Galway International Arts Festival 2025: Locals and visitors react as festival opens in Eyre Square
Despite the wet start, with Met Eireann issuing a thunderstorm warning for most of Monday afternoon, the event has already attracted hundreds of expectant people from far and wide.
Ames: New to Galway, excited for first arts festival
Speaking to the Irish Independent at the Festival Garden in Eyre Square, Ames, who has only been living in the town of the Tribes for five weeks, said he loves the atmosphere already.
'It's absolutely lovely. Everybody's very cheerful and the arts are absolutely beautiful.
Talking about the shows ahead, he added: 'I'm going to be looking at the schedule soon. It's all new to me, but it's very exciting. I was a big, big fan of the arts festivals in the States and I come from Tucson, which is known for gemstones and art festivals. So I'm just super excited.'
John: Galway native celebrates festival tradition
Not too far from him we met Galway city native John, who said he has enjoyed GIAF since he was a child.
'It's quite a fun time, it always brings a lovely vibrant energy to the city. I love to just exploring and walk around.'
'There's a lot of stuff when you finish work, people in the city can just run up to it and have a look at it. I think that's what makes the Galway Arts Festival so unique.
'It's so accessible for everyone. We've just walked up the city there and we've been to two installations already and I think that's what makes it so unique. It's kind of alive. It's not in a gallery, behind a building or something, it's alive,' he said.
Eve: 20-year resident says festival has 'something for everyone'
Eve is also a festival regular as she has been living in Galway city for 20 years.
She explained that her favourite thing about the festival is that 'there's something for everyone'.
She added: 'I think everybody from Galway loves [the festival],' she said. 'It brings a real great vibe and you get to see nice things. It's something different, like the circus last night was amazing with Sabotage. So I'd say anyone out there, come to Galway.'
The festival is also a special event for staff and business owners. The much-loved Tiny Traders Market has been set up in the festival garden and will use the opportunity to showcase some of its vendors.
Martha Begley Schade: Author calls festival stall 'fantastic honour'
One of those sellers is children books author, Martha Begley Schade, who said it is a 'fantastic honour and pleasure' for her to be part of it and have a stall at the Festival Garden.
She said: 'I think it's absolutely wonderful. The atmosphere here is just really great. People are friendly and there's a class, a class feeling about being here. I'm never asked 'are you the author?' Because people just take it for granted that this is the standard that we're bringing.
'It's a wonderful opportunity to actually showcase your products and a bit of Galway to right around the world and it's a lovely feeling because I do feel I'm representing Galway in a small way.
'My dream is that the books will have an impact, so that I have a positive influence on children growing up and being better adults. So can you imagine taking that out onto an international stage? It's a wonderful feeling and I'm really appreciative of the fact that I could be here. Plus all this staff here, the security guys, the guys with the coffee, it's a really fantastic honour and pleasure to be here.'
Headline acts and diverse programming
A variety of acts are on offer at this year's festival. Locally formed band The Stunning return to familiar territory when they perform at the Heineken Big Top on July 26.
Further headline acts consist of Irish bands Kingfishr (July 20), Picture This (July 21-22) and the Mary Wallopers (July 19), while Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Natasha Bedingfield will also take to the Big Top on July 17.
There is plenty more on offer outside of just music. A variety of visual arts performances, talks, and theatre shows will take place in venues across the city.
The hefty list of shows includes Oh… a solo show by Mikel Murfi set in the main tank of Galway Atlantaquaria and shows Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy and The Cave by Caitríona McLaughlin and starring Aaron Monaghan, Judith Roddy and Tommy Tiernan.
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