The Nightmare Realm

Dark rumours are circulating that The City Market at Mary’s Lane has been possessed by nightmarish characters.
The Nightmare Realm, which was awarded as the most entertaining Halloween experience in Ireland last year, is moving to the famous 130-year-old Victorian red brick building in inner Dublin city this October. The freaky and fun event will be twice the size with a new show and lots of surprises, so you’re in for a scare festival experience like never before.

Get ready for spine-tingling Urban Horror at its best with shocks and scares, dazzling special effects, immersive scenery, live actors, and FIVE terrifying new mazes, including The Haunted Orphanage, The Sewers, Cannibals Playground, Attack of the Clowns, and Death Row.
The return of the Museum of Horrors will give horror fans the chance to fully immerse themselves into infamous scenes from films they love in a completely new way. All the monsters that have haunted your dreams since childhood are waiting for you here…! And it’s perfect for Halloween selfies.

Adding to the ‘deadly’ buzz is the new addition of Halloween Town, a fun horror-village festival zone with a food court and dance stage, giving visitors the freedom to explore the haunts one by one and to ‘chill out’ in between.
At this year’s Nightmare Realm Urban Horror, you’ll be faced with your worst fears, with everything from demonic clowns to chainsaw-wielding maniacs, creepy children, sick games, flesh eaters, and rat-infested cells.
With animatronics, special effects, secret rooms and surprises along the way, it’s full-on fear factor. Plus, it’s not scripted and the passages change, so if you visit again, you won’t get exactly the same experience twice!

The event will also feature Ireland’s first 3D binaural experience, where you can settle down and get comfortable in the dark, using only sound and your imagination to encounter The Nightmare Realm’s take on the classic Irish ghost story – the Legend of The Banshee.
Commemorate your survival at The Nightmare Realm with a sickening selfie at Fanta’s freaky photo lab whilst enjoying a bone chillingly cold Fanta.

Add to that pop-up scares and interactive art pieces, and you’re in for one hell of a show. Fans will also be delighted to hear that Nightmare Realm legend and scream queen Molly Mayhem returns this year.

The Nightmare Realm, which will double in size in the new venue, is already one of the world’s most successful and critically acclaimed scare attractions. It has been awarded the No. 1 Halloween event in the World by Unilad, Best Independent European Haunt at the Scare Awards, and the Most Entertaining Horror Experience by the EU Travel Awards.

The husband and wife team behind the screams at The Nightmare Realm, Karl and Sylvia O’Connor, have truly mastered the artistry of fear and entertainment, skills they have honed over 13 years. The artistic horror couple create all of the designs, sets, themes and costumes themselves, and are experienced in advanced scare tactics.

Commenting on this years’ experience, Creative Director and Founder Karl O Connor said, “The Nightmare Realm has been a life-long passion and I can’t wait for this exciting new phase in such an incredible old Victorian building. I started the Realm in 2009 when Halloween wasn’t really a big deal in Ireland, and it’s been like a freight train since, expanding, developing and challenging everyone involved. We pride ourselves on being original and entertaining.”

The nightmare realm employs almost 100 actors, prosthetic and make-up artists, set creators, sound and light engineers, and support staff to create mind-altering experiences that keep people screaming for more.
Many celebrities have visited the event over the years including Brooklyn Beckham, Little Mix, Hollywood star from hit Netflix fantasy series Sweet Tooth, Christian Convery and Chloe Moretz.

The Nightmare Realm opens on the 7th October and runs for 20 nights until the 2nd November. Tickets, which are priced from €22 to €36 (depending on the ticket type and day) are now on sale at thenightmarerealm.ie. There’s also an early bird offer with a 20% discount available for one week only until 2nd September when you use the online discount code SPOOKY20. But be warned, peak times sell out quickly. Best rates are available online and booking fees apply. Due to the frightening nature of the attractions, the age recommendation is 13+. The event is wheelchair accessible but not suitable for a mobility scooter.

The City Market, at Mary’s Lane , Dublin 7 (also known as the Fruit and Vegetable Market) has been closed since 2019. Dublin City Council supports this temporary use of the building while it puts measures in place for refurbishment. Richard Shakespeare Assistant City Manager said, “The provision of such a unique attraction to this area of the city and the resulting footfall and animation of the area is most welcome”. It is just a one-minute walk from the Fourcourts Luas stop a two-minute walk from Henry Street.