‘Dublin City Council St Patrick’s Festival Treasure Hunt’ to kick off Festival

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12th February 2025

Dublin City Council today delighted to announce that the ‘Dublin City Council St. Patrick’s Festival Treasure Hunt’ will mark the opening of the St Patrick’s Festival weekend this year. Designed to inspire people of all ages to rediscover the city, it's a fun, free, and accessible experience for all, with the treasure hunt returning to the streets of the city on Saturday March 15th for the first time in a number of years. Registration takes place from 10am-12pm on the day, with the event starting and ending at the Dublin City Council Civic Offices on Wood Quay. Enjoy the atmosphere at the HQ with music, performances and prizes for best costumes (the theme is Adventures), best team name and much more. 

Emma Blain, the Lord Mayor of Dublin, said: “What a great way to kick off the St Patrick’s Festival Weekend, with a Treasure Hunt! This is something that families can enjoy together and a great way to see our city. So come on down and get hunting!”

Unlock the city as you navigate the exciting trail, visit some of Dublin's beautiful, historical locations and solve clues in this urban, participatory event.  Tap into your adventurous spirit, as you work in teams to solve a series of questions and discover Dublin City in this unique way! The hunt takes approximately 2 hours to complete. To save time, why not sign up in advance online at www.stpatricksfestival.ie. There is a maximum of 4 people per team and the 3 quickest teams to complete their trail will win fantastic prizes! 

Richard Tierney, CEO of St. Patrick’s Festival said: “We are delighted to be bringing back the Dublin City Council St Patrick’s Festival Treasure Hunt for the first time in a number of years. It’s an exciting way to kick off the celebrations and invites people to rediscover the magic of Dublin. This event brings families and communities together in a fun and engaging way, while also shining a light on the rich history and culture of our capital. Whether you're a local or in town visiting for the Festival, we encourage everyone to take part, to embrace the adventure, and experience Dublin like never before.”

Register and complete your clues as Gaeilge for a chance to win special prizes! 

How to Play: 

  • Enter in teams of up to four people 
  • Register in advance online on www.stpatricksfestival.ie or at Wood Quay Offices on the day . Please note that there are a limited number of spots, so pre-registration is advised to avoid disappointment!
  • Receive your team pack 
  • Follow the clues  
  • Collect stamps from Festival staff from each participating venue. The stamps collected will form a unique print, specially commissioned by St. Patrick's Festival and created by artist Brigid Mulligan. 
  • Return to Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Wood Quay and receive your time of completion. Your team must gather under the finish arch to have your finish time recorded (don't lose anyone on your journey).
  • The winners will be posted on St. Patrick’s Festival website www.stpatricksfestival.ie and social media 

***Photographs will be syndicated by Julien Behal***

ENDS

Notes to the Editor:

About St. Patrick’s Festival:

The national St. Patrick’s Festival is Ireland’s global celebration of Irish Arts, Culture and Heritage. It takes place annually in Dublin and is made possible by the generous support of Principal Funders: the Government of Ireland, Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland and many generous partners and funders.

Established in 1996, St. Patrick’s Festival has grown from a single-day to a multi-day event featuring music, performance, spectacle, dance, theatre, literature, visual arts, food, community activations and much more. It is recognised globally as one of the world’s biggest festivals and in 2024, delivered an overall media reach of 400m+, a digital and social media reach of 22m, a live audience in excess of 600k and a TV audience of 386k.

The Festival is a key driver for the tourism industry, presenting a world class event that showcases the very best of Irishness and Ireland as a destination, platforming our incredible unique culture, heritage and traditions to a global audience through quality experiences. The most recent economic impact research estimates that St. Patrick’s Festival returns roughly €113 million to the Irish economy, with over 100,000 out-of-state visitors specifically choosing to holiday in Ireland to visit the Festival. 

St. Patrick’s Festival also continues to be a key driver of employment and opportunity for the creative sector, providing over 11,000 days of employment for over 4,200 artists in 2024. The 2025 Festival will continue to provide these opportunities, driving employment through direct investment in these vital industries that uplift Ireland across the world. The Festival team is made up of many of Ireland’s most experienced professional artists, arts workers, creatives and live events workers, in support of a small core team who work throughout the year planning the St. Patrick’s Festival and Parade. Year on year, St. Patrick’s Festival employs thousands of Irish artists, arts workers, arts organisations, live event workers, community workers and volunteers. St. Patrick’s Festival is an independent not-for-profit organisation with charity status, governed by a Board of Directors under the patronage of the President of Ireland.