The 2015 St. Patrick’s Day festival is going to be pretty special!

In previous years the unofficial aim for Irish people has been to get as far away from Ireland as possible on St. Patrick's Day, but this time around we're thinking we'll stay close to home!

Dublin's St. Patrick's Day events have been re-branded in recent years, changing from one parade on the 17th March to a four-day festival jampacked with cultural, creative and fun events.

Although this year's line-up will not be announced in detail until next month, a few of the main events have been revealed and we have to admit they sound great!

Last year a three-year theme of "Past, Present and Future" was created for March 17th's parade, beginning with a look back at Ireland's rich history in 2014. This year the theme continues moving forward with a "Celebrate Now" message, paying tribute to Ireland's culture of arts and creativity.

Other key events include the festival's Big Day Out in on Sunday 15th March, with street performances, Irish language classes, artistic events and open air shows overtaking Georgian Dublin, and of course the annual 5k road race.

If that all sounds a little too much like "family fun" to you, then we recommend checking out this year's I Love My City line-up, featuring artists from a variety of disciplines performing in intimate and once-off events across the city. 

So why not skip the pub this Paddy's weekend and discover what Ireland's cities have to offer? By the looks of this year's events, you won't regret it!