The evenings are drawing in, the trees in Herbert Park have gone copper and gold, and Dublin is starting to feel just a little bit spooky. That’s no accident. This is the city that gave the world Dracula, and Halloween itself grew out of Samhain, the old Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the start of the dark half of the year. 

Here at the Schoolhouse Hotel, our Victorian building has stood on Northumberland Road since 1859, so we like to think we know a thing or two about atmosphere. Here’s our pick of what’s on across Dublin this Halloween, and how to make a proper weekend of it. 

The Bram Stoker Festival, 23 to 26 October 

Dublin’s own Halloween festival takes over the city for the October bank holiday weekend, running from Friday 23 to Monday 26 October this year. It’s named after Bram Stoker, the Dublin born author of Dracula, and it turns familiar corners of the city into something far more gothic. 

Past years have brought outdoor spectacles, storytelling, late night theatre, candlelit events in some of the city’s oldest buildings and plenty for families too. The full 2026 programme is being released this autumn, so keep an eye on the festival website and book early for anything ticketed. The popular events go fast. 

Following Bram Stoker around Dublin 

If you’d like to go a bit deeper than the festival, Stoker’s Dublin is easy to explore on foot. He was born in Clontarf in 1847, studied at Trinity College and spent years working as a civil servant in Dublin Castle before he ever wrote a word about Transylvania. 

A few stops worth adding to your list: 

• Trinity College, where Stoker was a student and a keen athlete long before he became a novelist. 

• Dublin Castle, where he worked for years and picked up the habit of detailed record keeping that shapes the diaries and letters of Dracula. 

• St Michan’s Church in Smithfield, whose centuries old crypts are said to have made a lasting impression on the young writer. 

• Marsh’s Library beside St Patrick’s Cathedral, a beautifully preserved reading room that feels made for a dark autumn afternoon. 

Púca Festival, a short trip to where Halloween began 

If you’ve a car or fancy a day out of the city, Púca Festival runs from Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November in Trim and Athboy, Co. Meath, about an hour from Dublin. The area has strong links to the ancient Samhain celebrations, and the festival leans right into that with fire performances, folklore, storytelling, food and live music. 

The Púca Procession through the streets of Trim on Friday 30 October is free and well worth seeing once darkness falls. Check the Púca website for the full lineup and times before you travel. 

A busy bank holiday weekend in Dublin 

The October bank holiday is one of the liveliest weekends of the year in the city. The Irish Life Dublin Marathon also takes place on Sunday 25 October, with the finish close to Merrion Square, a short walk from Ballsbridge. That means road closures and big crowds in parts of the city on the Sunday morning, so plan your journeys around it. 

The clocks go back that weekend too, which we’re choosing to see as an extra hour in bed. With the festival, the marathon and a long weekend all landing together, rooms across Dublin fill up quickly, so it pays to book early. 

Autumn in Dublin 4 

Not everything about Halloween has to be scary. Ballsbridge is at its best in autumn, and a slow walk through Herbert Park or along the River Dodder on a crisp morning is the perfect way to start the day before heading into town. 

When the evening turns chilly, our Gastrobar is a cosy spot to settle in. Pull up a seat, order something warming from the menu and swap stories about the day. Booking ahead is a good idea over the bank holiday weekend, as it gets busy. 

Make a weekend of it at the Schoolhouse 

Our rooms are cosy, comfortable and a little eclectic, tucked inside a former schoolhouse with plenty of original character. You’re a short walk from the Lansdowne Road DART, and the city centre is close enough to stroll to, so getting to festival events and back again is easy. 

Take a look at our rooms, find out more about the area on our location page and book direct with us for our best available rates this Halloween.