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seasonal · Tuesday 4 August 2026 · Various 
Celtic Festival of Lughnasa at Navan Centre and Fort
At Navan Centre and Fort · 81 Killylea Road, Armagh, Co. Armagh BT60 4LD
At Navan Centre and Fort · 81 Killylea Road, Armagh, Co. Armagh BT60 4LD
Each August, as the harvest season turns, Navan Centre and Fort marks the ancient Celtic festival of Lughnasa with three days of events rooted in the mythology of Emain Macha - the legendary seat of the Kings of Ulster. This is one of the most atmospheric places in Ireland to mark this occasion: the great circular earthwork of Navan Fort has been a site of ritual and gathering for over two thousand years, and the festival deliberately draws on that long thread. The programme suits families, history lovers, and anyone curious about pre-Christian Irish life.
The three-day programme covers different moods and ages. On Friday evening, the focus is on atmosphere and story: Grainne Holland leads the storytelling, with live music from Bog Bodies and An Fuaim and food provided by Safari Banbridge. It is an intimate, adult-oriented evening in keeping with how Lughnasa would have been marked - gathered around fire and song, the harvest hanging in the air.
Saturday afternoon shifts to family territory with the Games of the Past session. Celtic warrior training activities let children (and willing adults) try their hand at ancient games and challenges - inspired by the Tailteann Games that were historically associated with Lughnasa celebrations. It is hands-on, outdoors, and runs at a relaxed pace.
Sunday brings a quieter, craft-focused close: the Fused Glass Ogham Experience workshop. Ogham is Ireland’s earliest script, carved in stone across the island, and this workshop lets participants make something lasting from it. Places are limited, so booking ahead is advised.
The wider Navan Centre itself is worth time before or after each session - the exhibition traces the archaeology of the site, and guided walks out to the fort mound give a sense of the scale of what was built here in the Iron Age.
Navan Centre and Fort sits on the Killylea Road (B77), around two miles west of Armagh city centre. There is on-site car parking. If you are travelling by public transport, Translink bus services connect Armagh with Belfast, Portadown, and Newry, from where you would need a taxi or pre-arranged lift for the final stretch to the fort.
Armagh city is a short drive from the fort and worth a few hours in itself - the twin cathedrals, the Georgian Mall, and the Armagh Public Library (home to a first edition of Gulliver’s Travels) are all within easy walking distance of the city centre. There is more to see in Armagh and across Co. Armagh.
Heading to Navan Centre and Fort in Armagh? Armagh has plenty more to see. Read the Armagh area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.