Experience the best events in Galway - completely free! Explore This is Galway's Ultimate Budget-Friendly Events Guide and never miss out on top happenings without spending a cent.
Please note: This article will be updated as events take place meaning that this article can be your go-to no matter the day of week or time of year. For Galway’s full events calendar, visit thisisgalway.ie.
Talk: N-LITE Final Symposium
When: March 25th, from 10am
Where: The Mick Lally Theatre
More information here
Join the N-LITE Final Symposium to celebrate the project and discover what’s next for literary tourism in rural regions. Over the day, you will hear from partners and contributors from Ireland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands, alongside practitioners in creative industries, cultural tourism and literary tourism, with a strong focus on digital and immersive experiences. For a summary of what you can expect at this event, please see the above link.
Music: The Galway Ukers
When: March 25th, at 8pm
Where: Róisín Dubh
More information here
The Galway Ukers have lit up the streets of Galway and filled screens with their feel good chaos, they now bring that same spark to the Róisín Dubh with a high energy show built for singing, laughing and getting properly stuck in. With The Dogz Bol Ukes on support. Opening Galway’s premier ukulele festival, GalwayUkeFest.com, they tore through everything from Bronski Beat to The Beatles. Born from the phenomenally successful Galway Ukulele Group meetups the Ukers are the performance wing of a community that has been making music together for nearly a decade. This 12 piece powerhouse has carried their blend of harmonies, humour and high energy ukulele to stages across Ireland, including festival slots at Electric Picnic and gigs alongside legends like The Waterboys. With millions of feel good vibes and more than a few million views, The Galway Ukers have become the joyous heartbeat of a movement that keeps growing across Ireland.
Lecture: Engaging with the past: archaeological excavations at Rathgurreen ringfort, Co. Galway
When: March 26th, at 1pm
Where: Galway City Museum
More information here
The University of Galway’s School of Geography, Archaeology and Irish Studies will hold their lunchtime lecture series every Thursday in the Education Room at Galway City Museum from 1pm until 1.50pm. There is no booking required for these lectures but please note seating is limited so early arrival advised. This Thursday we have ‘Engaging with the past: archaeological excavations at Rathgurreen ringfort, Co. Galway’ with Dr Michelle Comber.
Show: 'Stories from the Sea' with Ken O'Sullivan - FULLY BOOKED
When: March 26th, at 6.30pm
Where: Galway City Museum
More information here
Underwater cameraman and multi-award winning film maker, Ken O’Sullivan will be presenting his new show at Galway City Museum, as part of An Tír Faoi Thoinn – The Land Beneath the Waves outreach programme. In his new show, Stories from the Sea, Ken takes audiences on a 25‑year journey across the North Atlantic and the waters surrounding Ireland, sharing stories, video, and personal insights from his experiences. From being surrounded by a pod of killer whales to swimming with thousands of dolphins and fin and blue whales, the largest animals ever to have lived, Ken regales us with stories of the beauty of the natural world and our emotional connection with it. Ken has now produced more than twenty natural history documentaries for RTÉ and his last series North Atlantic was acquired by BBC and broadcast in over 30 countries. He features alongside David Attenborough in BBC Earth’s Stunning Underwater Nature Footage which has 7 million views on YouTube. The event is free of charge, but seats are limited. Please email Museum@GalwayCity.ie to make a booking and call the Museum on (091) 532460 for further details.
Music: The Nilz EP Launch
When: March 27th, from 9pm
Where: Sally Longs
More information here
The Nilz are in Sally Longs this Friday March 27th for the launch of their new 5-track EP ‘Ambivert’. Joining them on the night is their pals Kicked in the Teeth from the UK, the class act Numbskull Narrative and of course (how could you miss them) 50 Foot Woman. This is a free gig so be sure to get here early!
Workshop: A Sea of Colour - Dive into Seaweed Secrets!
When: March 29th, at 1pm
Where: Galway City Museum
More information here
Are seaweeds plants? Why do they come in different colours? What role do they play in the ecosystem? As part of An Tír Faoi Thoinn – The Land Beneath the Waves outreach programme, Julie Grivotte, PhD researcher at the University of Galway, will answer these questions in a fun and interactive family-friendly workshop. Join Galway City Museum and explore the fascinating world of seaweeds! Interactive activities will include arranging seaweeds by colour, naming the different parts of the seaweeds, and identifying a few of the seaweed species. Book your free place by emailing Museum@GalwayCity.ie.
Launch: Tom Kenny's Old Galway - A Bird's Eye View
When: March 31st, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
Step into history and visit this exhibition of over 40 aerial photographs of Galway from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Tom Kenny’s Old Galway – A Bird’s Eye View brings together aerial photographs and elevated viewpoints that reveal the city’s streets, rivers, docks, and neighbourhoods from perspectives rarely seen in everyday life. While most of the images are aerial in nature, a small number capture the city from high vantage points, offering a similar bird’s-eye perspective on Galway’s changing landscape. The exhibition will be officially opened by Dick Byrne, historian, architect, and Tom Kenny’s collaborator on the Old Galway podcast, on Tuesday 31 March at The Kenny Gallery, Liosbán. Admission is free, and all are welcome!
Music: Metanoia
When: April 2nd, at 11.59pm
Where: Róisín Dubh
More information here
An indie pop/rock group from Galway. Formed in 2024, the band have been steadily growing a following playing original live shows across the country. Lead singer Nicole Murray, guitarist Aaron Griesbach, drummer Jenny Mannion and bassist Olivia Gordon. Inspired by the sounds of the ’90s alternative scene and contemporary indie pop, Metanoia are known for their catchy hooks, impressive melodies and tight rhythm section. Check them out on SoundCloud and Fanclub Streaming to get a taste of what makes them one of Galway’s stand out new bands.
Networking: Artist Career Day
When: April 4th, from 11am
Where: Outset Gallery
More information here
Join Outset Gallery for an informal Artist Career and Professional Development Day, taking place alongside the graduate exhibition Cornerstone. Aimed at students, recent graduates, and early-career artists, the event is shaped around the idea of “what they don’t tell you in college.” Through a series of panel discussions with artists and arts professionals, as well as information tables hosted by organisations including Catalyst, Engage Art Studios, Praxis Artist Union, 126 Artist-Run Gallery and Artspace Studios, the day offers practical insights, honest reflections, and opportunities to connect with others working across the arts.
Workshop: Our Heritage in Lego
When: April 8th, at 2.15pm
Where: Galway City Museum
More information here
Join brick artist Jessica Farrell for a heritage-themed LEGO® family workshop at Galway City Museum. Designed for families with children aged 7 and 13, this lively and collaborative workshop offers a creative introduction to Irish natural, cultural, and built heritage. Through guided activities, participants are encouraged to explore heritage themes while developing imagination, communication, and teamwork. Each family group (or ‘team’) may include up to four people, with a minimum of one adult and one child. This structure reflects the workshop’s core aim: to promote shared creativity and learning through building together. All LEGO® bricks and materials are provided. Admission is free, but advance booking is essential, as places are strictly limited. To book, please email Museum@GalwayCity.ie
Literature: Martin Doyle in conversation with Sarah Kenny
When: April 16th, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
Journalist, writer and Books Editor of The Irish Times, Martin Doyle, will be at Kennys Bookshop on April 16th, joining Sarah Kenny in conversation about his new book, A Hosting: Interviews with Irish Writers 1991-2025. About A Hosting: Interviews with Irish Writers 1991-2025 - Martin Doyle, Books Editor of The Irish Times, has been an arts journalist for almost 35 years and in that time has interviewed many of the most talented and successful Irish writers at different stages of their careers. This selection of his journalism offers a kaleidoscopic portrait of the Irish literary world as it has evolved in the past four decades. It provides booklovers with a privileged insight into the creative processes of many of their favourite writers, while serving as an appetiser for some of the greatest works of modern Irish fiction and nonfiction, both prizewinning titles and some overlooked gems which deserve to be rediscovered. Writers interviewed include: Sally Rooney, Claire Keegan, Roddy Doyle, Colm Tóibín, Claire Kilroy, Donal Ryan, Alice Taylor, Paul Murray.
Shop: Galway Indoor Market
When: April 25th, May 23rd, June 20th, from 11am
Where: Cornstore
More information here
Outset Design welcomes you back to the Cornstore this Spring / Summer for a diverse range of stalls that showcase the best of Vintage, Retro, Secondhand & Hand Made from Independent Businesses and Creative Individuals from Galway & beyond with live music from local musicians. Expect to discover new and retro vinyl, clothing, jewellery, furniture, crafts, originals art & botany. This is the perfect opportunity to select handcrafted & unique pieces from independent creatives, ideal for gifting loved ones too.
Exhibition: Ocean Voices - A Community-Based Marine Literacy Installation
When: May 2nd, from 10am
Where: Black Box Theatre
More information here
Students from Atlantic Technological University’s BA Early Childhood Education and Care programme and The Arts Council Artist in Residence JD Whitman, invite children, families and community to experience the culmination of their year-long project, Ocean Voices. Visitors will step inside a large-scale immersive installation created entirely from recycled plastics. Through sculptural forms, sound, and light, the installation explores marine biodiversity, plastic pollution, and ocean stewardship. Ocean Voices can be experienced from both the exterior and interior of the installation. Entry to the interior space involves crawling through a short plastic tunnel and may not be accessible for all visitors. The installation has been designed so visitors can still experience the sculptural elements, lighting, and soundscape from the exterior. If you have specific access requirements, event staff will be available to assist where possible.
Literature: Patrick Radden Keefe in Conversation with Tomás Kenny - NOW SOLD OUT
When: May 4th, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
Acclaimed writer Patrick Radden Keefe will be at Kennys Bookshop on May 4th, joining Tomás Kenny in conversation about his new book London Falling. About London Falling: In 2019, teenager Zac Brettler mysteriously fell to his death from a luxury apartment balcony into the Thames. As his grieving parents began to investigate his final days, they were shocked to learn that he’d been leading a double life, in which he was posing as the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. This unsolved case is at the heart of London Falling – at once a family tragedy, a psychological portrait of a young fabulist, and an indictment of the greed for extreme wealth that has transformed one of the world’s great cities: London. Hiding in the shadows of its great architecture and imperial history are the malignant, mercenary forces that have come to influence us all – whether we realise it or not.
Literature: Doireann Ní Ghríofa in conversation with Tómas Kenny
When: May 14th, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
Award-winning Irish author Doireann ní Ghríofa will be at Kennys Bookshop on May 14th, joining Tomás Kenny in conversation about her new book Said the Dead. About Said the Dead - In the city of Cork, a derelict Victorian mental hospital is being converted into modern apartments. One passerby has always flinched as she passes the place. Had her birth occurred in another decade, she too might have lived within those walls. Now, she notices a sign: FOR SALE. It is the first of many signs. Following them, she finds herself drawn into an irresistible river of forgotten voices, those of the women who knew this place best: insistent, vivid and true. They murmur from archives and old records; they whisper from stairwells and walls. Among them – and in one figure in particular — she may find meaning, solace, rage; her own salvation, perhaps, or her own vanishing? A work of sublime intensity and tenderness, Said the Dead breaks the boundaries between worlds — past and present, imagined and real — to make something lasting and new: an experience full of danger, full of love and full of truth.
Music: Croíthe
When: May 19th, at 11.59pm
Where: Róisín Dubh
More information here
Strange Brew presents Croíthe and special guests for a fun and fabulous midnight show at Róisín Dubh. Croíthe (KREE‑HA) are a Dublin-based post-punk/shoegaze band making waves with their dark, emotive sound. Their debut EP, A Brief Respite, hit #1 on Ireland’s Best-Selling Charts and #11 on the Independent Charts, earning praise from BBC Radio 6’s Steve Lamacq. After a busy 2025 touring the UK and Europe, 2026 promises to be a big year, with headline shows and further touring cementing their status as one of Dublin’s most exciting new acts.
Literature: Colm Tóibín in conversation with Tómas Kenny
When: May 25th, at 6pm
Where: Kennys Bookshop
More information here
Award-winning Irish writer Colm Tóibín will be at Kennys Bookshop on May 25th, joining Tomás Kenny in conversation about The News From Dublin. In The News from Dublin, a beautiful collection of short stories delves into the days and nights of those living far from home: lives of great longing, at a great distance from past lives and past selves. A woman in Galway hears of the death of her son in the First World War. An Irishman seeks anonymity in Barcelona, haunted by crimes he has committed. A man goes to Dublin from Enniscorthy to implore the Minister for Health for a special favour. A young woman is pregnant during the Spanish Civil War. An undocumented worker finds himself living an illegal life and must leave San Francisco, and his child, after thirty years in America. Three sisters who have been living in Argentina decide to return to Catalonia.
Dance: Céilí Afro Dabke Ukraine - World Music Dance Céilí
When: June 6th, at 7.30pm
Where: Black Box Theatre
More information here
Get ready to move! This vibrant world céilí celebrates the music and dance traditions from around the world including West African dance, Palestinian Dabke, Ukrainian dance, as well as the traditional Irish céilí dances – all to live music. Featuring a line-up of world-class musicians and dancers, this uplifting event invites everyone — seasoned dancers and complete beginners alike — onto the dancefloor. No experience needed and all ages are welcome — each dance style is taught as you go. Energised by live music, pulsating rhythms and the thrill of learning new cultural dance forms, this unique and joyous event will have you moving, smiling, sweating and wanting more. Come with friends, family or on your own — Céilí Afro Dabke Ukraine is an invitation to gather, meet new people, celebrate the richness of world cultures and dance.
Feature photo by Chaosheng Zhang
Published on Updated on
