Welcome To Spring With Wallace Travel Group

February 1st marks the beginning of spring here in Ireland. Traditionally associated with the celtic celebration of Imbolc, this is a time when the days start to lengthen and the landscape begins to stir with new energy. We are excited for all the experiences that we will create across the country as the season unfolds.

In this edition of our newsletter, we share a selection of stories and updates from across Ireland.

We greatly value our partnership with you and look forward to working together throughout the season ahead.

Best Wishes,

Mike O'Shaughnessy

Managing Director

Hamnet & Oscar nominee Jessie Buckley

The beautiful book 'Hamnet' by Maggie O'Farrell was adapted to film by Director Chloe Zhao and has take the cinemas by storm. This beautiful adaptation staring Irish Actors Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal has created a tiktok trend of 'before and after Hamnet'. This tear jerker has had audiences weeping all over the world.

We wanted to wish our amazing Irish Actor Jessie Buckley all the best at the Oscars in March. Jessie is confirmed as an Academy Award Nominee for Best Actress in a Leading Role and we might be biased but this is so well deserved.

The amazing Jessie is from Killarney, County Kerry in the South West of Ireland. Jessie is the oldest of 5 five children and her father was a hotel bar manager who published poetry and her mother is a trained classical harpist and soprano. Along with Irish Actor Paul Mescal they delivered an amazing performance, making everyone in Ireland so proud of them. Jessie has already bagged a Golden Globe for Hamnet so we have our fingers and toes crossed that she brings back another Oscar to Ireland.

February in Ireland is a month of storytelling, symbolism, and romance. It is a time when ancient traditions meet living landscapes, and when two saints, St Brigid and St Valentine, invite visitors to experience Ireland through faith, legend, and love.

St Brigid is one of Ireland’s most beloved figures, a woman whose story bridges ancient Celtic Ireland and early Christianity. Born in the 5th century, Brigid was known for her kindness and fierce compassion for the poor.

She founded one of Ireland’s most important monasteries in Kildare, built beside an eternal flame, a symbol of light, renewal, and feminine power that echoes earlier Celtic goddess traditions. Because of this, St Brigid became associated with spring, fertility, creativity, and protection.

Her feast day on February 1st aligns with Imbolc, the ancient Celtic festival marking the start of spring.

Today, visitors can trace St Brigid’s story across Ireland, following a path that weaves together history, legend, and living tradition. In Kildare, St Brigid’s Cathedral stands close to the site of her original monastery, a place where the sacred and the historical intertwine. Nearby, St Brigid’s Well has drawn pilgrims for centuries, a serene spot where devotion and ritual continue to resonate. The Curragh Plains, steeped in tales of her early life, offer a glimpse into the landscapes that shaped her story.

Across Ireland, families and schools still weave St Brigid’s Crosses in her honour.

Monday 2nd February is a National Holiday in Ireland.

Love’s Saint, Resting In Dublin

Few people realise that Dublin is home to the relics of St Valentine. The third-century Roman priest, later associated with love and marriage, was believed to have performed weddings in secret, in defiance of imperial decree. His relics were brought to Ireland in the 19th century and now rest at Whitefriar Street Church, just off the city’s historic core. Each year, couples continue to visit the church for blessings, drawn not by spectacle but by the quiet intimacy of the tradition.

That sense of romance, understated and deeply rooted, extends far beyond one figure or one place. Ireland’s landscapes are shaped by stories of devotion and loss that remain anchored in real geography. The legend of Gráinne and Diarmuid traces a path across the country through ancient sites and natural landmarks, while the tragic story of Deirdre of the Sorrows is inseparable from the dramatic terrain of Ulster. These narratives are not abstract myths but part of how the land itself is understood.

In places like the Cliffs of Moher, the Dingle Peninsula, Glendalough, Ashford Castle, and the harbour town of Kinsale, that connection between story and setting is palpable. February, with its softer light and quieter pace, offers a moment to experience Ireland at its most reflective, where romance feels less performed and more deeply felt.

Thinking of Ireland for your next Incentive or Conference?

If you have any groups looking to come to Ireland in 2026, 2027 and beyond, make sure to contact us to bring your client's MICE dreams to life.

Contact our Director of Sales, Marie Lawlor.

marie@wtg.ie

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Wallace Travel Group | +353 1 834 7888 | info@wtg.ie | www.wallacetravelgroup.com