Top Galway Art & Culture

Hear what happened when Hollywood invaded the sleepy village of Cong in 1951 to make the John Wayne Classic The Quiet Man. The Quiet Man Film Locations Walking Tour brings visitors to the original film locations including Innisfree, Castletown, the Pat Cohan's Bar, the Dying Man's House, the Reverend Playfair's House, the fight scenes, the courting scenes and the "patty fingers in the holy water" scenes. Hear what the film stars were like, how they interacted with the locals and how the locals became involved in the making of the movie. The tour includes entrance to The Quiet Man Museum.

Delve into the rugged wilderness of Connemara, an Irish county thronged with historic monuments and natural splendor, on a full-day tour from Galway City. Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, explore the perfectly preserved Franciscan friary of Ross Errilly Friary and enjoy some leisurely free time in Cong, a picturesque village. Gaze at the tranquil surfaces of Lough Carrib and Loch NaFooey and discover the elaborate walled gardens of Kylemore Abbey. Enjoy a pleasant balance of guided tours and independent exploration during this enriching excursion.

Try your hand at traditional Irish dance, with a former Riverdancer leading the way! In this afternoon dance experience, learn how to perform dances like the ceili group dance and sean nós, the ‘old style’ of Irish dancing, as well as the internationally popular moves of the Riverdance. Learn about the history behind all these dances and their place in Irish culture from your teacher, an expert in the history and performance of Irish dance.

Become an Instagram Photographer. On Galway's #1 Photography Tour on TripAdvisor, you will meet a local Instagram Influencer/expert photographer who will bring you to 5-7 spots of Galway city over 90 minutes. During the tour: - You will go you to the most Instagrammable spots of Galway - You will be shown photography techniques - You will be taught great Instagram skills - You will hear stories about Galway At the end you will have several great photos as memories of your tour of Galway and be ready to try out your new photography skills on your next set of locations!

Discover a thriving Irish tradition in a historic place with admission to Caherconnell Stone Fort & Sheepdog Demonstrations. Pre-booking tickets to the sheepdog demonstrations is a convenient way to take care of planning in advance. That means you can use your travel time for exploring the historic ring fort and watching the highly trained sheepdogs perform.

Whether you’re a “never-done-this-kind-of-thing-before” novice or an accomplished artist, an oldster or a youngster, there’s a Creative Workshop just for you. Our craft and design workshops cover lots of areas such as batik, felt making, tapestry weaving, printmaking and painting for kids. Imagine creating your own unique piece of art in what is truly one of the world’s most inspirational settings, complete with brooding bogs, ever-changing seascapes, majestic mountains and ancient silent lakes .The workshops are run by an established artist who has specialized in textile art for the past number of years. She holds a degree in design from Dublin Institute of Technology and is a qualified art teacher with several years of experience. She teaches a range of crafts with an emphasis on developing your design and creative skills. Pax - Min 4, Max 12. Available on request.

Leave the towns of Western Ireland behind for the day and head out to Inis Oirr on a ferry. This day trip will take you from Doolin to the smallest of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, an island dotted with ancient ruins, secluded beaches and astonishing ocean views. Explore Inis Oirr without a tour group holding you back, and sail under the Cliffs of Moher, an ancient rockface that towers over the Atlantic Ocean, on the way back.

This is an intimate tour with a local. The idea is to relay all information in a fun manner and to leave visitors with a very good experience, not just the bare facts. Galway is a vibrant, fun and energetic city and our tours will reflect that energy. Each tour is as new an experience for the guide as the visitor. No two tours are ever the same. That is what makes Athas Tours so unique.

Galway is a quaint medieval city with a big heart, as you’ll soon discover on this self-guided audio tour. Just download the VoiceMap app, click on Galway and choose "A meander through the medieval Quarter to the River Corrib". We will visit the key sites on this walking tour, with insights into modern Galway along the way. In the medieval quarter, you’ll hear about events both surprising and some gruesome. Then we’ll visit some of the famous and lesser known sites. The tour is narrated by a qualified Failte Ireland Tour Guide, Derek Spillane. Some of the highlights include: • Saint Nicholas Church and its 1651 map of Galway • The Spanish Arch and the City Walls • Wild swans on the Claddagh shore • Learn where the word “lynched” comes from • Discover who the Tribes of Galway were • Hear how Richard Martin founded the R.S.P.C.A and delve into the darker side to his character • Tips on how to spot the famous Claddagh ring

Meet a master Irish drum maker in his music shop. Learn the history of the unique Irish drum/Bodhran. See how the Irish drum/Bodhran is made. See and hear how the Irish drum/Bodhran is played. Enjoy a cup of tea / coffee and a scone with cream and jam.

This Aran Islands and Cliffs of Moher cruise will take you to beautiful areas of Ireland that can only be reached by boat. Your guide will tell you about the history of the villages you encounter and point out highlights such as one of Ireland’s most beautiful beaches. This tour gives you the freedom to explore independently, hire a bike, or grab some lunch. A highlight is the views from the top of the Cliffs of Moher.

Emma hosts the popular “Irish Dance Experience” for visitors to Galway county. An introduction to the basics of Irish dance is followed by a visit to the Irish Music Session where tourists can mingle with Galway dancers and musicians and experience the city as a local.

The Aran Islands are renowned for their ancient ruins and rugged landscapes, but you don’t have to take a guided tour. Enjoy a self-guided visit to the island of Inis Oirr with round-trip boat transfers from Doolin, a choice of departure times, and plenty of free time to discover the island at your own pace.

Experience the mighty Cliffs of Moher, a UNESCO World Heritage site, from both land and sea on this full-day tour from Galway. Marvel at the scenery along the Wild Atlantic Way; cruise out to Inisheer, one of the Aran Islands; then hike along the cliff-tops and enjoy spectacular views across the Atlantic.

Ireland’s history comes alive as this theatre company takes a crucial element of Ireland history and explores it in one of seven ‘plays for voices’ Available on request. Pax Min 1, Max 50

Walk the rugged trails of the Wild Atlantic Way in the company of a dedicated guide on this private tour. While enjoying personalized attention from your guide, you'll cover three sites of historical significance within Connemara as well as two Signature points on the walking route. You can walk at your own pace and ask as many questions as you like.

Listening to a traditional Irish storyteller around a fire has to be one of the best ways of immersing yourself in Irish culture. A wonderful opportunity to have a story teller come to you at your hotel or local pub.

Home to rolling hills, shimmering lakes, and spectacular coastal scenery, the Connemara Peninsula is one of western Ireland’s must-see sites. During this tour, spin through the Connemara countryside in comfort by air-conditioned minivan as your guide talks of the region’s colorful history. Choose to spend your time exploring the beautiful Connemara National Park or the Benedictine Kylemore Abbey with its Victorian walled gardens. Pickup and drop-off in central Galway are included.

The Quiet Man Museum offers an on-set experience with exact replicas of all the key furnishings and artifacts from the movie including Sean Thornton’s big bed, Mary Kate’s cottage piano, china, pewter, cradle and the tandem bicycle, as well as costumes made by the same company – O’Maille’s of Galway – who made them for John Ford in 1951. Quiet Man enthusiasts can dress up in costume for photos. The Museum also showcases the largest collection of Irish newspaper articles from the time the movie was filmed, which were sourced through a painstaking trawl of the microfiche files in local libraries. This first hand account allows enthusiasts to read exactly what it was like when Hollywood took over the village of Cong in 1951. The Quiet Man Museum houses the original fishing rod used by Father Lonergan and Michaeleen Og’s horse Napoleon’s original harness and a first edition of the Maurice Walsh collection of short stories, Green Rushes, on which the screenplay for The Quiet Man was based.

With pick up included from your hotel, hop on board as we travel west into the scenic region of Connemara, famed for its wild and rugged land and seascapes. Our first castle visit is to Aughnanure Castle. Built by the O’Flahertys in 1500, this castle is a particularly well-preserved example of an Irish tower house. Next stop in the quaint village of Oughterard for a short coffee break. Weaving our way through scenic Connemara, our next castle stop is Kylemore Abbey, founded by English industrialist Mitchell Henry and now a Benedictine monastery. Spend the next few hours exploring this romantic abbey, its victorian walled gardens and Gothic church. We head to the capital of Connemara, the colourful town of Clifden. En-route (weather permitting) we drive the famous Sky Road. Travel onto to Ballynahinch Castle and take a short break to explore the castle and estate grounds including the walled garden before enjoying some delicious tea & scones before returning to Galway City.

An exclusive tour for all the romantics of the world! Together with the professional local guide, you will visit the most romantic places in the city. You will feel spellbound in a charming atmosphere. What is considered as one of the best places to have a date in the city? Where can you make lovely photos? You will be surprised how many historical love stories are hidden in the streets, buildings, parks of the city. From heartbreaking and tragic, to the hilarious or spicy ones. This tour is especially recommended in the Saint Valentine period!

Together with the professional guide, you will visit the most charming places in the city. Which world famous actor born here? What symbolize Claddagh Ring is Galway’s? You will have a chance to explore the city, while hearing fascinating facts and legends. Galway is home to the longest place name in Ireland, Muckanaghederdauhaulia, which means “piggery between two briny places”. You will be surprised how many stories are hidden in the streets, buildings and corners of Galway. Your charming guide will tell you what is special and unique about living in this city. Perfect for those who are visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most of it!

Our guide will immerse you in the songs, stories, trials and tribulations of the people of Galway over the centuries. You’ll see how Galway has become one of the most attractive and liveable cities in Ireland in recent times, with a young population and a well-deserved reputation as a centre for theatre and the arts. This tour will bring alive to you the bustle of medieval ‘Galvia’ where Irish was the native tongue, but where also the patter of Spanish was heard on streets teeming with visiting merchants and sailors from Andalucia. And in those same streets and pubs today you’ll still hear the lilt of Gaelic and the strains of Irish music played on the fiddle and on the uilleann pipes. Can you feel it? Welcome to Galway!

Sure, have you never heard of an Irish half hour? It can stretch out for days and 5 days is what you’ve got to experience this memorable, expertly guided road trip, over ever-changing landscape, along The Wild Atlantic Way. From shucking Clarinbridge oysters and downing creamy stout in Galway, to the jaw dropping sights of the Ring of Kerry, with only the Atlantic separating the 40 shades from the 50 U.S. states. Cool down with Fungie, Dingle’s resident dolphin who came for the fish in 1984 and stayed for the craic or feel like you’re at the edge of the world, at the dramatic Cliffs of Moher. And how about a spot of kissing at the Blarney Stone where you’ll come away with the gift of the ‘gab’ (talk); handy for ‘having the craic’ with your small tour group. And in between the heritage and culture, bohemian Galway and dinky Doolin, there’ll be ceol agus craic (music and boldness), seafood and banter and an epic road-trip you’ll never forget.