A major programme of Easter events is set to take place across some of the best-known Clare County Council-owned visitor attractions, with more than 15,000 visitors expected over the holiday weekend.
The 2026 tourism season will officially get under way as Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, Craggaunowen, Cliffs of Moher Experience and Vandeleur Walled Garden & Visitor Centre host a range of family-focused activities.
At Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, a two-day programme will run on Saturday and Sunday, April 4 and 5, from 10.30am to 5pm. Entertainment will include live traditional music, street performers and children’s activities. Of course, no Easter celebration is complete without special appearances from the Easter Bunny and Easter Chick.
Music will be provided by Clare groups Cludhmór, formed through the Siansa Gael Linn competition, and From Clare to Here, a family group from Newmarket-on-Fergus that has performed at festivals including Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
Outdoor entertainment will include Wobbly Circus performances featuring juggling, unicycle acts and audience participation, along with bubble shows on the Village Street. Escapology performances by Monsieur Gusto are scheduled for Sunday. Keep an eye out for the fabulous Lady Long Bottom, towering stilt walker, who will be bringing an extra touch of magic and mischief throughout the day.
At Craggaunowen, events will take place on Monday, April 6. Cludhmór will perform between noon and 3.30pm, while artist Helen Seago will lead a sit-and-sketch session. Traditional craft demonstrations by Sandra King and Sandra Marshall from Irish Fibre Crafters will include spinning, weaving, felting and wool dyeing. Family games such as sack races and egg and spoon races will run in the ringfort from 11am to 4.30pm.
General Manager for Bunratty Castle and Folk Park and Craggaunowen, Michael Ahern, said there would be “something for everyone to enjoy in Craggaunowen and Bunratty, from family-friendly experiences to live entertainment”, adding that organisers looked forward to welcoming visitors from across the region and beyond.
At Vandeleur Walled Garden & Visitor Centre, the Victorian gardens will be in spring bloom this Easter. Children’s activities include a ticketed Easter Bunny clue hunt on Thursday and Saturday, April 2 and 4, with sessions at 11am and 2.30pm. Tickets cost €10 per child and can be booked online.
Participants will follow a trail through the gardens, solve puzzles and receive a chocolate reward. A face painter will also be on-site. Families with local access passes can take part in a self-guided Easter clue hunt throughout the Easter period. The café will serve seasonal treats, and the on-site garden centre and gift shop will be open.
Assistant Sales and Marketing Manager with Vandeleur Walled Garden and Visitor Centre, Sharon Malone, said the Easter period was “a special time of year, with colour returning to the gardens and a real sense of the season changing”.
She added,
“This year we are hosting the perfect Easter outing for families. With a mix of guided adventures and self-led exploration, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.”
The Cliffs of Moher Experience will also join the Easter celebrations. The visitor centre will host live traditional music and face painting from 12pm to 3pm between Saturday and Monday, April 4 and 6. The Cliffs View Café will serve seasonal dishes including leek soup with homemade bread, Atlantic seafood chowder, baked salmon with roast vegetables, slow-roasted lamb shank, traditional fish and chips with minted peas, and Easter Bunny-inspired cupcakes.
Sales and Marketing Manager for Cliffs of Moher Experience, Melanie Lennon, said,
“The Cliffs of Moher Experience has long supported local producers, and with spring now in full flow, our Easter celebrations are a great opportunity to showcase the very best of County Clare’s food and produce. Visitors can enjoy live traditional music and face painting for the children while savouring seasonal dishes at the Cliffs View Café.”