If you want to see Irish music, song and dance at its best, then make for the RDS in Dublin city to see this years ‘Feis Ceoil’ which translates as ‘Festival of Music’. In fact, this Feis Ceoil is Ireland’s largest traditional music festival! It’s in its 112th year and is always a popular event, so now is the time to book your Dublin hotel. Read on to find out more about the venue, how to get to it and where to stay.
About the Feis Ceoil…
The Feis Ceoil is an annual event that celebrates and helps promote Irish music, dance and song, especially of traditional origins.
The Feis originated over a hundred years ago in 1897. It was started by a lady called Dr. Annie Patterson who was responding to a letter in the Evening Telegraph, which complained about the neglect of Irish music in Irish society. Originally planned as a one off event, it was such a great success that it became an annual event and continues to be a success to this day.
This year there are 176 competitions for Choirs, Orchestras, Ensembles and Soloists just to name a few. Last year saw 7000 competitors and this year, the 112th year of the Feis should see more!
Throughout the history of the competition many of Irelands finest musicians and singers have found this to be a perfect stage from which to launch their careers including such performers as John McCormack, Philip Martin, Emma Murphy, Geraldine O’Grady, Anne Murray, Cara O’Sullivan, Cora Venus Lunny and many more.
The Feis Ceoil will be held from Monday 3rd to Friday 14th of March in the RDS Concert Hall, so prepare yourself for 2 weeks of great craic and entertainment.
How to get to the RDS…
The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) is one of Dublin’s best concert and exhibition venues and is situated in a suburb south of Dublin city centre called Ballsbridge.
The venue is about a 20 minute walk from the city centre, so if you’re walking your best bet is to start from Trinity College, continue onto Nassau Street, Clare Street, Merrion Square North, Lower Mount Street, (cross over Grand Canal) continue straight onto Northumberland Road, Pembroke Road and you’ll come to the RDS on your right hand side.
The RDS is well served by bus numbers 7, 5 and 45. The number 5 and 7 both leave from Frazer’s on Upper O’Connell Street and the number 45 leaves from Eden Quay.
You also have the option of getting the DART train southbound from Connolly Station and Tara Street station in the city centre as far as the Lansdowne Road Station – the RDS is just a short walk from here.
Dublin hotels closeby…
Last year the Feis saw 7,000 competitors alone, so with such big numbers attending this event, Dublin hotels will be in high demand.
We have some Dublin hotels located within walking distance of the RDS like; The School House Hotel, The Herbert Park Hotel, The Roxford Lodge Hotel, The Tara Towers Hotel, The Lansdowne Hotel and the Mount Herbert Hotel.
If you would like to view other Dublin hotels, then have a look at our Dublin hotels listing
Hope you enjoy the Feis! Remember if you’ve any queries on Dublin hotels, don’t hesitate to contact us via the comment box below.
