Galway's event calendar is absolutely bursting with events and festivals all year long! So, to help you make the most of what’s going on, we’ve put together a must-read guide featuring the top 10 events you won’t want to miss this month. From family-friendly events to live entertainment, there’s something for everyone - so dive in and start planning your next great Galway experience right here..
Below is just a snippet of everything Galway has to offer event-wise in the month ahead. If you would like a full list of all the wonderful events Galway has on, please check out our website at; https://thisisgalway.ie/events/.
Ireland’s Biggest Comedy Competition Returns - Show Me The Funny
When: Weekly from Monday January 26th, doors at 7.30pm
Where: The Kings Head
More information here
If the winter slump has you feeling a bit blue, don’t worry because Show Me The Funny is back with five Monday nights of fresh, fearless comedy. Proudly sponsored by Bulmers, this stand-up comedy contest is on the hunt for the country’s next breakout star. Each week will see 10 of the brightest and freshest new comics from all over the island battling out for a place in the Grand Final which takes place on Monday March 2nd. Tickets can be bought at the door for just €5, including a free pint of Bulmers. Doors open at 7.30pm, with the show starting at 8.30pm.
above: photo by Declan Monaghan
Helen Walsh Opticians Celebrates its 45th Birthday
When: Saturday, January 17th, 12-4pm
Where: 4 Middle Street, Galway City
More information here
This January, Helen Walsh Opticians celebrates 45 years in business and you’re all invited to help them celebrate it. On the 17th, they will be throwing a party in store with a raffle in aid of the Galway Hospice in memory of Helen’s husband and fellow company director Patrick Keating. There are lots of brilliant prizes up for grabs and tickets are available in the shop so pop in any time to get yours ahead of the big day. Don’t miss it!
Torann - Galway’s New Punk & Metal Festival
When: Friday to Sunday, January 9th to 11th
Where: Róisín Dubh & Sally Longs
More information here
This January, Torann brings together the raw power of punk and the relentless force of metal for a weekend-long onslaught of riffs, noise and pure DIY spirit, presented by Strange Brew. The inaugural festival weekend will see Chewie return to Galway to play Róisín Dubh on the 9th, as well as a free show from Shardborne and Ornith in Sally Longs. Legendary metal band PRIMORDIAL headline on the 10th, joined by Death The Leveller and Genuflection at Róisín Dubh, followed by a midnight show from Okus and The Hungry Buzzards. The weekend also features the panel discussion, Document, with Hope Collective and Irish Pop Archive, as well as an all ages all dayer, a merch fair, and more. Stay tuned!
New Shamanic Counselling Sessions with She Kneads
When: dates and time slots available throughout the month
Where: Online
More information here
This January, embrace a new you with the help of She Kneads’ new Shamanic Counselling online sessions for those who’d like more focused one-to-one support. These sessions will blend gentle, therapeutic-style conversation, shamanic journey practices and practical guidance to help you integrate what comes up into everyday life. If you’ve ever wished for a space to talk, be witnessed, and also work with journeying in a grounded way, this may be for you. No previous experience with shamanic journeying is required, Giada will guide you step by step throughout the whole process. Visit the link above for an in-depth look at what Shamanic Counselling entails.
Subtitle - European Film Festival
When: Friday to Sunday, January 16th to 18th
Where: Town Hall Theatre
More information here
After six years away, Subtitle Film Festival is thrilled to return to Galway with a programme that captures what Subtitle does best: discovering the most exciting new European talent while celebrating the films that have shaped them. This year brings five Irish premieres (bold, intimate, award-winning new work from across the continent), alongside five modern classics that remind us why European cinema endures. From luminous debuts and moral thrillers to beloved favourites like Amélie, The Intouchables and Headhunters, it’s a line-up full of heart, craft and cinematic storytelling at its finest. Come and see popular, accessible comedies, thrillers and dramas, for a magical weekend of cinema.
Connacht Rugby v US Montaubau
When: Saturday, January 17th, at 8pm
Where: Dexcom Stadium
More information here
Get ready for a thrilling showdown at Dexcom Stadium this January as Connacht Rugby go head-to-head with US Montaubau as part of the EPCR Challenge Cup. Come along to watch all the action in-person, to enjoy the highs and lows of the game with fellow fans, meet special guests, and soak up the excitement in a relaxed yet vibrant setting, making your match day truly unforgettable. Expect big hits, high tempo, and edge-of-your-seat action as both sides battle to climb the standings. Bring all the gang out for this game because you won’t want to miss it!
above: photo by Inpho Sports Photography
Midwinter Festival 2026 presents The Quartet Extends
When: Friday to Sunday, January 23rd to 25th
Where: Town Hall Theatre
More information here
The string quartet is no stranger to Galway audiences, in no small part thanks to the tireless work of the ConTempo Quartet. With this festival, Music for Galway seeks to celebrate the versatility of the string quartet and to ‘extend it’ by pairing it up with a variety of different musicians to perform quartets, quintets, sextets and even an octet to finish! Mostly a celebration of the great musicians Ireland has to offer, during the festival the city will welcome a clarinettist, a soprano, a pianist, an uilleann piper and a second string quartet for a fantastic series of performances. Cellissimo Ambassador, Spanish cellist Margarita Guerrero Martínez will also be joining them for one of the concerts during the festival’s duration too.
Little John Nee - The Art of Gentle Punk
When: Wednesday to Friday, January 21st to 23rd, at 8pm
Where: The Mick Lally Theatre
More information here
For over four decades, Little John Nee has created theatre stories that blend clown, lyrical monologue, original song, and quiet anarchy into something unmistakably his own. Rooted in tradition but wildly imaginative, his performances carry the spirit of vaudeville, punk, folk theatre and magical realism - often in the same show. And, his new show ‘The Art of Gentle Punk’ does just that; “As you pass along a country road in your motor car or on an omnibus have you ever felt drawn to stop and spend time in an odd corner of a field, have you ever felt a hankering to linger in the shade of old trees? In these strange dark days, have your lungs longed to laugh in rebellion. If so, meet me here, I’ll bring you to a place where oddness lights the way, where love like rain washes the pain from your bones.”
above: photo by Declan Devlin
Author Ryan Dennis in Conversation with Tomás Kenny
When: Friday, January 23rd, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
This month, acclaimed writer Ryan Dennis will join Tomás Kenny in conversation about his new political memoir Barn Gothic. Barn Gothic is an elegy for family farmers and an intimate portrait of three generations laboring to be fathers and sons while their livelihood falls apart. Beautifully told with a farmer's restraint and a poet's grace, it is a story of personal loss amid corporate corruption and of finding a way forward when everything you know disappears. Signed copies of the book will be available on the night, and are available to order online via the link above. Tickets for this event are free but are limited, so book yours asap.
Art Workshop - Introduction to Watercolours
When: Saturday, January 17th, 10am to 2pm
Where: West of the River Gallery, Athenry
More information here
Kamila from Athenry’s West of the River Gallery is delighted to bring you a fun artsy workshop, giving you the chance to work on new skills. This beginner-friendly watercolour workshop where you can experiment, play and embrace happy accidents which are an essential part of the creative process. Throughout this workshop, she will be sharing tips and techniques, but more than anything I want to encourage you to learn through the process of exploration. Let go of the idea that there is a right way or a wrong way. Allow your curiosity to take the lead and see what happens… All are welcome.
Tonnta Festival 2026 Celebrates Galway as Ireland's only bilingual city
When: Thursday to Sunday, January 29th to February 1st
Where: Galway city
More information here
Building on the incredible success of 2025, Tonnta, Galway’s one-of-a-kind festival celebrating the Irish language and Galway as a bilingual city, is back! The 4-day festival promises an eventful lineup of events to inspire, entertain, and involve the whole community. As Ireland’s only bilingual city, Galway invites you to embrace whatever level of Irish you have in a fun, welcoming atmosphere. Whether it’s joining the free shows or exploring bilingual concerts, workshops, food tours, and family events in Galway’s much-loved venues, there’s something for everyone. All events are bilingual, accessible, and inclusive. Hit the link above for more on this year’s programme.
Main photo by Chaosheng Zhang.
Published on Updated on
