St Colman's Garden Fete, Keel

What to Expect

St Colman’s Care Centre in Keel holds its annual garden fete on Sunday 16 August 2026, rescheduled from an earlier date this summer. It is a long-running fixture on Achill’s community calendar and a direct fundraiser for the care centre itself, with all proceeds going toward supporting its work. Expect the usual mix of a good Irish garden fete: stalls selling home baking, crafts and bric-a-brac, games for children and adults, food, and a raffle with donated prizes from local businesses. The event draws a strong turnout from across the island and beyond, both from people connected to the centre and from visitors staying on Achill during the August bank holiday period, and Achill Tourism lists it among the island’s “Forthcoming Events” for the month.

St Colman’s provides residential care on Achill, and garden fetes of this kind are a traditional way for small care homes across rural Ireland to raise funds directly from their own community, supplementing statutory funding with goodwill and local support. Because the fete falls in the same fortnight as Feile Chill Damhnait and other island festivities, it tends to benefit from the wider footfall of visitors already on Achill for the summer season, giving it a bigger turnout than a similar event might draw at a quieter time of year.

Good to Know

• Date: Sunday 16 August 2026
• Venue: St Colman’s Care Centre, Keel, Achill Island, Co. Mayo
• Price: Free to attend and browse the stalls; games, raffle tickets and food are paid separately, with proceeds to the centre
• Family-friendly, with stalls, games and food alongside the fundraising
• Exact start and finish times were not published in advance; check with St Colman’s Care Centre nearer the date to confirm
• Part of a busy August on Achill, which also hosts Féile Chill Damhnait and the Tour de Achill cycle around the same period

Getting There

Keel is on Achill Island’s south coast, reached via the Michael Davitt Bridge at Achill Sound and the R319 coast road. St Colman’s Care Centre is in the village itself, within walking distance of Keel’s beach and main street, with parking available in and around the village.