Every year I compile a list of all Christmas Markets and publish it on www.DublinChristmasMarkets.com . You will find nearly all the Christmas Markets in Dublin on that list. And if a Christmas Market is not on it, then it is either not a proper Christmas Market ;-) OR the organisers should rapidly work on their marketing (and also send me an e-mail with the details so that I can add their market).
The list is long, but most of the markets are “Markets with a Christmas Theme” as again this year, there is no proper Christmas Market happening in Dublin. Parameters for “proper Christmas Market” in my book are: It has to be outdoors, at least 20 stalls with a mixture of a variety (!) of food stalls and Christmas related craft stalls and other goods. There has to be a Market atmosphere AND a Christmas atmosphere (a long row of stalls usually fails the “atmosphere” criteria).
But even if there is no proper Christmas Market, I still recomment the markets that we have. They are not awful, they are perfect in their own individual way, it is just that I really miss a PROPER Christmas Market and I still can’t believe that Dublin can’t hack it to have one and to keep it! Look at Waterford or Belfast or Galway and Cork and even Dun Laoghaire tried harder than Dublin does.
So, the list is at www.DublinChristmasMarkets.com and please feel free to tell your friends, colleagues and family about it.