Rhod Gilbert, Dylan Moran, Deirdre O’Kane, Paul Smith, Jack Dee, Omid Djalili, Rich Hall, Emma Doran, Phill Jupitus, Aoife Dunne, Chris McCausland & Rachel Galvo to lead the laughs at Galway Comedy Festival 2025. Check out this year's lineup right here...
Thrilling news for comedy fans as Galway Comedy Festival has revealed its full programme for this October Bank Holiday. #GCF25 is bursting at the seams with comedy brilliance, all part of a 70-strong line-up of international stars, homegrown comedy greats, and emerging talent, playing 69 shows across 16 venues over 7 days and nights. With tickets going on sale at 10am this Tues 16th September, you’d best start planning your week of ‘carefully curated craic’.
Among the international talent Galway-bound are Persian powerhouse Omid Djalili; Liverpool’s viral comedy sensation Paul Smith; Welsh master of laughter Rhod Gilbert; Festival favourites Rich Hall & Phill Jupitus; as well as big names from the small screen, Chris McCausland & Jack Dee.
Homegrown heavy hitters include Dylan Moran, Ireland’s Queen of Comedy Deirdre O’Kane, Andrew Maxwell, Al Porter, David McSavage & Barry Murphy; as well as fast-rising stars Aoife Dunne & Rachel Galvo.
The 70-strong line-up of artists will perform in 16 venues across Galway City & County, but the centre of activity will be Pálás Cinema. This unique cultural space will become the Festival mothership for an entire week - and a little bit more. This means tonnes of live comedy, in unrivalled comfort and style, across three plush rooms.
Festival Director, Kevin Healy said: "As part of our Festival, we plan to turn Pálás Cinema into one of the finest comedy venues in Ireland. We are very excited & grateful that Galway City Council are giving us a chance to breathe new life into the space. We're there for a good time, not a long time!”
Few cities can host a festival like Galway, and with the addition of Pálás Cinema, this year’s Festival will concentrate the craic like nowhere else. This is the ideal time and place to banish those winter blues. Expect nothing but fun from the likes of Tom Rhodes, Danny O’Brien, Kai Humphries, Micky Bartlett, John Colleary, Anna Clifford, Bernard Casey & Sinéad Quinlan in brilliant mixed-bill shows. Róisín Dubh, the home of comedy in the west, will be the location for an array of solo shows & mixed bills from Rich Hall, Rachel Galvo, Paddy McDonnell & The Improv All Stars. Revellers can also close out their nights in Róisín Dubh with live bands & club nights at the Bulmers Festival Club - including Silent Disco, Steve n’ Seagulls, John Conneely Inc. & Brogeal.
#GCF25 believes comedy is not only entertainment, but a genuine art form. The Festival features much more than stand-up, including classic sitcom events like Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience and the Stars of Father Ted with Joe Rooney, Patrick McDonnell & Kevin Gildea. It also offers Irish language comedy with Gaire as Gaeilge hosted by Hector Ó hEochagáin, and Polish stand-up from Aleksandra Radomska.
Podcast fans can have their laughter immortalised at the live recordings of Keep It Tight (Deirdre O’Kane and Emma Doran), Eejits Of The World (Andrew Maxwell and Glenn Wool), The Creep Dive & How To Gael.
Galway Comedy Festival are grateful for the generous support of its Partners, especially Galway City Council, Bulmers, the Official Cider of #GCF25, Media Partners at Today FM, Galway’s Latin Quarter, Galway’s Vintner Association, Róisín Dubh, GCF’s Accommodation Partners, and the many local businesses who support the Festival through the Friends Of Comedy initiative.
Tickets for Galway Comedy Festival (Tues 21 - Mon 27 Oct) go on sale 10am Tuesday 16 September. For tickets and the full Festival programme, see www.GalwayComedyFestival.ie
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