Minister Colm Brophy, Shamrock Rovers and Cape Verde star Roberto Lopes and students from Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght at the new mural celebrating the African-Irish connection by Arthur Oner (Image: Marc O’Sullivan/Irish Aid)
Africa Day has been celebrated annually on the 25th May since 1963, when the Organisation of African Unity was founded. Since 2006, events have been held across Ireland to celebrate African culture and heritage as well as the connections between Ireland and Africa. Elevating African voices, rather than Western ones, and not downplaying Africa’s size and significance, has never been so important, with COVID-19 distinctly highlighting global inequalities and vaccine nationalism having a detrimental effect on Africa.
This year will be the first time in-person events will have been held since 2019, and it promises to be the biggest celebration to date, with seminars, family fun days, concerts, football matches, art exhibitions, cooking demonstrations and fashion shows.
Already, locations across Cavan, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry and Wicklow have enjoyed fantastic family fun days last weekend, while Longford also hosted their first Africa Day event last Saturday. Below, you can find some of the best events happening around the country both on Wednesday 25th May and throughout the weekend.
Simply click on a county to find out what events are happening there. For additional information visit www.africaday.ie.
For those unable to attend an event in-person, YouTube hosted an amazing Africa Day Benefit Concert, with a stellar line up of the best African artists around, and hosted by Idris Elba.
Check what's going on across Ireland on Africa Day 2022
[ ↓ click a county in the menu below ↓ ]
Carlow
- What: Family fun day
- When: Wednesday 25th May 3-6pm
- Where: Fairgreen Centre, Carlow Town
Clare
- What: Portrait exhibition
- When: Launching on Wednesday 25th May
- Where: Clare County Chamber, Ennis and then moving around the county
Cork
Event 1
- What: African Mask Exhibition
- When: Tuesday 24th May – Saturday 28th May 10-4pm
- Where: Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork City
Event 2
- What: Workshops and talks for ‘building confident youth voices’
- When: Wednesday 25th May 6-8pm
- Where: Cork City Hall Council Chambers
Event 3
- What: African Music Night (Over 21s)
- When: Thursday 26th May 7-11pm
- Where: Crane Lane Theatre
Event 4
- What: Youth Dance Workshop (aged 12-17)
- When: Friday 27th May 5.30-7.30pm
- Where: Blu Fitness on French Church Street
Event 5
- What: Film night and Q&A
- When: Friday 27th May 6-8.30pm
- Where: Online via Zoom
Event 6
- What: Family fun day
- When: Saturday 28th May 12.30-6pm (with flag parade at 11.30am)
- Where: Fitzgerald’s Park, Cork City
Dublin (North)
- What: Family fun day
- When: Saturday 28th May 1-6pm
- Where: Flemington Community Centre, Balbriggan
Dublin (South & Central)
Event 1
- What: Seminar for people of African descent seeking careers in the Department of Foreign Affairs
- When: Wednesday 25th May 1-2pm
- Where: Online via Zoom (contact Dr. Ebun Joseph on 0871311402 for more details)
Event 2
- What: Revolutionary Routes: Ireland and the Black Atlantic Exhibition, exploring Irish and African movement across the Atlantic (book tickets here)
- When: Tuesday 24th May until 30th October
- Where: EPIC Irish Emigration Museum, Custom House Quay
Event 3
- What: Africa Day Film Festival (free registration available here)
- When: Monday 23rd May-Thursday 26th May 6.30-8pm
- Where: Lighthouse Cinema, Smithfield; IFI Cinema, Temple Bar; Savoy Cinema, O’Connell Street
Event 4
- What: Family music and games workshop with Irish-Ugandan artist Justine Nantale
- When: Thursday 26th May 3.30-4.30pm
- Where: Music Room 1, Rua Red South Dublin Arts Centre, Tallaght
Event 5
- What: Family fun day
- When: Saturday 28th May 12-3pm
- Where: Palmerstown Community and Youth Centre
Event 6
- What: Seminar – ‘Why African History is World History’
- When: Saturday 28th May 2-4pm
- Where: Online via Zoom (contact Dr. Ebun Joseph on 0871311402 for more details)
Event 7
- What: IDPAD Celebration of Africa (free registration available here)
- When: Saturday 28th May 3-7pm
- Where: YMCA Dublin, 53 Aungier Street
Galway
Event 1
- What: Youth Africa Day celebration
- When: Wednesday 25th May 11-1pm
- Where: Ballybane Library, Galway City
Event 2
- What: Family fun day
- When: Saturday 28th May 2-6pm
- Where: Salthill Park, Galway City
Kildare
Event 1
- What: Fun evening with food, music and art
- When: Wednesday 25th May 5-9pm
- Where: Maynooth Education Campus
Event 2
- What: Fun evening with food, music and art
- When: Friday 27th May 5-10.30pm
- Where: Athy Recreational Community Hall
Laois
- What: Family fun day
- When: Saturday 28th May 12-5pm
- Where: Portlaoise Leisure Centre
Leitrim
- What: Family fun day
- When: Saturday 28th May from 2pm
- Where: Market Yard, Carrick-on-Shannon
Limerick
- What: Artists, African instrumental music and dances to Irish traditional music
- When: Sunday 29th May from 12pm
- Where: Hunt Museum Garden, Limerick City
Louth
Event 1
- What: Launch event with talks and African food, fashion and music
- When: Wednesday 25th May 3-6pm
- Where: Friary Community Centre, Dundalk
Event 2
- What: Family fun day with food tasting, African music, Arts and Crafts, Poetry readings, a Fashion Show and Hair workshops
- When: Sunday 29th May 2-6pm
- Where: Drogheda
Mayo
- What: Family fun day and concert: music, poetry, art and dance. There will be a fashion show, head wear demonstrations, henna painting and make up demonstrations. A special exhibition called Crowned – Black Women’s Hair Stories will also be on view as well as a video telling the stories of black hair. Performers from Africa, Jamacia, Kruistan, Brazil and Ireland will entertain with music, songs, drumming and dance and refreshments will be seerved. A song composed and recorded especially for Mayo Africa Day 2022 will also be heard for the first time
- When: Sunday 5th June 12-3pm
- Where: Claremorris Town Hall Theatre
Offaly
- What: FastKidz Africa races (for children of African heritage – registration for races closed)
- When: Wednesday 25th May 9.30am-2pm
- Where: Tullamore Harriers Stadium
Roscommon
- What: Seminar on African Heroines and their contribution to Africa (organised by Athlone Women’s Forum)
- When: Wednesday 25th May 4pm
- Where: Online via Zoom
Sligo
- What: Family fun evening with hair braiding, poetry, fashion, film, music and art
- When: Wednesday 25th May 4-9pm
- Where: The Model, Sligo Town
Tipperary
Event 1
- What: Flavours of Africa
- When: Wednesday 25th May 2-4pm
- Where: Roscrea Library
Event 2
- What: Africa Day Football Tournament
- When: Wednesday 25th May 6pm
- Where: Borrisokane FC
Event 3
- What: Family fun evening
- When: Friday 27th May from 6pm
- Where: Davin GAA Club, Carrick-on-Suir
Event 4
- What: Family fun day with an acrobatic display by Hakuna Matata
- When: Saturday 28th May 1-5pm
- Where: Borrisokane Town Park
Event 5
- What: Africa Day Football Tournament Final
- When: Saturday 28th May 6pm
- Where: Borrisokane FC
Waterford
- What: Family fun day at at Waterford’s cultural quarter to include stage on O’Connell Street, Gospel Choir, Animation by local artists & performers, Food market, Children’s drumming, arts workshops, African Crafts display, parade of African groups, Craft demonstrations, African games, face painting, Coffee roasting & Ethiopian bread tasting, Instrument workshop, Insta photo booth
- Where: Saturday 28th May from 12pm
- Where: Waterford Cultural Quarter, O’Connell Street
Westmeath
- What: Family fun day featuring TikTok star MC Fabu D (The Black Paddy)
- When: Saturday 28th May 11am-8pm
- Where: Burgess Park, Athlone
Event 2
- What: An online all-women panel event which will consist of four women from different regions of Africa who will present facts on the iconic woman they are showcasing followed by panel discussion on her impact on growth and development of the continent.
- When: Friday 3rd June 4pm
- Where: online via Zoom
Wexford
Event 1
- What: Coffee Morning for African Mams and Dads
- When: Wednesday 25th May 10am-12pm
- Where: FDYS Bridgetown
Event 2
- What: Fun evening with African music, art and food
- When: Wednesday 25th May 4.30-6.30pm
- Where: FDYS Bridgetown
- Kai Evans is a masters student in International Development at University College Dublin, and is an editorial intern with 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World
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