Samhain Festival Kells

21/05/2026

Don't miss out!

We have seen huge interest in Sheridans Irish Food Fair at Samhain Festival of Food & Culture this year, taking place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November in Kells, County Meath.

If you would like to join us this year, don't miss out and complete the application form linked below!

📅 Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November
📍Kells, County Meath
🔗Apply here: foodcultureireland.ie/samhain/application/

Please note: Applying does not guarantee a place

06/05/2026

Vendor Applications Now Open!

We are delighted to share that applications are now open for Sheridans Irish Food Fair at Samhain Festival of Food & Culture 2026, taking place on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th November in Kells, County Meath.

Are you a passionate Irish food producer? Apply now to be a part of this vibrant weekend celebrating the best of Irish food and culture.

📅 Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th November
📍Kells, County Meath
🔗Apply here: foodcultureireland.ie/samhain/application/

Please note: Applying does not guarantee a place.

01/04/2026

23/03/2026

Join us in Tipperary for a special visit to Galtee Honey Farm as part of our 2026 Meet the Maker series - a unique opportunity to explore the heritage and craft of beekeeping in Ireland. 🐝🍯

Run by third and fourth generation beekeepers, Galtee Honey Farm is dedicated to conserving the Native Irish Black Honey Bee, a threatened subspecies vital to Ireland’s natural heritage. Nestled at the edge of native oak and yew woodland within the 1,200-acre Glengarra Wood recreation area, this farm has been producing honey for over 50 years and is one of the largest in the country.

During this visit you’ll:
✨ Meet Aoife Nic Giolla Coda and hear about the heritage and craft of Irish beekeeping
✨ Experience the opening of a live hive from a safe, screened viewing area while getting up close to the bees without a beesuit!
✨ Sample six distinctive Irish honeys and honey mead while learning about the fascinating world of bees

When: Saturday, 9 May, 11am – 1pm
Where: Galtee Honey Farm, Tipperary
Ticket Link: foodcultureireland.ie/event/meet-the-beekeeper-galtee-honey

This fully indoor event is delivered on a flat, wheelchair-accessible surface, suitable for visitors of all abilities and is part of our Meet the Maker series, proudly supported by Sheridans Cheesemongers.

23/03/2026

The Centre of Food Culture Ireland has lots of exciting Meet the Maker and Farm Walk events coming up this year, all starting with Meet the Meadmaker: Kinsale Mead on Saturday 18th April in Kinsale, County Cork.

Check out https://foodcultureireland.ie/events/ for more information on this year-round events series, and keep an eye on The Centre of Food Culture Ireland channels for more event announcements coming very soon!

Join us in beautiful West Cork for the first event in our 2026 Meet the Maker series - a special meadery tour and Kinsale Mead.

Founded in 2017 by Kate and Denis Dempsey, Kinsale Mead Co. set out to rediscover the ancient art of mead making and create a world-class range of Irish meads. In fact, they are Ireland’s first new meadery in over 200 years, producing award-winning meads fermented from pure honey and ripe berries.

During this unique visit you’ll:
✨ Learn about the fascinating history of mead (the world’s oldest alcoholic drink!)
✨ Hear directly from the Kinsale Mead Co. team about their craft and mead-making process
✨ Taste a selection of their meads and the honey they’re made from
✨ Enjoy special pairings with local artisan food, including some of the very best chocolate and cheese from West Cork

When: Saturday, 18 April, 11am to 1pm
Where: Kinsale Mead Co., Barrack Lane, Kinsale, Co. Cork
Ticket Link: foodcultureireland.ie/event/meet-the-meadmaker-kinsale-mead-co/

This event is part of our Meet the Maker series, proudly supported by Sheridans Cheesemongers. Please note: the tasting portion of this event is 18+.

07/12/2025

Check out this incredible video showcasing some of the many highlights from a truly unforgettable Samhain Festival 2025!

From inspiring and thought-provoking talks, innovative food tastings and incredible artisan food producers at Sheridan’s Irish Food Fair, to storytelling events and the return of the iconic Red Chapel Series, each and every event was a celebration of Irish food, culture, stories and community in the heart of the Boyne Valley.

We can’t wait to see you all again next year!

Keep up-to-date on all things happening in the Irish food scene by signing up to our newsletter at foodcultureireland.ie


The Centre of Food Culture Ireland Eureka House

03/12/2025

We want to give another huge shoutout to our amazing sponsors who made Samhain Festival of Food & Culture happen this year!

The Samhain team want to express our deepest gratitude to our sponsors who have shown great support to us throughout the planning process of the festival.

This year was our biggest Samhain Festival yet with 7,500 people coming to Kells and sharing the incredible experience with us all. We truly couldn't do this without you and the unwavering support does not go unnoticed!

Thank you to everybody who contributed to Samhain Festival 2025, we're excited to see what the future will bring to our celebration of all things Irish food and culture.

30/11/2025

A celebration of food, community and storytelling, Samhain Festival comes alive during the many discussions held over the weekend.

If you were lucky enough to catch any of the incredible line-up, we’re sure you left feeling inspired and connected. Here are some highlights from a truly unforgettable weekend:

𝐀 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩 & 𝐀 𝐘𝐚𝐫𝐧: Hosted by food curator Dee Laffan, the event created an intimate and insightful space for storytelling, food culture conversation and personal food journeys.

Paying tribute to the late Manchán Magan, delving into the rewards and realities of transforming the land into food-based experiences in Ireland, sharing stories of national achievements in the food space and heartfelt odes to cherished food memories.

𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐀𝐬 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐞: Featuring a panel discussion with food experts discussing the link between food and health, this lively conversation delved deeper into the ways we can use food as medicine, highlighting practical ways to manage your health via food.

𝐒𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬: Bestselling author, food entrepreneur and health food advocate, Sophie took part in a captivating Q&A, hosted by Olivia Duff, sharing the story of how Sophie’s Swaps came to be!

𝐀𝐧 𝐎𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲: A Red Chapel Series event, this evening saw a conversation and Q&A session between Lord Henry Mount Charles' son Alex Conyngham and Hot Press Magazine. The session displayed Lord Henry’s passion for music and dedication to hosting world-class gigs on the grounds of his home, Slane Castle.

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: A gentle and sociable afternoon in the Red Chapel in Kells, guests gathered with a hot apple brandy to enjoy the sharing of stories, literary and practical experiences of the traditional Irish Samhain Harvest - Nuts, Berries & Meat.


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The Centre of Food Culture Ireland Sophie's Nutrition Craicly Darina Allen Kerry Kefir Slane Castle Slane Whiskey Hot Press Magazine

26/11/2025

Here at Samhain Festival we're still on cloud nine following such an incredible weekend full of food, flavours and Irish culture.

This year, the ancient town of Kells welcomed 7,500 of you to the beating heart of Ireland’s Ancient East! We hope you enjoyed the amazing line-up of renowned chefs, Red Chapel events, food cookery demonstrations, tastings and more!

The entire weekend was a buzzing celebration of flavour, creativity and community, with every corner of the festival bringing people together over their shared love of food.

From young families enjoying the children’s food education workshops, family-friendly games, music, food trucks, and cultural showcases to seasoned foodies experiencing the thought-provoking talks, unforgettable tastings and new storytelling events, a wonderful time was had by all!

Keep up-to-date on all things happening in the Irish food scene by signing up to our newsletter at foodcultureireland.ie

Sheridans Cheesemongers The Centre of Food Culture Ireland Eureka House Ireland's Ancient East

23/11/2025

What an inspiring day at the Samhain Symposium in Kells! This year's theme was “Harvesting Connections” and we’re proud to say it came to life as producers, policymakers, educators, researchers and community voices gathered to shape the future of food in Ireland.

Hosted by Ella McSweeney, the event featured a powerful keynote from Ruth Hegarty on building an integrated national food policy, followed by an engaging panel discussion with Dr. Michelle Darmody, Siobhán Ní Ghairbhith, and Kevin Sheridan.

These lively conversations sparked thoughtful conversations, where attendees shared their views, challenges and ideas for a stronger, more connected food system.

A huge thank you to all who participated, making the Samhain Symposium 2025 such a meaningful event. The Symposium set the mood for the entire festival, where we embraced our connections and made unforgettable food memories!

Don't forget to sign up to the new all-Ireland artisan food producer directory at foodcultureireland.ie

Headfort Arms Sheridans Cheesemongers St. Tola Irish Goat Cheese The Centre of Food Culture Ireland