Author: Brian Ogle

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AS SUMMER ends and darker, cooler days set in, many are dreaming of 2027 sunshine – but knowing when and what to book for the best holiday deal can be a minefield.

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WHY let summer have all the fun? As thoughts turn to crisp autumn evenings, Irish Ferries is inviting wine lovers to savour a taste of France this autumn, with its final 2026 onboard wine tasting experience sailing from Dublin to Cherbourg on October 15, 2026. Fares start from €399 return for a car, two passengers and an inner cabin.

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FOLLOWING the recent tour announcements from Harry Styles and Oasis, easyJet holidays has recorded a boost in city break searches and bookings as fans rush to secure holidays around the highly anticipated concerts.

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Jet2 has been named Value Airline of the Year in the prestigious Air Transport World (ATW) Airline Industry Achievement Awards, recognising the leading leisure airline’s continued focus on giving customers the best value, quality and service, and how it excels at this against other airlines on a global scale.

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LIFE could still be a beach for Northern Ireland holidaymakers wanting to squeeze in a late-summer getaway with Jet2holidays over the next couple of weeks.

1. Wee Critters – Interactive Animal Experience, Armagh, County Armagh, 19-20 September. Join Allan the Explorer at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium as he takes you on an interactive adventure along with his team of ‘Wee Critters’. Allan will bring the natural world straight to the Planetarium for you to enjoy, with a range of mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and invertebrate species waiting to meet you.

2. Planetarium Sound Journey Under the Stars, Armagh, County Armagh, 20 September. Beneath the dome at Armagh Planetarium, experience an evening of sound, visual wonder and spacious live performance guided by Tessa Ann.  Taking place close to the Autumn Equinox, this experience unfolds at a natural turning point in the year, offering a unique opportunity to experience the night sky beneath the dome in a different way.

3. Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne Guided Tour, Castlerock, County Londonderry, 21 September. Join the team at Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne on a guided historical tour around the Earl Bishop Hervey’s estate – one of the true jewels of the Causeway Coast. This guided tour is run in partnership between the Hervey Heritage Society and the National Trust.

4. Aspects Festival, various locations across Bangor, County Down, 23 September – 4 October. Aspects Festival returns to Bangor with a vibrant programme of author talks, poetry events, workshops, performances and exhibitions. This year’s festival welcomes acclaimed writers including John Banville, Jan Carson and David Park, alongside an exciting mix of poets, authors and performers from near and far.

5. Other Voices Derry, Derry~Londonderry, 24-26 September. Other Voices returns to Derry~Londonderry this September for an unforgettable weekend of live music, culture, conversation and discovery, as the festival kicks off its 25th anniversary celebrations. Other Voices Derry will bring the unmistakable Other Voices experience to some of the city’s best-loved venues, with almost 50 live performances forming the Music Trail. Across the weekend, audiences can discover an eclectic mix of established names, emerging artists and exciting new voices, spanning indie, post-punk, electronic, folk, hip-hop, jazz and more.

6. Taste Autumn in Ards and North Down, various locations, County Down, until 27 September. Taste Autumn is set to showcase the very best of Ards and North Down’s food and drink through a packed programme of events and experience. Savour seasonal tide and turf produce and some of the borough’s finest food and drink which offers something for all palates. Enjoy this celebration of land and sea and savour the season with delicious local produce.

7. Ulster Orchestra: Ode To Joy, Belfast, 25 September. Their 60th anniversary season opens in a burst of excitement at the Ulster Hall and the exuberance of youth, under the baton of Chief Conductor Anna Handler and with a host of guest performers.

8. Breathwork Classes for Adults NI, Ballynahinch, County Down, 25 September. At Ballyburren Outdoor Escapes, their breathwork classes for adults are all about helping you unwind and feel your best. In each session, you’ll be guided through different breathing techniques designed to help you relax, let go of stress, and boost your overall well-being.

9. Wild & Fired at Brook Hall Estate Walled Garden, Derry~Londonderry, 20 and 27 September. Lo & Slo’s Wild & Fired BBQ School offers an immersive, interactive experience combining foraging, dining, and live fire workshops in a historic, private walled garden, showcasing Northern Irish culture through locally sourced food. 

10. Earth Yoga – In The Heart Of The Marble Arch Cave, Florencecourt, County Fermanagh, 26 September. Join us for a unique experience as you get in touch with your inner yogi in a beginner-friendly 60 minutes yoga session in the depths of the Marble Arch Caves. Relax body and mind as we connect to nature inside the cave with an inviting and inspiring class welcome to all levels.

11. Gracehill Scarecrow Festival, Ballymena, County Antrim, 26-27 September. This beloved event transforms this historic village into a whimsical wonderland, where scarecrows of all shapes and sizes come to life. As you stroll through the village of Gracehill, you’ll discover creative and quirky scarecrows hidden behind trees, peeking out of windows, and lounging in gardens. The entire village and wider community come together to craft these unique characters, competing for the title of the best scarecrow based on any character or theme.

12. Harvest at the Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra, County Down, 26 September. Harvest marks the end of the growing season when crops are finally ready for gathering and processing, and you can experience it for yourself at Ulster Folk Museum. Roll up your sleeves and get stuck in with potato picking and apple harvesting, make your own harvest knot, and enjoy the smells of baking demonstrations in our traditional cottages. 

13. Full Moon Paddle on Strangford Lough, Whiterock, County Down, 26 September. Join them for a Full Moon Paddle on Strangford Lough.  The full moon is unique to witness from the water and there’s no better place to do so than from a kayak, SUP or canoe on a flat sea.

14. Belfast Record Fair, Belfast, 26 September. Come along to the Belfast Record Fair at Oh Yeah Music Centre where you’ll find thousands of records and CDs to search through, with something for everyone at decent prices.

15. The Copeland Distillery Experience, Donaghadee, County Down, 26 September. Experience their distillery in the coastal town of Donaghadee through a guided tour and taste their award-winning spirits. Walk around our historical building which was once a picture house dating back to 1915, and hear the stories of the local area including secret smugglers, savage battles and remarkable voyages.

16. Autumn Celebration in the Garden with Garden Sessions at Slieve Gullion Forest Park, Killeavy, County Armagh, 26 September. Come along to the heart of the garden for an afternoon of Autumn Celebration, a magical experience for the whole family featuring Kara’s Country Dancing. Set against the peaceful backdrop of the walled garden, this event is perfect for families.  Kids can dance the day away with Kara in the auditorium, get creative with themed autumn crafts, and be swept away by magical seasonal storytelling, while parents sit back, relax, and enjoy some well-earned downtime.

17. Waakin fur Ettlin fur Godot (Walking for Waiting for Godot) starting at Gracehill Old School, Gracehill and various locations, County Antrim, 26 September. As part of its 2026 Samuel Beckett Biennale, Arts Over Borders is delighted to present a landmark one-off performed-reading of ‘Waakin fur Ettlin fur Godot’ (Walking for Waiting for Godot). Set against the upland landscape of County Antrim, this production centres around a specially commissioned premiere translation of Beckett’s classic play in Ulster-Scots for Ireland’s Northern Literary Lands and to be performed round Tree for Waiting for Godot by Sir Antony Gormley.

18. Journey Back in Time at Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh, County Tyrone, visit website for open dates and times. The Ulster American Folk Park tells the story of Ulster people’s emigration to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries. Learn more about lives left behind, the hardships endured on the journey and the pioneering spirit of building new lives in a new land.

19. Visit Boatyard Distillery, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, visit website for open dates and times. Located on the scenic banks of Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, The Boatyard Distillery is a vibrant working distillery offering an immersive, award‑winning visitor experience. As Fermanagh’s first legal distillery since 1890, Boatyard combines heritage, craftsmanship, and modern innovation to create premium spirits rooted in local character.

20. Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World : Gulliver’s Travels at 300 at Armagh Robinson Library, Armagh, County Armagh until 24 December. 2026 marks the 300th anniversary of the first edition of Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World. This work, written by Jonathan Swift, is commonly known as Gulliver’s Travels. The library is very proud to own Jonathan Swift’s own large paper copy of that first edition. This copy contains annotations by Swift’s own hand. This exhibition, ‘Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World: Gulliver’s Travels at 300’, explores Gulliver’s Travels as a commentary on 18th century society, politics, science, education, and human nature.

For more information on what’s on, or to plan your next giant adventure in Northern Ireland, visit: discovernorthernireland.com

Subject to availabilities with select dates. 

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AS travellers increasingly swap bucket-list sightseeing for holidays that offer a deeper connection with local history, food and traditions, new research has revealed the world’s most culturally rich destinations. 

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JET2 Chief Executive Steve Heapy has hit back at the report from the UK’s Climate Change Committee (CCC) which warned the government that a long-running proposal to expand Heathrow Airport with a third runway is not currently compatible with the UK’s net zero emissions target.

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OCEANIA Cruises®, the world’s leading destination and culinary-focused luxury cruise line, has announced the industry’s first entirely gluten-free ocean voyage. Sailing aboard Oceania Vista® in 2028, the groundbreaking journey will invite guests to experience the full breadth of the line’s renowned culinary programme without the need to navigate menus, question preparation practices or worry about cross-contact.

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Jet2holidays has hosted its second annual Non-Retail Summit, with almost 150 delegates hearing how the company is continuing to support and invest in non-retail travel agent partners as part of its award-winning Partners2Success strategy.