Galway Culture Night 2023 was a roaring success and there was quite literally dancing in the streets as thousands came out to celebrate Galway city and county’s rich cultural scene. Let’s take a look at five of our favourite moments from the night!
Culture Night / Oíche Chultúir is a national moment, celebrating culture, creativity and the arts and seeks to actively promote the belief that this rich and varied culture is alive, treasured and nurtured in people’s lives, today and every day. Discover our Culture Nights highlights below..
1.The Streets of Galway city came to life
The atmosphere around the city streets on Culture Night was electric! Dancers, acrobats, stilt-walkers, singers and drummers could all be found entertaining crowds along the Latin Quarter and Middle Street where An Taibhdhearc had transformed the area into a futuristic Gaeltacht. There, they held performances of theatre, dance, music and more, throughout the night and together it made a spectacular spectacle of local artistic talents. Inside the neighbouring Cornstore, Outset Gallery and Yawlag Collective’s Tús Nua saw the launch of their latest art exhibition as well as a live music showcase with a dance floor, installations, lighting & a Funktion 1 sound system with performances from 4 DJs from the collective KEGS, Chucky ár ngrá, Slip Slydon, The Fluid Druid.
above: photo by Liam Carroll
2.Macnas wowed Athenry
Athenry was truly the place to be as Macnas brought together a parade with the gargantuan star of the night - Crom! Athenry came out in full to take a walk through the town with Crom the Giant and Macnas’ drummers and youth theatre, Crom was also joined by the Transition Year students of Colaiste an Eachréidh on his journey. Only adding to the magic of the night, there was a beautiful fireworks display that lit up the night skies in celebration of Londis' 20 years open in Athenry town.
above: photo by @emjcamera
3.Clifden Arts Festival x Culture Night came together in a memesiring display
It was a collaboration we never knew we needed but the Culture Night and Clifden Arts Festival merger on Omey Island was a beautiful visual arts show of Fire Horses. The Landscape Theatre Specialists LUXE presented a breathtaking illuminated procession of stunning lantern imagery and fiery horse sculptures on the enchanting shores of Omey Island. This event was a special celebration of the Connemara Pony Breeders’ Society’s centenary and pays homage to the rich history of tidal pony and horse racing on Omey beach. It was an utterly captivating display of artistry and culture against the backdrop of the beautiful Connemara landscape.
above: photo courtesy of Connemara Costal Cottages
4.Behind the scenes at Ros na Rún
It was both a phenomenal and rare opportunity to take a look behind the curtain at one of TG4’s most beloved series and Ireland’s only rural based TV dramas - Ros na Rún. Thanks to the good weather in the evening, visitors got to enjoy an in-depth guided tour of the Irish language TV set, and went behind the scenes to learn how the TV show is made. There was also an exclusive Q & A session with members of the production team, so visitors got all the inside scoop from this iconic Irish drama.
above: photo courtesy of Ros na Rún
5. A visit under the sea at Galway Atlantaquaria
It was an incredible experience the whole family could fall in love with, as attendees got to enjoy a fully guided tour and explore all the wonderful creatures that call the Galway Atlantaquaria their home. It was their largest event to date and there was a host of amazing performances from Aoife Welby, KaRoSal, Brian Keegan, Kate Duignan and the Ad Hoc Choir. Additionally, kids and adults alike got to partake in a fun scavenger hunt and join workshops on how to sing, learning about sounds, music, prose, and tempo. Some were even lucky enough to win some spot prizes too!
above: photo courtesy of Galway Atlantaquaria
This year's Galway Culture Night wouldn't have been possible without the support and assistance of Galway City Arts Office. To learn more about all the projects they are working on and the great work that they do, follow them on their socials - on Facebook, on Instagram and on Twitter.
Feature photo by Chaosheng Zhang
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