Here are five things that we think will be worth making your way towards on the island of Ireland over the course of the weekend. From Rugby in Belfast and Galway, to the dash of the Connacht Football Final, the speed of the historic Festival at Mondello Park and the importance of Pieta Darkness into Light.
1. Darkness Into Light 2026
There are few events on the Irish calendar that carry the same emotional connection and sense of community as Darkness Into Light. Before dawn on Saturday morning, tens of thousands of people across towns, villages and cities will walk together in support of mental health awareness and suicide prevention, raising vital funds for Pieta’s services at the same time.
What makes the event special is its simplicity. It is not about speed, competition or performance. It is about solidarity, conversation and remembering that support is available for those who need it most. Whether you are taking part with family, colleagues, teammates or on your own, the atmosphere is always powerful as darkness gives way to daylight.
The beauty of it is that you do not need to travel far. Your local event will almost certainly be within easy reach, and joining in is one of the most meaningful ways to start the weekend.
2. Ireland Women v Wales Women in Belfast
Women’s rugby in Ireland continues to build momentum, and Saturday evening’s clash with Wales in Belfast feels like another important step on that journey. The game takes place at Kingspan Stadium as Ireland look to finish strongly in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign.
There has been a renewed energy around the Irish side under Scott Bemand, with attendances and interest in the women’s game continuing to rise across the championship.
For supporters in Ulster especially, this is another great opportunity to see the national women’s side on their home patch, and the match should deliver the mix of intensity and openness that has made this year’s championship so entertaining.
3. Connacht v Munster at Dexcom Stadium
An interprovincial clash under the lights in Galway is rarely anything less than lively, and Connacht’s BKT United Rugby Championship meeting with Munster should provide a strong finish to the sporting weekend.
These games tend to carry an edge regardless of league position, with local rivalry and contrasting styles usually producing an open contest. Connacht’s ability to play with pace and width at home has long made Dexcom Stadium one of the more enjoyable rugby venues in the country, while Munster will travel west expecting a physical battle.
There is also the added significance of URC positioning at this stage of the season, with every point carrying weight heading towards the knockout stages, and qualification for Europe next season.
For anyone looking for a strong sporting atmosphere on Saturday evening, Galway should be a very good place to be.
4. Connacht Senior Football Championship Final at Dr Hyde Park
Championship football in Connacht rarely needs much selling when Roscommon and Galway are involved.
Sunday’s provincial final in Roscommon has all the ingredients of another compelling western showdown: a packed Dr Hyde Park, plenty of colour in the stands, and two counties carrying very different forms of expectation into the game.
Galway continue to operate among the leading contenders nationally and will arrive as favourites, but Roscommon at home in a Connacht final is never straightforward. The intensity of the rivalry and the familiarity between the panels usually guarantees a tight contest, and Connacht finals have often produced drama well beyond the expectations of the form book.
If you are looking for atmosphere, noise and a reminder of why the provincial championships still matter deeply to supporters, this is probably the sporting centrepiece of the weekend west of the Shannon.
5. Historic Mondello Festival at Mondello Park
For something with a little more noise, nostalgia and petrol in the air, the Historic Mondello Festival sponsored by Carole Nash offers a very different kind of sporting weekend in County Kildare.
Ireland’s only dedicated historic motor racing event has grown into one of the more distinctive weekends on the motorsport calendar, blending live racing with the atmosphere of a classic car show and family festival. The paddock and track will be filled with machinery stretching from the elegance of the 1920s through to some of the most recognisable racing cars of the 1960s and beyond, all presented in lovingly restored period detail.
There is plenty to draw attention to both on and off the track this year. Formula One fans will get the rare chance to see cars including the 1995 Jordan 195 Peugeot, the ex-Michael Schumacher Benetton B192 and the 1988 Arrows Megatron A10B in action, while demonstration laps featuring two Ford C100s together on track for the first time should prove especially popular.
Alongside the racing, appearances from Alex Dunne, Derek Daly and Tim Shaw add to the attraction, while the mix of music, food, trade stands and family entertainment makes this one of the more rounded sporting days out on the island this weekend.
Electric Ireland, Connacht Rugby, the GAA, Irish Rugby and Mondello Park are all members of Sport for Business.
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