Tonnta: Celebrating the Irish Language in Galway on St Brigid’s Weekend

Following huge success in 2024, Tonnta, Galway’s unique festival, celebrating the Irish language and Galway as a bilingual city is back! Tonnta will run from January 30th to February 2nd, 2025. Find out more here...

Galway is Ireland’s only bilingual city and Tonnta invites everyone to try out, however much or little you have of the language in a fun and exciting environment, whether that be at the free Céilí Mór and fire shows in Eyre Square or at the concerts, workshops, talks, food tours and family events taking place in venues such as the Town Hall Theatre, An Taibhdhearc, Druid Theatre and the PorterShed over the weekend. All will be bilingual, accessible and welcoming.

Headlining the Festival will be the Máirtín O’Connor Trio with special guest Padraig Jack at the Town Hall Theatre on Sunday February 2nd, plus Jiggy in the Róisín Dubh on Friday the 31st, January, and Ríoghnach Connolly in An Taibhdhearc on Saturday, the 1st February. With the support of Creative Ireland, James Riordan of Brú Theatre Company, is developing a new work for sharing at An Taibhdhearc on Friday, January 31st.

A big part of the Tonnta Festival programme is free including talks and workshops taking place in the PorterShed a Dó, Market Street, on Saturday February 1st including bilingual yoga and the cosy crafting club hosted by Kayte O’Malley. There will be a special screening of the awarding-winning bilingual film Froggie at Pálás followed by a panel discussion.

This year, with the support of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Lá na bPáistí will be moving to Knocknacarra on Sunday, February 2nd featuring games, workshops, circus skills, face painting and kid’s disco.
Knocknacarra is one of the two designated Gaeltacht areas in Galway City.

Also on Saturday 1st, Tonnta takes over Eyre Square with a free Céilí Mór (2pm to 5pm) and a Fire Spectacle at 5pm and 7pm, celebrating the unique expressiveness of the Irish language through some of its more lyrical words. The Dirty Circus is back by popular demand to close the festival on Sunday, February 2nd.

Tonnta is an initiative of Gaillimh le Gaeilge, which works to enhance the visibility and audibility of the Irish language in Gaillimh | Galway. It is co-funded by Galway City Council, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Creative Ireland, Foras na Gaeilge through Galway City’s Irish Language Plan and with special support from Fáilte Ireland, and TG4.

Bríd Ní Chonghóile, CEO of Gaillimh le Gaeilge is looking forward to the second edition of Tonnta; "Táimid ríméadach go bhfuil Tonnta 2025 ag tarlú arís an bhliain seo chugainn, a bhuíochas sin don tacaíocht atá muid ag fáil ónár n-urraitheoirí flaithiúla, ó Chairde Tonnta chomh maith leis an tóir agus leis an meas atá ag muintir na Gaillimhe ar a leithéid d’fhéile a bheith ag tarlú sa chathair. In keeping with the success of Tonnta 24, we plan on presenting a seamless symphony of bilingual events to encourage more people to enjoy the Irish language and its wonderful culture while getting involved, having fun, and being inspired."

For more information visit
www.tonnta.eu