Egg-citing events for Easter 2018

There are lots of great events happening around Ireland during the Easter holidays. We’ve selected a handful we think are especially egg-citing. There are also a couple of seasonal celebrations taking place a short hop across the water if you choose to do something more eggs-traordinary.

MAYO

This Easter Sunday, Westport House hosts its annual Easter Egg Hunt from 11am to 6pm. Eggs will be dotted around the stunning grounds and in the house itself. The ‘legendary’ Pinkie Rabbit will be on hand to help, and the first 300 children to complete the hunt will receive a free Easter egg.  There is no extra charge to enter, as it is included in your ticket to the Pirate Adventure Park. Click on www.westporthouse.ie to find out more.

ROSCOMMON

Photo courtesy Glendeer Farm

Go wild searching for eggs at Glendeer Farm’s Easter Egg Hunt – it takes place at 3pm on Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday. No booking is required and the entry of €8 per person includes the egg hunt plus a visit from the Easter Bunny. Children under 18 months go free.

Work off the spoils of your egg search with a nature walk or fun at the playground. You’ll even be given bags of food to feed the pets at Glendeer which include alpacas, puppies, a bearded dragon, pygmy goats, a pair of meerkats and George and Gina the monkeys (pictured)! Everything you need to know, you will find at www.glendeerpetfarm.ie.

CLARE

Photo courtesy Moher Open Farm

Enjoy the great outdoors at Moher Hill Open Farm in Liscannor. The Easter Bunny is set to make an appearance and the Easter Egg Hunt is bound to work up your appetite. There are also real life, hippity-hopping bunnies at the farm’s petting zoo for you to meet. Not only that, but you can say hello to Andy the alpaca (pictured), Chester the Falabella pony, miniature horses, guinea pigs and lots of other creatures. Hop to www.moherfarm.com for more.

GALWAY

Photo courtesy Slieve Aughty Centre

The Slieve Aughty Centre Spring Festival runs from the Saturday 24th March to Sunday 8th April, from midday to 6pm each day at the eco-friendly family centre. The entry fee is €5 which allows guests to follow the Easter bunny trail to the Enchanted Forest on foot (there is also a pony option for an additional fee). You can also visit the craft room for some make and do, get your face painted, pet their ponies and other farm animals in addition to other great outdoor activities. At Easter, there will also be an Easter Bunny Treasure Hunt which is sure to be eggciting. Go to www.slieveaughtycentre.com for all the details.

WICKLOW

At Killruddery House and Garden, smaller children aged from 2-7 years will enjoy their Easter eggsploration under the pots and plants of Killruddery’s Walled Garden as part of their Treasure Trail For Tots experience. There is also a Scavenger Hunt (30 minutes approx.) with a reward of a stash of mini Easter Eggs at the finish. It’s best to book ahead; times and ticket prices are available at www.killruddery.com.

DUBLIN

Malahide Castle by William Murphy, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 licence

Dublin southsiders should hop to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party in Deerpark, Mount Merrion on Easter Sunday (16th April) from 1pm to 5pm. There will be lots of activities to keep children entertained including a teacup ride, giant chess, balloons and an Easter Egg Hunt. Mad Hatters are invited to bring a picnic but there will also be places to buy treats on the day. See here for times and directions.

On the other side of the city, northsiders looking for some Easter fun should head to the Malahide Castle Easter Event on Saturday 15^th April. There’ll be an Easter Egg Hunt, an Easter trail and lots more besides. www.malahidecastleandgardens.ie

KILKENNY

Photo courtesy Nore Valley Park

The Easter Egg Hunt at Nore Valley Park Open Farm is one their longest running and most popular annual events. Search the farm for hidden eggs and be rewarded with treats from Saturday 24th to Friday 30th March (except Sundays when the farm is closed). If the weather turns bad there is still plenty to do indoors, including a 3D maze. To book tickets for the egg hunt, visit www.norevalleypark.com.

SWEDEN

Photo by Annelis, used under CC-BY-SA-3.0 licence

One such custom is for children to dress up as Easter witches. Similar to Halloween trick-or-treating here, kids go from house to house and offer paintings and drawings in exchange for sweets. The alternatives to sweet treats include pickled herring, cured salmon and Jansson’s Temptation, which is potato, onion and pickled anchovies baked in cream. Lycklig Påsk! (Happy Easter).

FRANCE

Photo: public domain

Hopping across the water to France this Easter? You could pay a visit to Haux, around a 40-minute drive from Bordeaux in the south-west of the country. Their big Easter tradition is to make a giant omelette on Easter Monday. The hens in the town are working overtime as it takes over 4,500 eggs to make the feast, feeding around 1,000 people in the main square. You’ll probably eat en-oeuf eggs to last you a lifetime here.

To ensure you get to your destination in egg-cellent time, keep an eye on TheAA.ie/Newsroom for the latest traffic updates and to make sure there are no bunnies loose on your route.