← All events
festivals · Friday 30 October 2026 · Various 
Spirit of Samhain - Youghal 2026
At Mall Beach · Mall Beach, Youghal, Co. Cork
At Mall Beach · Mall Beach, Youghal, Co. Cork
Spirit of Samhain is Youghal’s take on the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of summer, staged on Mall Beach across Friday 30 and Saturday 31 October 2026. Organised by Spirit of Youghal Events with local community groups, it leans into the town’s own folklore and history rather than a generic Halloween theme, using the coastal setting for storytelling and ritual performance after dark.
The programme includes ritual performance, spooky storytelling pitched for both children and adults, and historical talks that connect the festival to real events from the town’s past. The 2026 edition falls on the 365th anniversary of Florence Newton’s 1661 witch trial, a genuine piece of Irish legal history connected to Youghal, and organisers are building talks around that anniversary as part of the weekend. Expect a smaller, atmosphere-driven event rather than a large parade - Mall Beach after dark, with fire, costume and storytelling, is the core of what draws people out for it.
Youghal sits on the N25 in East Cork, about 45 minutes from Cork City by car and well placed for anyone travelling from Waterford, roughly 40 minutes in the other direction. Bus Eireann services on the Cork to Waterford route stop in Youghal, and there is no rail station in the town. Mall Beach is close to Youghal town centre, within easy walking distance of the clock gate and main street, with parking available nearby though it can be tight on the evening of the main event. Youghal’s own medieval town walls and long seafront make it worth arriving a little early and building the evening around a walk before the main event begins.
Heading to Mall Beach in Youghal? Cork has plenty more to see. Read the Youghal area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.
In town for Mall Beach? These Cork tours book out in summer.