Tuesday Comedy Showcase with JJ Whitehead
Canadian comedian JJ Whitehead headlines Róisín Dubh’s showcase with Dan Stephens and additional guests, mixing fearless personal stories and social satire before the Silent Disco.
Gallery Lates
Join us for free events in our galleries every Thursday evening as part of Gallery Lates!
Late Opening: Deviations
Free late opening for the current exhibition, useful for arts readers and listed as upcoming this week.
Féile John Ford
Weekend celebrating John Ford’s Irish roots with film screenings, talks and cultural events through 2026-09-13.
Sáile Ocean Festival
Newly listed community ocean festival of film, workshops, science talks, food tasting and art, running through 2026-09-13.
The Quiet Man (1952) - Opening Gala
John Ford's The Quiet Man, one of the defining films of Irish cinema, screened as an opening gala.
Trolley Boy
A dance theatre piece set in a dark, endless shop, following Bob as he searches for meaning and belonging. A Crooked Thinking production.
Standún’s 80th Birthday Celebration
Standún marks eighty years supporting Irish design with designer pop-ups, meet-the-makers sessions, refreshments, competitions, discounts and special birthday celebrations throughout the afternoon.
The Informer – Féile John Ford Screening
Féile John Ford presents the director’s Oscar-winning 1935 drama The Informer, adapted from Liam O’Flaherty’s novel, in the filmmaker’s ancestral Connemara home.
A Moon for the Misbegotten
Druid’s Garry Hynes directs Eugene O’Neill’s classic drama, with Eileen Walsh, Marty Rea and Lorcan Cranitch exploring love, loss, family, belonging and escape.
Celtic Tales @ The Crane Bar
An evening of Celtic Tales storytelling, featuring myths, folklore and urban legends from Ireland and Scotland.
Tuesday Comedy Showcase with John O’Keefe
John O’Keefe headlines Róisín Dubh’s Tuesday comedy showcase, featuring established and emerging stand-ups, with admission also including a pint and entry to the Silent Disco.
Celtic Tales @ The Crane
An evening of Celtic Tales storytelling, featuring myths, folklore and urban legends from Ireland and Scotland.
Dylan Moran: Looking For Trouble | Exclusive Tour Warm-up
BAFTA and Perrier-winning comedian Dylan Moran previews his brand-new Looking For Trouble show, bringing existential observations, sharp one-liners and trademark cynical storytelling to an intimate warm-up.
Galway Cartoon Festival launch
Public programme launch with drinks, speeches and drawing ahead of the city’s cartoon festival.
Celtic Tales @ The Crane Bar
Storytelling night exploring Irish and Scottish myths, folklore and urban legends with comedy, magic and adventure, held weekly at Galway's iconic traditional music pub.
Ciorcal Comhra @ Súil Eile Space
See event page for more info.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger
Concert documentary captures Oasis’s Live ’25 reunion through rehearsals, backstage and onstage access plus Liam and Noel Gallagher’s first joint interviews in over twenty years.
Celtic Tales @ The Crane Bar
An evening of Celtic Tales storytelling, featuring myths, folklore and urban legends from Ireland and Scotland.
Festival Book Club
Free festival opening-day book-club gathering at Portumna Library brings readers together for literary discussion as Shorelines Arts Festival begins its main programme.
I Fall Down: A Restoration Comedy
Gina Moxley’s immersive feminist restoration comedy mixes lecture, opera, dance, video and participatory clay modelling while challenging women’s erasure from traditional art history.
Mark Kermode Presents Gang of Three
BBC film critic Mark Kermode’s Gang of Three performs Gang of Four’s influential album Entertainment! in full, recreating its angular funk and urgent post-punk energy.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger
Concert documentary captures Oasis’s Live ’25 reunion through rehearsals, backstage and onstage access plus Liam and Noel Gallagher’s first joint interviews in over twenty years.
Presentation of Barbara Kennedy Writing Awards
Free public presentation celebrates winners of Shorelines’ Barbara Kennedy Writing Awards at Portumna Library, spotlighting local and emerging writing during the festival’s opening day.
Red Line Comedy Club at Busker Brownes
Red Line Comedy Club returns with Enda Whitney headlining alongside Seán Ryan and emerging comics, with an intimate top-floor show and a complimentary Heineken included.
Comhrá agus Ceol
Free Shorelines Arts Festival gathering at Portumna Library combines Irish-language conversation and music in a welcoming community setting during the festival’s Friday programme.
Distillation with Luke Casserly
Artist Luke Casserly presents Distillation at Portumna Courthouse, with three Friday performances exploring environmental memory, landscape and transformation through an intimate contemporary arts experience.
I Fall Down: A Restoration Comedy
Gina Moxley’s immersive feminist restoration comedy mixes lecture, opera, dance, video and participatory clay modelling while challenging women’s erasure from traditional art history.
Sáile – Opening and Expert Discussion Panel: The Changing Atlantic
Sáile Ocean Festival opens with Galway marine scientists discussing noise, plastics and chemical pollution, coastal impacts and practical community responses to a changing Atlantic.
Shorelines Shorts
Shorelines Arts Festival presents a curated programme of short films at the Boathouse Bar, offering an accessible evening showcase of concise independent screen storytelling.
Shorelines Stories at Curley’s
Free lunchtime storytelling session brings local voices and festival visitors together at Curley’s Bar for informal tales, conversation and community atmosphere during Shorelines.
You Will Die in Prison – An Irishman’s Hostage Story
Shorelines screens a documentary exploring an Irishman’s hostage story and imprisonment, bringing a compelling real-life account to Portumna’s Boathouse Bar for a Friday matinee.
Aistear: The Irish American Experience
Féile John Ford panel explores Irish-American identity and migration through the filmmaker’s legacy, bringing historians and cultural commentators together in his ancestral Connemara.
Creative Non-Fiction for Adults with David McLoghlin
Writer David McLoghlin leads an adult creative non-fiction workshop at Shorelines, helping participants develop real-life material through craft, structure and reflective writing exercises.
Cultural hub exhibition, Deviations
John Rainey exhibition continues at Galway Arts Centre, with late openings on Thursdays and public access throughout the run.
Drawing The Crowd with Val O’Donnell & Tim Casey
Val O’Donnell and Tim Casey bring Drawing The Crowd to Portumna Courthouse, combining creative performance and audience engagement for an intimate Shorelines evening event.
Fireside Conversation with Dympna Byrne Fahy & Grainne Hayes
Dympna Byrne Fahy and Grainne Hayes share a free Shorelines fireside conversation, offering personal reflections and stories in an informal Saturday afternoon festival setting.
Flesh and The Devil @ Silent Cinema
See event page for more info.
Oral History Project – Workshops
Interactive workshop series with Andrew Flynn and Jarlath Tivnan, listed on Galway Arts Centre’s September programme.
Palette Knife Painting with Dana Sorokina
Artist Dana Sorokina leads a festival painting workshop exploring expressive palette-knife techniques, giving adult participants practical guidance while creating their own textured artwork.
Sáile – Expert Discussion Panel: Restoration & Resilience
Marine scientists discuss practical coastal restoration, from dunes to oyster reefs, examining how nature-based solutions can protect biodiversity, communities and Galway’s shoreline.
Sáile Documentary Screening + Q&A with Ciara NicChormaic
Screening of Sáile follows Carrie Crowley exploring Ireland’s connection with salt water, followed by a live question-and-answer session with director Ciara NicChormaic.
Shorelines Shorts – Saturday Screening
Shorelines presents another curated programme of short films at the Boathouse Bar, showcasing concise independent screen stories in an accessible Saturday afternoon screening.
Shorelines Stories at Curley’s – Saturday
Free lunchtime storytelling returns to Curley’s Bar, bringing local voices, festival visitors and informal tales together in a relaxed community setting during Shorelines.
Sing from Scratch
Carmel Dooley leads a welcoming adult singing workshop for Shorelines, inviting participants to build confidence, explore their voices and enjoy making music together.
That Old House Ireland – Self-Guided Tour
Free self-guided Shorelines tour invites visitors to explore an old Portumna house on Dominic Street, discovering architectural details, history and stories at their own pace.
The Plough and the Stars – Féile John Ford Screening
Féile John Ford screens the director’s 1936 adaptation of Seán O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars as part of its weekend film programme.
The Quiet Men
Morgan C. Jones performs a one-man theatre piece about actors Barry Fitzgerald and Arthur Shields, their revolutionary-era lives and enduring creative partnership with John Ford.
You Will Die in Prison – Saturday Screening
Shorelines screens the documentary exploring an Irishman’s hostage ordeal and imprisonment, bringing a compelling real-life story to Portumna for a second festival showing.
Hangman’s House (1928) – Féile John Ford Screening
Féile John Ford screens the director’s 1928 silent romantic drama Hangman’s House as the festival’s Sunday programme continues in his ancestral Connemara home.
Lines Learned By Heart Recitation Competition
Shorelines’ popular free recitation competition invites poetry lovers to perform memorised verse, continuing the Nicholas Treacy tradition in an informal Sunday morning setting.
Sold outMike Rice
Mike Rice brings his Cruel Little Man stand-up show to Monroe’s, mixing sharp storytelling, psychedelics, family misadventures and characteristically wicked observations. Currently sold out.
My Darling Clementine (1946) – Féile John Ford Screening
Féile John Ford closes with the director’s celebrated 1946 western My Darling Clementine, starring Henry Fonda in one of Ford’s defining American frontier films.
Paddy Cullivan’s The Murder of Michael Collins
Paddy Cullivan combines hundreds of images, original songs and forensic research in an audiovisual historical show investigating unanswered questions around Michael Collins’s fatal ambush.
Pen Power – Reflections & Readings
Four contemporary writers discuss and read from the novel, poetry, short story and memoir, offering a lively Shorelines conversation on different forms of literary craft.
Sáile – Trasna na dTonnta Art Gallery
Ten local artists exhibit ocean-inspired work at Sáile’s closing-day gallery, followed by a lively SambaWave performance marking the festival finale beside the Corrib.
Scéal: New Screen Stories
TG4-backed panel explores contemporary screen storytelling and transatlantic Irish-American connections, drawing on archive material and voices from both sides of the Atlantic.
Shorelines Stories at Curley’s – Sunday
Shorelines’ informal storytelling series returns to Curley’s Bar for a free Sunday lunchtime session featuring local voices, fictional tales and Portumna-inspired community stories.
Siamsa Cois Teachlaigh
See event page for more info.
The Great BIG BIG Screen Quiz
WOMP Events hosts a movie-themed multimedia quiz spanning cult classics and fan favourites, with trivia, music, video, quote rounds, team prizes and fancy dress.
Clifden Film Society Presents: John Behan Odyssey
Clifden Film Society screens John Behan: Odyssey, a documentary tracing the celebrated Irish sculptor’s life, prolific career and artistic journey. Part of Clifden Arts Festival.
Stitch and Bitch @ Blue Note (14 Sep)
See event page for more info.
A Moon for the Misbegotten
Garry Hynes directs Druid’s production of Eugene O’Neill’s classic drama, with Eileen Walsh, Marty Rea and Lorcan Cranitch exploring grief, longing and family.
Trad on the Prom 2026
A contemporary Irish show featuring an electrifying mix of traditional Irish music, song and dance.
Trad on the Prom 2026
A contemporary Irish show featuring an electrifying mix of traditional Irish music, song and dance.
Meet the Fawkers – Dolly Parton/Country Tribute Night
Meet the Fawkers bring a free Dolly Parton and country tribute night to Sally Longs, promising familiar songs and a lively late-evening city-centre gig.
Run To The Beast – Iron Maiden Tribute
Iron Maiden tribute Run To The Beast recreates classic heavy-metal anthems, soaring vocals and twin-guitar energy in a standing over-18s Friday-night show.
Sell Everything
Dublin DIY outfit SELL EVERYTHING bring psychedelic indie, dub-soaked textures and off-kilter grooves to Róisín Dubh’s intimate Top Bar for an over-18s show.
The Blades
Dublin new-wave legends The Blades return to Galway with Paul Cleary’s sharp songwriting, brass-driven arrangements and cult favourites from their celebrated Reekus catalogue.
Cody Pennington Country Show
Nashville's Cody Pennington brings his electrifying country show back to Ireland with hits including 'Downtown' and 'Cowboy Sitting at the Bar'.
John Conneely Inc.
Galway ensemble John Conneely Inc. moves from Django Reinhardt and Nina Simone to eighties and nineties favourites, with saxophone, keyboards, dobro, flutes and guests.
Trad on the Prom 2026
A contemporary Irish show featuring an electrifying mix of traditional Irish music, song and dance.
The Rising – Decades Tour
Irish trad band The Rising celebrates ten years with its Decades Tour, blending driving rhythms, rich harmonies and modern folk energy, with support from Ciaran Quigley.
Trad on the Prom 2026
A contemporary Irish show featuring an electrifying mix of traditional Irish music, song and dance.
Galway Ceili Club
Every Monday and Tuesday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 pm, a lively dive into Irish culture at Kennedy's Bar on Eyre Square.
Trad Session
See event page for more info.
Trad session
See event page for more info.
Ancient Hostility
See event page for more info.
Galway Ukulele Open Session @ Mechanics Institute
See event page for more info.
Galway's Jazz Jam @ Ol 55'
See event page for more info.
Queer Canaries LGBTQIA+ Choir @ Teach Solais
See event page for more info.
Salthouse Jam Session
See event page for more info.
Sharon Shannon and Alan Connor at Tig Chóilí
Accordionist Sharon Shannon and musician Alan Connor play a free afternoon set at Tig Cóilí, bringing acclaimed Irish traditional music into the Latin Quarter pub.
Trad Session
See event page for more info.
Traditional Irish music session
See event page for more info.
Kara-Okay
See event page for more info.
Meet the Fawkers
See event page for more info.
Roscommon Men’s Choir & Omna Singers
Roscommon Men’s Choir and Portumna’s Omna Singers share a Thursday-night concert at Portumna Town Hall, opening Shorelines’ main festival programme with community choral music.
Shear Country Concert in aid of Cuan Mhuire Treatment Centre
Country stars including Philomena Begley, Ray Lynam, Sandy Kelly and Trudi Lalor unite for a charity concert supporting Cuan Mhuire’s addiction treatment services.
The Goodtime String Band
See event page for more info.
The Infamous Open Mic Night @ Ol'55 (Thursday edition)
See event page for more info.
The Second Drop @ Fibber Magees
See event page for more info.
Trad Thursdays
See event page for more info.
Absent 036: EMO Night Galway
Late-night music event at Monroe’s Backstage Room, currently listed on Eventbrite for Galway.
Christy Moore
Irish folk icon Christy Moore returns to Leisureland for an intimate Galway concert, drawing on five decades of songs, storytelling and audience connection.
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh Trio in Concert
Award-winning singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and her trio headline Shorelines’ Friday evening with traditional Irish song, contemporary arrangements and exceptional instrumental musicianship.
Chat,craic & live music @ Kings Head
See event page for more info.
Digital – Playing the Music of Joy Division & New Order
DIGITAL celebrates ten years performing Joy Division and New Order, moving from raw post-punk classics to synth-driven anthems including Blue Monday and Temptation.
From Galway to Fiji: The Music of Fr. Kelly
Máirín Fahy, Yvonne Fahy and Patsy Broderick perform music celebrating Fr. Kelly, tracing a musical journey from Galway to Fiji in Christ Church.
Live Music
See event page for more info.
Love Letter with Camille O’Sullivan
Cabaret star Camille O’Sullivan headlines Shorelines with Love Letter, bringing her theatrical voice, dramatic storytelling and distinctive interpretations to Portumna’s Saturday-night festival programme.
SambaWave – Afro-Brazilian Drumming
SambaWave brings free Afro-Brazilian drumming performances to Portumna’s streets, filling the town centre with energetic rhythms and roaming festival atmosphere throughout Saturday.
Sublithic @ Electric
See event page for more info.
The Turfmen
Cork folk group The Turfmen blend Irish traditional music, storytelling and contemporary songwriting in an intimate Galway show, with support from The Tribesmen.
The Wildboyz – Duran Duran Experience
The Wildboyz recreate Duran Duran’s glossy 1980s new-wave sound, performing hits including Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf in a standing tribute show.
Wallis Bird
Irish indie-folk artist Wallis Bird headlines Roisín Dubh with an intimate performance showcasing her distinctive vocals, guitar work and emotionally charged songwriting.
Capital, Meet The Fawkers, The Trees @ Ol 55'
See event page for more info.
Folk at the Boathouse Bar with Nach Tú
Local folk duo Nach Tú bring an intimate Sunday lunchtime concert to the Boathouse Bar, adding acoustic song and relaxed live music to Shorelines’ closing day.
Open Mic Night
See event page for more info.
The Art of Song with Pascal Kennedy & Sophie Ward
Pascal Kennedy and Sophie Ward present an afternoon classical recital exploring the expressive art of song in Portumna’s atmospheric Christ Church during Shorelines Arts Festival.
The Ol 55 Emerging Artist Series Phase II Night 4
See event page for more info.
Tom Portman
See event page for more info.
Fight House @ Dew Drop Inn (14 Sep)
See event page for more info.
Galway Ceili Club
Every Monday and Tuesday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 pm, a lively dive into Irish culture at Kennedy's Bar on Eyre Square.
Session
See event page for more info.
Sisco: Silent Disco
Late-night silent disco at Róisín Dubh, aimed at an adult crowd and suited to readers looking for a music-led city-centre night out.
Trad Mondays
See event page for more info.
Galway Ceili Club
Every Monday and Tuesday evening from 7:30 to 9:30 pm, a lively dive into Irish culture at Kennedy's Bar on Eyre Square.
The Infamous Open Mic Night @ Ol'55
See event page for more info.
Trad Session
See event page for more info.
Trad session
See event page for more info.
Event: Language Exchange @ Salt House
See event page for more info.
Silent Disco On Tuesdays
Includes a free shot of Jagermeister.
Latino Social Club @ Seven
See event page for more info.
Bí Liom Bí
See event page for more info.
Powerhaus
See event page for more info.
Silent Disco On Tuesdays
Includes a free shot of Jagermeister.
Jake Fitz @ The Loft, Galway Freshers Week
A Freshers Week club night at The Loft. 18+ event.
Candle Making at Massimo
Blackthorn Candles leads a relaxed hands-on workshop where guests pour and fragrance a luxury soy candle, with all materials and a complimentary drink included.
Reimagining Ireland’s Night-Time Economy with David McWilliams
Economist David McWilliams headlines a free Galway Chamber event exploring third spaces, evolving night-time venues and what a stronger evening economy could mean for Galway.
Create, Sip & Give Back
Blackthorn Candles leads a candle-making fundraiser with a welcome cocktail, canapés and a personalised take-home creation, with proceeds supporting Galway Hospice patients and families.
Deirdre O'Kane - Work in Progress
See event page for more info.
Digital @ Monroe's
See event page for more info.
Galway Autumn Game Jam 2026
See event page for more info.
Lisa Richards presents Gearóid Farrelly: No Pressure
See event page for more info.
Live Musiv
See event page for more info.
The Glass Onion Band
See event page for more info.
TTRPGs at The PorterShed 11th September
See event page for more info.
West Coast Punx @ Ol 55'
See event page for more info.
Ladies DIY Skills Class – Galway
See event page for more info.
Last Orders
See event page for more info.
The Unusual Suspects
See event page for more info.
Event: Language Exchange @ Salt House (15 Sep)
See event page for more info.
Gaelforce Great Fjord Swim 2026
Open-water swimmers tackle three distances in spectacular Killary Fjord, with wetsuit and non-wetsuit categories amid dramatic Connemara mountain and Atlantic scenery.
Green Earth Organics Sustainability Festival
Inaugural farm festival celebrates twenty years of Green Earth Organics with sustainability talks, farm walks, cookery demonstrations, food trucks and live music.
Galway Dodgeball Training
See event page for more info.
Galway Races September Meeting – Day 2
Second day of Galway’s September meeting features eight flat races, including the Ardilaun Hotel Oyster Stakes, with music, food facilities and family-friendly admission arrangements.
Light UP: An Integrative Approach to Health, Wellbeing & Human Potential
Miriam Hussey leads a Shorelines talk exploring an integrative approach to health, wellbeing and human potential, connecting practical ideas with personal development and resilience.
Outdoors: Dips for Health
A free sociable sea dip between 12.30pm and 1.30pm; refreshments provided, all welcome.
Féile na mBád Mháimin Leitir Móir Hooker Regatta 2026
Traditional two-day regatta showcases Galway Hookers and currachs, including Bád Mór, Gleoiteog, Leathbhád and Púcán classes, celebrating Connemara’s distinctive maritime heritage.
Sáile – Voice of the Seashore
Lelia Ní Chathmhaoil leads an art-and-ecology workshop using shoreline-found materials to build sculptures and creatively transform life-size recycled character Polly Carbonate.
The Healing Body of Birds: A Voice & Movement Workshop
Avia Gurman Murphy and Geoff Brennan lead a participatory Shorelines workshop combining voice and movement, drawing inspiration from birds, embodiment and creative physical expression.
Galway Whiskey Club Clonakilty Tasting
Galway Whiskey Club samples six Clonakilty drams from West Cork, with a complimentary welcome drink, guided tasting conversation and small plates included between pours.
Pasta Making Workshop with Lia of Pastacrisciut
Lia of Pastacrisciut teaches three Southern Italian pasta shapes using organic semolina, followed by a traditional Italian meal, bubbles and guests taking home their handmade pasta.
Cleggan Fringe Festival 2026
New three-day village festival celebrates Cleggan’s music and seafood heritage with live gigs, food and drink stalls, traditional sessions and sean-nós dancing through Sunday.
DJ on the Fjord – Great Fjord Swim After Party
Killary’s first Great Fjord Swim after-party brings a live DJ, food, fire pits and late-night dancing beside the fjord, with shuttle buses to Leenane.
Sáile – Meitheal Mara: Taste of Galway & Local Groups
Sáile’s waterfront community gathering combines sustainable food, marine organisations, environmental stalls, short heritage talks and live music celebrating Galway’s relationship with the ocean.
The OG South Indian Night - Galway Edition
Public nightlife event at Seven Bridgestreet, currently live on Eventbrite’s Galway listings.
An Introduction to Mexican Cooking at Aniar
Chef JP McMahon leads a full-day hands-on class exploring Mexican techniques and flavours, including tortillas, salsas, ceviche, carnitas, mole and regional ingredients.
Face Painting with Giselle
Free family face painting with Giselle runs outside Portumna Library during Shorelines, adding colourful drop-in entertainment for children between late morning and early afternoon.
Poetry is Fun! Children’s Writing Workshop
Writer David McLoghlin leads a playful poetry workshop for children aged ten to thirteen, using creative exercises to make writing lively, accessible and enjoyable.
Random Acts of Puppetry
Free pop-up puppetry performances appear throughout Portumna Library during Shorelines, bringing playful characters, visual storytelling and unexpected family entertainment into the festival day.
Sáile – Climate Canvas Workshop
Hands-on Sáile workshop combines theatre, art and nature-based climate ideas as participants create a collaborative recycled-material vision for Galway’s future coastline.
Sáile – Ocean Art with Lara Luxardi
Child-friendly ocean art workshop invites ages six to twelve to create underwater ecosystems using mixed-media techniques while learning about marine life and conservation.
Autumn Nature Day
Free autumn nature programme features forest bathing, seed-saving, family woodland storytelling and hands-on biodiversity activities, with expert-led sessions running throughout the day.