Kilkenny Yulefest or Winterval in Waterford with Irish Ferries
07 Nov 2017Hop on a ferry to Ireland for a Celtic Christmas market, and come home with a car full of unique Irish gifts – and no baggage charges! Irish Ferries’ top tips for pre-Christmas shopping are Kilkenny’s Yulefest and Waterford’s Winterval.
Yulefest Kilkenny has something to see every day in December in this lively medieval city that’s approximately 90 minutes’ drive from either Rosslare or Dublin ferry ports.
As well as an indoor ice-rink at Cillin Hill and an illuminated Christmas Garden at Butler House, there’s a pop-up Made in Kilkenny shop at 76 John Street that’s open every day during the run-up to Christmas. The range of locally-crafted gifts includes ceramics, leather, wool and glass, plus beautiful jewellery and scented candles.
Add weekend street entertainment, food stalls and seasonal concerts and it’s easy to see why Kilkenny draws visitors from all over Ireland. See yulefestkilkenny.ie for the full programme.
Waterford City’s Winterval festival gets bigger each year, kicking off on 17 November 2017 with its Christmas light switch-on, offering a host of events up to Christmas.
New attractions for 2017 include the Waterford Eye and a giant Snow Globe photo booth, while established favourites are a vintage carousel and Ferris wheel plus the popular toy train rides. Every weekend the streets around the Cathedral are filled with food, craft and gift stalls. Waterford City is about 90 minutes’ drive from the port of Rosslare. Further information at winterval.ie
Travel to Ireland with Irish Ferries, sailing from Holyhead into Dublin, or from Pembroke in south Wales into Rosslare.
Return ferry fares for a car and two adults currently start at £282. Alternatively, a short-break package including two nights at the Tower Hotel in Waterford for two people sharing a room on a B&B basis AND return ferries costs from £356.
08717 300 400, www.irishferries.com
Calls cost 13p per minute plus network extras
