Island Life Festival
The Island Life Festival is a celebration of the culture, heritage, lived experience and unrivalled outdoor life of Achill Island and the Curraun Peninsula. Taking place over the Easter holiday weekend from Friday 3rd to Sunday 5th April 2026, the festival brings together local communities, visitors and returning Achill families for a weekend that reflects the spirit that makes this place truly special.
Building on the success of the Achill Easter Parade in recent years, the parade once again forms the heart of the festival. Taking place in Achill Sound, it showcases the energy and creativity of local community groups, clubs, organisations and businesses, and has quickly become a much-loved annual tradition. The parade will be followed by an afternoon of live music from the Big Stage at the Achill Greenway Trailhead, creating a lively focal point for celebration and socialising.
Across the weekend, a wide range of events will take place, designed to highlight both Achill’s strong traditions and its growing reputation as an outdoor destination. Planned activities include guided walks along historic routes, a night of traditional Irish music accompanied by locally made boxty, sea swimming for the brave, boat tours, a country market, and opportunities to explore the island's landscape, stories and way of life.
The Island Life Festival is about connection - to place, to people, and to the rhythms of island living. It offers something for all ages, combining culture, adventure and simple pleasures in a welcoming, community-led celebration. A great weekend of family fun, and a genuine taste of island life.
Friday 3rd April
Join Achill’s hardy sea swimmers for a bracing dip in Achill’s Atlantic waters.
A guided walk on the ancient Coffin Trail section from Ashleam to Kildavnet.
The walk will be followed by Stations of the Cross in the old church at Kildavnet (weather permitting), at 3pm, with tea and coffee in Patten’s Bar afterwards.
Patten’s Bar in Dereens will host an evening of traditional Irish music and traditional Irish boxty — a treat not to be missed!
Saturday 4th April
Run, jog or walk this 5km route as part of the global parkrun initiative.
A guided walk on the 6.7km loop walk starting and ending in Derreens.
Local foods and produce, arts and crafts from Achill Country Markets.
Sunday 5th April
Join Achill’s hardy sea swimmers for a bracing dip in Achill’s Atlantic waters.
The highlight of the weekend! Join in or watch the parade as local community and sports clubs, groups, businesses and volunteers parade across the Micheal Davitt bridge to the Achill Greenway trailhead.
Enjoy local and regional musical artists on the Big Stage. Acts TBC.
Plan Your Visit
Achill Island is a rural, coastal destination where events take place across villages and outdoor locations. We recommend allowing extra time to move between events and dressing for changeable Atlantic weather.
The festival takes place over the Easter holiday weekend, a traditionally busy time on Achill. Visitors are encouraged to plan ahead and enjoy the relaxed pace of island life.
Public Transport
Public and community transport options are available throughout the festival weekend. Bus Éireann service 450 operates between Westport and Achill including several villages as far as Dooagh. It has six services a day Monday to Saturday and three on Sundays. TFI Local Link Mayo service 460A runs between Achill Sound to Castlebar five times a day. Additionally, Achill is one of the pilot locations for TFI's 'Anseo' service offering door-to-door on-demand transport within Achill Island and the Curraun Peninsula. Download the TFI Anseo app to plan and book your journey - more details and app links
Private Hire
Achill has a number of private hire taxi and minibus services, some of which also offer guided motor tours of the area for small groups. See Achill Motoring & Transport for details. One of the best ways to see Achill at its finest is by bicycle, particularly on the Great Western Greenway off-road track which runs from Cashel through Achill Sound and beyond to Mulranny, Newport and Westport. A number of local providers supply bicycle hire on Achill.
Accommodation
Achill offers a wide range of accommodation, from hotels and B&Bs to self-catering and camping options.
