Welcome to the Manchester Irish Festival website.

Manchester will celebrate the city's thirteenth Irish Festival in March this year with an action packed two weeks of Irish Art, Comedy, Dance, Music, Sport and Theatre.

Friday 7th of March 2008 to
Thursday 20th March 2008

The festival which is now established as one of the biggest Irish Festivals in Europe, is launched on Friday 7th of March 2008 and runs through to Thursday the 20th March 2008

Message of support

Message of Support from David Cooney,
Ambassador of Ireland

I would like to extend my appreciation to all those involved in supporting and organising the Festival this year, particularly the Lord Mayor, Councillor Glynn Evans, and all his staff at Manchester City Council. More...

Message from Manchester Irish Festival Co Chairs

Cllr. John Flanagan & Esther Dolan

As we embark on the 2008 festival, we ask everyone in the city or beyond to join us in turning Manchester "Green" and make this our best Festival yet More...

St. Patricks Day 2008

This year St. Patrick’s feast Day has officially been moved to Saturday 15 March by the Vatican. The reason for this is that Easter is very early this year and as a result the 17 March falls on the Monday of Holy Week.

No liturgical feast takes precedence over the days of Holy Week so St Patrick’s feast day will come two days earlier on Saturday March 15th to avoid such a conflict.

The last time this happened was in 1940 and it will be probably be another 68 years before it happens again. St Patrick’s Day will return to the 17 March in 2009