Galway is bursting with exciting events every month! To help you make the most of what’s happening, we’ve put together a must-read guide featuring the top 15 events you won’t want to miss this month. From festivals to live entertainment, there’s something for everyone—so dive in and start planning your next great experience in Galway!
Please note; Below is just a snippet of everything Galway has to offer event-wise in the month ahead. If you would like a full and inclusive look at everything Galway has going on, please check out our website at; https://thisisgalway.ie/events/.
Festival: Blas na Bealtaine - A Taste of May
When: All month long
Where: Galway City
More information here
Celebrate the flavours of the West of Ireland this May with Blas na Bealtaine — a month-long food festival where community, culture, and culinary creativity come together. From 1st to 31st May, explore a vibrant calendar of events hosted by some of Galway’s most exciting venues. Expect pop-up experiences, oyster tastings, farm visits, distillery tours, seafood feasts, foraging walks, small plates, and natural wine pairings — all inspired by the season and rooted in place. Whether you are a dedicated food lover or simply looking for something memorable to enjoy with family and friends, there’s something here for everyone. Hit the link above to check out this year’s events programme.
above: oysters and wine - a gorgeous pairing! | Photo by Ciarán MacChoncarraige from Daróg Wine Bar
Festival: Fleadh na gCuach
When: Friday to Monday, May 2nd to 5th
Where: Kinvara
More information here
Celebrating its 31st year in 2025, Fleadh na gCuach (the Cuckoo Festival) is a cherished traditional music and community-based arts festival held in Kinvara, South Galway. Known for its vibrant ambiance and exceptional talent, the festival has garnered a stellar reputation as a showcase for traditional music, attracting musicians from across Ireland and beyond. This eagerly anticipated event has become a treasured tradition, bringing together locals and visitors to revel in music, culture, and community. The brainchild of Tony Moylan, who founded the festival in 1994, the Cuckoo Fleadh celebrates the music, art, literature, poetry and overall creativity of the village with something for everyone. Whether you’re a seasoned session player or a curious newcomer, Fleadh na gCuach welcomes all to join in the fun and camaraderie that defines this magical event. During the festival, Kinvara’s pubs, restaurants and cafés will host lively sessions, creating an immersive musical experience for all attendees. Hit the link above to learn more about this year’s festival programme.
Festival: Éalú le Grá 2025
When: Friday May 30th to Monday June 2nd
Where: Ballinderry Park Estate
More information here
Éalú Le Grá returns for its 5th-anniversary edition, promising an unforgettable escape just 40 minutes from Galway. This intimate, 1,000-person festival blends world-class music, immersive art, and transformative experiences in a setting designed for true self-expression. This year’s lineup showcases top Irish talent alongside select international acts, including Fabe, HAMMER, F.R.A.N.K, Dylan Fogarty, John Daly, and Celaviedmai. Attendees can expect mesmerising stage designs, breathtaking installations, and a diverse program of music, yoga, workshops, and thought-provoking talks. Signature highlights include the legendary participant-led Fashion Show, a vibrant interactive parade, and the late-night silent disco. Tickets are selling out fast, so be sure to secure yours today at www.ealulegra.ie.
above: Éalú le Grá Festival has a phenomenal programme in store for 2025 | photo by Kuba Wargola
Festival: Inishbofin Arts Festival
When: Friday May 2nd to Sunday May 4th
Where: Inishbofin Island
More information here
Get ready for a celebration of creativity and culture as the much-anticipated Inishbofin Arts Festival returns on the May Bank Holiday Weekend! Experience a tapestry of creativity with visual arts, mesmerising music, captivating theatre performances, literary delights, and much more. Join in for a cultural celebration against the stunning backdrop of Inishbofin, and enjoy festival highlights such as exhibitions, book launches, drumming workshops, brewing tours and tastings, dance workshops, theatrical performances and music sessions.
Festival: Galway Theatre Festival 2025
When: Friday May 2nd to Saturday May 10th
Where: Galway City
More information here
9 Days, 1 City, Limitless Theatre! From climate chaos cabarets to unfiltered comedy, the 2025 edition of Galway Theatre Festival lets you experience the stories that demand to be told. This year’s festival is bringing you a programme packed with theatre that challenges, excites, and moves you. Expect everything from climate change drag cabarets to politically provocative drama, physical comedy, and spoken word with a surrealist twist. Highlights from the programme include; Malaprop’s HOTHOUSE - time-traveling between 1969, the present, and 100 years into the future, this show is a sharp, funny, and deeply human exploration of love, legacy, and the absurdity of it all. CHOP with Cian Kinsella - Through physical comedy, slapstick, puppetry, and dance, CHOP is a hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of humanity’s impact on nature and our struggle to break the cycle. And, Pauline O’Driscoll’s JUMP!? - A middle-aged coming-of-age comedy/drama tackling every hormonal taboo from puberty to menopause. So, whether you’re a theatre aficionado or just looking for something unforgettable, join in for all the craic of Galway Theatre Festival 2025.
Nightlife: The Dirty Circus: Late Night
When: Friday May 2nd, from 8pm
Where: Róisín Dubh
More information here
Get ready for an unforgettable night of electrifying entertainment with Vixen & The Dirty Secrets! This one-of-a-kind live band brings together the perfect blend of sultry burlesque, jaw-dropping circus acts, and high-energy rock ‘n’ roll. With stunning performances that will leave you breathless, Vixen & The Dirty Secrets deliver an unforgettable experience that will have you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Don’t miss out on the most thrilling show in town — it’s an experience! Post-show stay on for The Dirty Circus part two and get ready to groove to the beat with their Live Electro Swing DJ! This high-energy event features the perfect mix of vintage swing and modern electro, guaranteed to get you moving all night long. Adding to the excitement, their live pole dancers and drag stage performers will light up the stage with jaw-dropping moves and fierce performances. It’s an unforgettable night of music, art, and pure energy! Best of all, if you buy a ticket to The Dirty Circus earlier in the night, you can stay for free for the late night show.
above: expect a world of glamour and burlesque at The Dirty Circus
Special Occasion: Cinco de Mayo
When: Sunday May 4th, from 12.30pm
Where: Mary Mullens
More information here
Gather in Mary’s courtyard on the eve of Cinco de Mayo and enjoy an afternoon full of celebrations. Expect Mexican themed décor, Tequila based cocktails and entertainment provided by an authentic Mariachi band to keep the festive vibes flowing. Each ticket includes 2x refreshing cocktails (we suggest the tasty spicy margaritas) and 1x delicious Mexican inspired dish from the Lucky Peach food truck. As you wander through the event, discover unique finds as 35mm’s vintage clothing pop up shop returns to Mary’s courtyard, featuring one-of-a-kind pieces that blend fashion with nostalgia. Fun games and prizes to be won on the day. It’s an unforgettable celebration of music, food, fashion, and Mexican culture in Galway!
Theatre: Six out of Seven
When: Friday & Saturday May 9th & 10th, at 8pm
Where: Black Box Theatre
More information here
Six out of Seven is a stunningly visual dance theatre piece, based on the Seven Deadly Sins and their Virtues, from Romanian dance company M Studio. How much of our parents’ personalities do we carry with us through life? What do they teach us? What we fear we will be? If one is the mother of our Sins, and the other the father of our Virtues, are we then the children of Sin and Virtue combined? Do we fear which one we will become? Choreographed by professional dancer and choreographer Eoin Mac Donncha from An Cheathrú Rua, this is an unmissable dance theatrical show.
Literature: Marita Conlon-McKenna in conversation with Gráinne O’Brien
When: Thursday May 15th, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
2025 sees the 35th anniversary of the publication of Marita Conlon McKenna’s classic Under the Hawthorn Tree, and the author will be coming to Kennys Bookshop this May for an in conversation event. This evening is a celebration of the new publication of her Children of The Famine Trilogy of novels (Under the Hawthorn Tree, Wildflower Girl and Fields of Home) in one volume for the first time ever, in an exclusive Kennys Signed Limited Edition, featuring a new foreword by the author. Marita Conlon-McKenna is an award-winning Irish author of both children’s and adult fiction. She has published over 20 books and is best known for her children’s classic, Under the Hawthorn Tree which is taught in schools across Ireland and overseas. Published in 1990 the book became an immediate bestseller with rights sold across the world. On the night, she will be joined in conversation by Gráinne O’Brien, bookseller at Kennys Bookshop, the author of A Limerick Fairytale and Solo, and the founder of Rontu Literary service.
Nightlife: Disco Dána
When: Saturday May 17th, from 10pm
Where: The Mick Lally Theatre
More information here
You are cordially invited to the first Disco Dána party of 2025 in Galway’s Mick Lally Theatre. Anyone who has been to the Disco Dána parties will know that it’s all about the music. These nights have become occasions to dance with friends, old and new, as Cian freestyles through his record collection, spinning disco, house, techno, Italo, post-punk, half-forgotten classics and dreamy bangers. Nuair a stadann an ceol, stadann an rince.
above: Disco Dána returns in 2025, get your tickets today!
Nightlife: Disquiet Nights: Dopplereffekt
When: Saturday May 17th, from 9pm
Where: Nuns Island Theatre
More information here
Galway Arts Centre presents pioneering electronic duo Dopplereffekt as part of the Disquiet Nights Late-Night Series this May. Working in collaboration with DeepSea Dweller Galway’s electro night, this will be a late night event to remember, with Dopplereffekt playing in the intimate and beautiful Nuns Island Theatre for one night only. Disquiet Nights is curated by Megs Morley supported by the Arts Council of Ireland and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media through the Late Night Events Scheme. This event has been devised in collaboration with DeepSea Dweller Galway’s electro night and produced by Black Gate Galway.
Music: Vladimir Jablokov Live
When: Wednesday May 28th, at 8pm
Where: Town Hall Theatre
More information here
Internationally acclaimed violinist Vladimir Jablokov is making a rare appearance in Galway this May 28th as part of his intimate Summer Tour 2025. Following performances at major venues, including headlining Dublin’s 3Arena for three consecutive years, Vladimir wants to reconnect with his audiences in more intimate settings across Ireland. Joined by the exceptional pianist Vincent Lynch, Vladimir will present an unforgettable evening of timeless favourites, including Theme from The Godfather, If I Were a Rich Man, Tango Por Una Cabeza, and Hungarian Dance No. 5.
Theatre: MOSH
When: Wednesday May 28th, at 8pm
Where: Black Box Theatre
More information here
After an award-winning run at Dublin Fringe Festival 2023, MOSH heads out on a national tour across Ireland in 2025. This is the thrill of fighting another human, without the fear. This is a dance, a gig, a theatrical shove into the heart of the pit. This is the meaning behind the chaos. The Mad Bastards, The Pit Protectors, The Karate Choppers, The Bearded Beer Drinkers; everyone plays their part in this ritual of wild abandon. Blending raucous dance, live music, interviews with real mosh pit devotees, and new writing, MOSH dives into the deeper meaning behind a misunderstood subculture. Is this violence or dancing? What are the rules? What do bacteria, birds, gas and moshers have in common? And why would anyone do this? This is a show about a community connected through music and risk – a show with humour, heart and a hell of a lot of headbanging.
above: MOSH, image credit Richard Mooney & Luke Carparelli
Nightlife: Mitch Presents… Dennis Quin
When: Friday May 2nd, from 11pm
Where: Electric Nightclub
More information here
Mitch Presents is bringing House Titan Dennis Quin to the garden at Electric for his last show before the summer! Kick off your May bank holiday with a BANG! On support for the night is Blue Detroit B2B Mitch Presents. The Maestro of Modern House. From the raw Chicago and New York grooves of the ‘90s to today’s global house scene, Dennis Quin is redefining dance music with heavy basslines, hypnotic rhythms, and timeless energy. With releases on Defected, PIV, Madhouse, Kaoz Theory, and Cécille, plus support from Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler, Louie Vega, and more, Quin’s sound is undeniable. From B2B sets with Kerri Chandler to BBC Radio 1 and SLAM! residencies, his impact is unstoppable.
Theatre: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - A Musical Thriller
When: running until May 4th, shows daily at 8pm
Where: Town Hall Theatre
More information here
Galway Musical Society returns to the Town Hall Theatre stage with the infamous tale of Sweeney Todd. An unjustly exiled barber, returned to nineteenth century London and seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop, above which he opens a new barber practice. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London lining up… and the carnage has only just begun! Sweeney Todd has become a worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony’s, including Best Musical, for its Broadway premiere in 1979. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Feature photo by Chaosheng Zhang
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