← All events
nightlife · Saturday 25 July 2026 · 6:00pm 
Motsamai Gala Dinner Honouring Nelson Mandela
At Castleroy Park Hotel · Castleroy, Limerick, Co. Limerick
At Castleroy Park Hotel · Castleroy, Limerick, Co. Limerick
A formal gala dinner in Limerick honouring the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, the Motsamai Gala Dinner is organised by Nelson Mandela Day Ireland CLG, a group that marks Mandela International Day (18 July) each year with a commemorative event in a different Irish city. “Motsamai” is a Sotho name meaning traveller or wanderer - one of the names Mandela carried through his life. The evening draws people who want to mark something beyond the ordinary night out: a sit-down dinner with a genuine purpose behind it, in one of Limerick’s best hotel venues. It suits people who enjoy formal occasions but also want the event to mean something.
The evening begins at 6pm with a drinks reception, followed by a fine dining dinner in the Castleroy Park Hotel’s main function suite. The format follows the pattern the organisation has used at previous annual galas - a formal setting with speeches, tributes, and entertainment woven through the programme. The emphasis is on celebration rather than solemnity: the occasion marks Mandela’s values of reconciliation and service, and the atmosphere at events like this tends to be warm and social. Formal or smart attire is standard for a black-tie or gala dinner context at this hotel. Tickets start from €70 per person, so it is worth checking the booking page for table packages if you are attending as a group.
Castleroy Park Hotel sits on the Dublin Road on the eastern edge of Limerick city, roughly two miles from the city centre and right at the entrance to the University of Limerick campus. By car from Dublin, take the M7 motorway to Limerick - the journey is around two hours. From Cork, the M20 brings you in from the south in under an hour and a half. Shannon Airport is 25 minutes away by car, making it easy for guests travelling from further afield. The hotel has free on-site car parking. Bus Eireann and the city’s local services run along the Dublin Road corridor, or a short taxi from Limerick city centre is straightforward.
Limerick city has more going on than most visitors expect - the Hunt Museum on the river, King John’s Castle in the medieval quarter, and a food scene that has genuinely grown up over the past decade. If you are staying the night, the Castleroy Park Hotel itself has a pool and leisure facilities. There is more to see in Limerick and across Co. Limerick.
Heading to Castleroy Park Hotel in Limerick? Limerick has plenty more to see. Read the Limerick area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.