TRIPS AND TREATS
■ TODAY sees the opening of Tricky Trail at Tayto Park (above), which is the ultimate Halloween treasure hunt for kids. This new 45-minute experience will be filled with spooky stories, spell casting, magical performances and fun. It’s suitable for kids aged 3-12, and all tickets must be pre-booked at taytopark.ie. For older kids, there’s Tayto Park After Dark, where visitors can enjoy Night Rides on The Cú Chulainn Coaster, Flight School, Endeavour, Windstar, Power Surge, Air Race and the Rotator. From 6pm-10pm, October 23-30.
■ From a dream day out to the stuff of nightmares, older children will be scared silly at the Nightmare Realm (voted the World’s No. 1 Halloween event), which is back with a terrifying bang this year with three new haunts for people to experience — Church of the Damned, The Butcher Boys and Panic Attack — and a new Little Museum of Horrors. This is not an event for the faint hearted and it strictly for over-13s. See thenightmarerealm.ie.
■ This week the Púca festival kicks off and it promises mischief and merriment. The grounds of Slane Castle and Distillery will be transformed into a Halloween playground as the spirits of Púca, Boann, The Morrigan and Fear Dearg roam the woodlands while spectacular illuminations and installations bring the landscape to life. See pucafestival.com
■ Have a real ’mare (sorry) at the National Stud and Gardens in Co Kildare. From spooky crafts to storytelling, magic shows and more, there is plenty of fun to be had from October 23-31. See irishnationalstud.ie.
■ If you’re in the south-west, then check out Fota House and Gardens’ Spookfest, an hour-long event involving dancing, games and lots of freaky fun from October 23-25. Tickets from €14.20. There’s also the Halloween Witches Walk taking place from October 26-31. Tickets €5, fotahouse.com.
■ Across the way, the Spike Island Spookfest is back, featuring an exciting ferry ride, a spooky guide, wicked witches, scary spiders and pillaging pirates. Suitable for ages 2-11, the visit lasts 2.5 hours, and once inside, families can trick or treat their way around four spooky interactive areas. A family ticket (2 adults, 2 children under 12) costs €60. More information at spikeislandcork.ie. ÷Something spooktacular is taking place in Galway this weekend, where the city’s medieval streets will host many fun and free events with high spirits guaranteed. Unfortunately the fiendishly creative Macnas Halloween Parade has been cancelled for 2021. See galwaytourism.ie.
■ After all that family excitement, you might need an adults-only night out. Kraken Rum’s Screamfest: Half-Dead House on Camden Street is a fully immersive haunted house experience. On October 28 & 29, explore the abandoned guesthouse then calm your nerves with two Kraken cocktails, finger food and a live DJ. Tickets €10, see eventbrite.ie.