Make the most of your time in Galway, explore the city, and see the beauty of the West of Ireland. Galway is known as the festival capital of Ireland - there's always events happening throughout the city, meaning there's never a dull moment! Below you'll find just a small selection of what's happening.
If you're looking for tours and other experiences, we've put together a list of things to do while you visit us in Galway.
Galway’s own spectacle theatre company, Macnas, celebrates its 40th anniversary this Halloween bank holiday weekend with a new street spectacle called Fiáin. For one night only, giant puppets, music, and performers will take over the city streets in a celebration of all things wild: the rugged landscape of the West of Ireland, four decades of fearless imagination, and the energy that fills the streets when a whole city turns out to watch.
Macnas has been part of Galway’s creative identity for forty years, and this parade is one of the best ways to see why. It is free to enjoy, full of colour and noise, and set against the lanes, quays and historic streets that make Galway what it is. Stay with us at The Residence and you will be right in the middle of it, with the best of the city on your doorstep.
Sculptor Peter Walker and composer David Harper, together known as Luxmuralis, bring their installation Time to Galway as the flagship event of the Gaillimh Ah-Boo! festival. Designed for the architecture of St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, it fills the medieval interior with monumental projection art, original music and cinematic soundscapes.
The run coincides with Samhain, the Celtic New Year and the turn towards winter. Samhain has long been a time for reflection, renewal and remembrance, and Time carries those themes into one of Galway’s oldest buildings, linking 2,000 years of Irish heritage with contemporary art.
Over three days at one of the most atmospheric times of year, the Samhain Púca Storytelling Festival celebrates stories, people, place and tradition. The programme brings together storytelling, traditional music, workshops, talks, family activities and a symposium exploring Ireland’s landscape, heritage and cultural traditions.
The púca, pronounced pooka, is a shape-shifting figure of Irish folklore, said to be at its most mischievous around Samhain. That makes this a fitting weekend to hear the old stories told properly, by the people who keep them alive. With traditional tales, music and contemporary performance on the bill, there is something here for all ages, so it works just as well for a family break as it does for a couple’s weekend away.
The October Racing Festival returns to Galway over the bank holiday weekend, with three days of racing at Ballybrit. It is as much about the occasion as the horses, so wrap up warm, pick out your best autumn outfit and make a proper day of it with friends, family or a group of colleagues.
There is a free racecard draw each day, free parking, and free entry for children under 14, so the whole family can come along. Between races, enjoy the bar and restaurant facilities, the chat and the people watching, then head back into the city for the evening. Stay with us at The Residence and you will be well placed for both.
Galway’s Christmas Market returns for its fifteenth year, setting up in the heart of the city at Eyre Square. Rides and entertainment fill the square, including a 32-metre Big Wheel, a traditional carousel and Santa’s Express Train, with live choirs and a visit to Santa’s Grotto for the little ones.
Food is a big part of the appeal. Wander between stalls for bratwurst, French pastries, pretzels, crêpes and waffles, then take a slow walk through the enchanted light gardens, which make a lovely backdrop for a photo. You can post a letter at Santa’s postbox and meet some of the local charities along the way. Eyre Square is right in the centre of Galway, so the market is an easy addition to a city break. Stay with us at The Residence and you will be perfectly placed to enjoy it.
Santa and his elves are back in Galway for a 90-minute magical journey through Christmas across four floors of themed winter scenery. Children can meet the Snow Princess, Rudolf and Jack Frost, decorate a cookie with Mrs Claus, dance with the disco elves and throw snowballs at the sleepy elves, before a visit to Santa with just their own family.
Parents are looked after too, with complimentary mince pies and mulled wine or fruit punch. Elf Town is a short drive from the city centre, so it fits easily into a family Christmas break. Stay with us at The Residence and make a weekend of it.
