Music

Tuam Arts Festival, held in mid-August, is produced by award winning Earwig Arts with a mix of local, national and international spectacle, theatre, music, comedy literature, visual arts and family events. The two-week festival will feature some of the region's best known and loved acts, as well as shows by some of the country's top performers. The festival boasts itself as providing a great variety of local, national and international events, performing at a range of indoor and outdoor venues in the town.

The Spirit of the Voice Festival in Galway is a popular cultural celebration of song and spoken word. The 2009 festival takes place in Kinvara on the 3rd November and in Galway on the 8 & 9th November. The festival covers a wide range of styles, with a huge number of performance of sean nós, rap, choirs, gospel, soul, slam, poetry, overtone, opera and storytelling taking place at many venues throughout the city including Galway City Museum, The Crane Bar and Áras na Gael, Dominick Street. This is Galway's multi-cultural festival which features song and spoken words from stylish voices that make this city a unique and refreshing place to be.

The festival is also a celebration of the growing diversity of culture within Ireland, with Asian, African, South American, Eastern European, Canadian and Caribbean Irish performers will take part. The festival includes Children's Storytelling at selected venues. Be assured that there will be an electric atmosphere on the streets of Galway for the duration of the festival.

Roundstone Summerfest is a festival of music, fun, laughter, activities and games for the young and the young-at-heart. A weekend where people can come and sample the beauty of the village of Roundstone and the warmth and friendliness of the inhabitants and fellow visitors.

:: 2009 FESTIVAL CANCELLED ::
The Moondance Festival 2009 is a three day camping festival in the grounds of Petersburg House, Clonbur, Co. Galway on 14, 15, 16th August. Petersburg Outdoor Education Centre is an ideal location, providing ample space and facilities for a great weekend by the shores of Lough Mask.

Music acts confirmed so far include Lisa Hannigan, Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club, Jape, Kila, Noelie Mc Donnell & Band , Mairtin O Connor and band, Guggenheim Grotto, Joe Fury & The Hayride, The Galway Gospel Choir, No Banjo, Timber Tramps, Brad Pitt Light Orchestra, with more acts soon to be announced. A family-friendly festival, Moondance is also offering arts workshops, yoga, theatre performance, storytelling, stand-up comedy , art exhibitions and the return of The Mask Ball.

Petersburg Outdoor Activity Centre will be providing opportunities for adults and children to partake in Canoeing, Kayaking and Windsurfing. There will be guided walks all weekend through the Clonbur Woods, with bicycle hire also available. Full camping facilities, with hot indoor showers, quality food, in a safe and secure environment - The perfect way to relax and chill amach in one of Ireland's most scenic locations.

The LIFE Festival is a 3 day/night festival in different venues throughout Ireland which aims to encourage and stimulate youth culture from around the world in all its forms, including music, dance music, folk music, , drama, mime, juggling, cinema, poetry and all the creative forms of art and design, including ancestral sounds and those create with the latest new technologies.

The Galway Sessions Festival of music takes place all over Galway city and includes some of the best in world renowned artists. Held annually, a good time and plenty of craic is assured for all. The main music sessions take place in Crane Bar, Róisín Dubh, Monroes Tavern, The Quays, Tigh Neachtáin, Tigh Cóilí, Taffees, Richardson's, M T Pockets and the Radisson SAS Hotel.

The Galway Jazz Festival presents a weekend of leading local, national and international jazz artists in a broad range of venues, throughout Galway City. Annually, the aim is to foster jazz as a contemporary art form in the West. Jazz admirers will have plenty to choose from in a line up that includes artists from Norway, The US, Germany, The UK and Italy and the best of Irish artists. Venues include The Crane Bar, Druid Theatre and St Nicholas' Church. Takes place in November.

The Galway Early Music Festival is an exciting international event that celebrates the culture of Europe from the 12th to the 18th centuries through authentic music, dance, costume and colour set in the medieval city of Galway. Held annually over a weekend in mid-May weekend, the festival's goal is to entertain and inform an ever-increasing audience in the music and dance of the medieval, renaissance and baroque periods of history through a series of concerts, workshops and masterclasses. Interaction is encouraged between professional and amateur musicians in order to produce historically accurate performances, as well as introducing early music and dance to primary and secondary school children as part of their heritage. Highlights of the festival include a walking tour of medieval Galway, costumed parades, a treasure hunt, oral storytelling and mime, minstrel singing and Ceili dancing. Events are held in the cathedral, various city centre churches, the city library and Galway Rowing Club in Woodquay.

The Galway Beer Festival in association with Great Irish Beer Festival is an annual event in Salthill Galway over the last weeknd in October! Beer lovers and connoisseurs are expected to once again flock to the biggest beer festival in Ireland. There will be over 100 different beers, ciders and ales from all over the world on offer. Throughout the event, you will have the opportunity to taste and purchase an array of products from the very best of Ireland's and the world's innovative and unique drinks companies and meet some of the brewers, distillers and cider makers behind the high-quality range of products on offer. From Galway Hooker and Hersbrucker to Svyturys Ekstra Draught, Chimay Blue and Hoegaarden, and flavours like chocolate and banana, as well as a selection of non-alcoholic beers, there's something to wet every whistle.

Galway Arts Festival is Ireland's leading arts festival, first held in 1978 this two week spectacular showcases the best in dancing, street performance, music, literary and children's events and art exhibitions. Over 150,000 people attend Festival annually with hundreds of writers, artists, performers and musicians creating theatre, spectacle, street art, music, comedy, literature and music producing a wonderful fortnight of cultural activity and celebration.

Theatre and dance companies including Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Chicago, the Royal National Theatre, London, The Royal Court, James Thierree, Stephen Petronio Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance, The Abbey Theatre and Galway’s world famous Druid Theatre have all performed at the Festival. Artists and musicians including Bill Viola, Joni Mitchell, Hughie O’Donoghue, Walker Evans, David Byrne, Blondie, David Gray, Brodsky String Quartet, Stephen Isserlis and Philip Glass have all recently participated at the Festival.

The Galway Americana Festival takes place at a number of venues throughout Galway city. 'Americana' is a label loosely used to describe alternative modern country music, music with that 'twang thang' which isn't strictly country in the 'Nashville' sense of the word, but nonetheless shares common roots. As far as the Galway Americana Festival goes, the organisers are taking the broader meaning of the word, i.e. any American roots music, not simply modern 'alternative country', but folk and roots music in all its glorious forms including Bluegrass, Country, Blues, Cajun, Americana, old-timey and even a quiff of rockabilly! This festival is a celebration of of root-and-branch American folk forms and promisses to offer something to please everyone!

Full details of programme, venues, and artists can be seen on the Festival website at the above link.

Cruinniu na mBád, meaning "Gathering of the Boats", is a festival held in August each year, which brings us back in time, to when the majestic Galway Hookers used to transport turf/peat to Kinvara. Up to 100 unique Irish boats, the Galway Hookers, once the workhorses of the coast of Connemara and North Clare, gather for a weekend of racing and celebration at Cruinniú na mBád (Gathering of the Boats) festival in Kinvara, Co. Galway. Saturday evening features some lively Gleoteoig (small hooker) racing and, on Sunday, the Hooker and Leath Bhad (half hooker) races will take place, against the backdrop of Dunguaire Castle and the Burren landscape of South Galway Bay. Gaelic is the language of the bádóirí (boat people) and sean nós (old style) singing, dancing and music will feature prominently.

Clifden Arts Festival is a popular festival with an eclectic programme ranging from comedy to music and drama to literature. There are field trips, workshops, book and album launches, street theatre, dance, comedy, and much else besides. Takes place annually during September.