select dates from 12 November to 29 December 2026. Both are ticketed and sell out on December weekends.
City lights
Dublin's Grafton Street and Henry Street lights and the council's Christmas installations are free; in 2026 Dublin City Council moves its separate 'Winter Lights' festival to January. Limerick lights its centre with an illuminated procession in late November.
Questions
- When is Wild Lights at Dublin Zoo in 2026?
- From Thursday 12 November 2026 to Tuesday 5 January 2027, every night; the 2026 theme is 'Passport to Wonder'.
- Is Wonderlights at Marlay Park in 2026?
- Wonderlights lists Malahide Castle (12 November – 29 December 2026) and Fota House in Cork (5 November – 29 December 2026); Marlay Park hosted it in 2025 and has not been announced for 2026.