Tonnta will get Galway’s 2027 festival season underway, with more than 20 Irish-language/bilingual events taking place across 15 venues from 28–31 January 2027. Discover all about it below...
Created by Gaillimh le Gaeilge, Tonnta celebrates Irish as a living, creative and welcoming part of life in Galway. The festival has something for everyone — whether you’re a fluent Irish speaker, an Irish learner, or simply keen to discover more about the language and culture.
With free bilingual events throughout the programme, Tonnta invites everyone to experience Irish in a relaxed, lively and inclusive way. Galway’s much-loved venues will come alive throughout the weekend, with events taking place at An Taibhdhearc, Róisín Dubh and The Mick Lally Theatre, as well as venues across the city and beyond.
Tonnta 2027 brings a stellar line-up of Irish-language and bilingual talent. IMRAM AN 424: AN BUS GO DTÍ AN GHEALCHATHAIR, featuring music from Trá Pháidín, comes to The Mick Lally Theatre on Friday, 29th January. On Saturday, 30th January, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, joined by Aniar, performs at An Taibhdhearc, while SexyTadhg brings the party to the Róisín Dubh.
Galway’s own Breda Larkin will host Níl aon Seó! Mar Sheó Sheosaimh! - a bilingual night of comedy at The Mick Lally Theatre on Saturday, 30 January.
And there’s plenty more to come! Many more exciting acts and events will be announced in the coming weeks, with further additions set to make Tonnta 2027 even bigger. Keep an eye on tonnta.eu and Tonnta’s social channels for the latest announcements.
pictured above: Katie Shackleton, Milestone Inventive, festival coordinators; Tomás Ó Síocháin, Údarás na Gaeltachta, a sponsor of Tonnta 2027; and Bríd Ní Chonghóile, Gaillimh le Gaeilge, festival organisers.
The Tonnta weekend gets underway on Thursday, 28 January, when Plámás Café hosts a lively traditional music session, the perfect way to start the weekend.
There’s plenty on offer for younger festival-goers and families too. On Friday, 29 January, Cúla4 takes over Galway City Library for an afternoon of creative after-school activities. Then, on Saturday, 30 January, The Mick Lally Theatre hosts a full programme of free bilingual events, with activities including Brigid’s cross-weaving, storytelling and more.
Families can keep the fun going on Sunday, 31 January, when Lá na bPáistí returns to Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra, one of Galway’s two designated Gaeltacht areas. Expect workshops, games, circus skills, creative play and a kids’ disco.
And there’s no missing the spectacle in Eyre Square on Saturday, 30 January, when the free VolkidÁna Procession takes to the streets in a colourful celebration of the Irish language. Tonnta 2027 also celebrates Galway’s unique connection with the Gaeltacht and Connemara, with Turas Folláine ar Chonamara taking festival-goers beyond the city on Sunday, 31 January.
The festival has something for everyone — whether you’re a fluent Irish speaker, an Irish learner, or simply keen to discover more about the language and culture. Find the full programme and book your tickets at www.tonnta.eu.
Tonnta is an initiative of Gaillimh le Gaeilge, helping people reconnect with Irish, enjoy the language and bring more of it into their everyday lives. It is part of Gaillimh le Gaeilge’s wider ambition to see Galway recognised as a Gaeltacht Service Town and to encourage more people to use and speak Irish across the city.
The festival is co-funded by Foras na Gaeilge, through the Galway City Language Plan, Galway City Council, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Tesco and AskAcorn with special support from Lally Tours, Carey Building Construction and the Claddagh Credit Union. TG4, Cúla4, RTÉ Supporting the Arts, The Latin Quarter and Village Salthill also support this vibrant bilingual festival.
Bríd Ní Chonghóile, CEO of Gaillimh le Gaeilge, shares her excitement for the festival: “Bí linn agus muid ag ceiliúradh na Gaeilge, oidhreacht Naomh Bríde agus féiniúlacht dhátheangach na Gaillimhe!
This is a particularly special year for us, as Gaillimh le Gaeilge celebrates 40 years and the Tonnta Festival returns for its fourth year. Tonnta is about helping people reconnect with Irish, enjoy the language and bring more of it into their everyday lives. We want to see Irish thriving across Galway City, as part of our ambition to have Galway recognised as a Gaeltacht Service Town.
Tá muid thar a bheith buíoch to all of our sponsors and supporters, whose generosity and commitment make Tonnta possible. Le chéile, we are celebrating Galway’s bilingual identity and the rich Irish-language culture of the Gaeltacht on our doorstep – go raibh míle maith agaibh.”
For more information: www.tonnta.eu
Photos by Sean Lydon, courtesy of Tonnta.
Main image of the sponsors and supporters of Tonnta 2027 gather for a photo at the launch of the festival’s headliners, with some of the artists set to feature in the 2027 programme pictured in the background.
Front row (L–R): Sally-Ann O’Brien and Richie McCarthy, Galway City Council, with Bríd Ní Chonghóile, Gaillimh le Gaeilge, organisers of Tonnta 2027.
Back row (L–R): Máirtín Óg Lally, Lally Tours; Majella Ní Chríocháin, IMRAM; Clodagh Carey and Janice Lyons, Carey Building Construction; David Hayes, Ask Acorn; and Lisa Stewart and Ted Coyle, Claddagh Credit Union.
