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Christmas in Ireland is a big holiday, many people try to take time off work to spend with their family, the tradition is to have a tree decorated in the house and presents are given on Christmas Day, the 25th of December each year.

St. Patrick's Day, the 17th of March, is a national holiday, there are parades held in many small towns and a big parade is held in Dublin each year, with musical bands and theatre groups. This is a very popular family holiday, there is a tradition of wearing green clothes and shamrock (3 leaved plant). 

There are no special celebrations where fireworks are used, however Halloween i.e the 31st of October each year sees some people using same, please note the law below regarding fireworks.

On Halloween there is a tradition of children dressing up and going from door to door looking for sweets, nuts and fruit. Also children play games on this date 

The law regarding fireworks gives a very technical definition of a firework. A firework includes all those devices which burn and explode to give a loud noise and a visual effect – basically a typical, traditional firework. Bangers are now defined as fireworks.

Since 4 April 2010, under European Communities (Placing on the Market of Pyrotechnic Articles) Regulations 2010 (SI 1/2010) low hazard fireworks are included as category 1 fireworks. These low hazard fireworks are designed for indoor use and include items such as party-poppers, certain sparklers, Christmas crackers and strips of bangers or caps for toy guns. While category 1 fireworks are available for sale to and use by the general public, it is an offence to sell category 1 fireworks to anyone under 16 years of age.

What are the offences for having a firework?

Under the amended legislation the following are offences:

• If you ignite a firework or cause it to be ignited in any place, you are guilty of an offence. The offence of igniting a firework can take place anywhere and not just in a public place. It can include the garden of a private house.
• If you throw, direct or propel an ignited firework at or towards someone else or at property, you are guilty of an offence.
• If you have a firework with the intention of selling or supplying it to someone else (and you don't hold a licence to import it) you are guilty of an offence.

If you are found guilty of any of the above offences you are liable:

• On summary conviction (in the District Court) to a class C fine or to imprisonment for up to 6 months or to both.
• On conviction on indictment (in the Circuit Court) to a maximum fine of €10,000 or to imprisonment for up to 5 years or to both.

The offences mentioned above are arrestable offences because they carry a possible 5 year jail sentence. Therefore the Gardaí have the power to arrest you without warrant if they reasonably suspect you of having committed such an offence. They can also detain you in a Garda station for questioning for up to 12 hours before you are charged with the offence or released.

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