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family · Tuesday 18 August 2026 · 09:00am 
Connemara Pony Festival with Family Fun
At Clifden Showgrounds · Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
At Clifden Showgrounds · Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
The Connemara Pony Show has been running in Clifden every August since 1923, and in 2026 it marks its 101st year - making it one of the longest-running livestock shows in Ireland. It is the world’s largest showcase of the Connemara pony, attracting breeders and enthusiasts from across Europe and further afield. If you are anywhere in the west of Ireland in the third week of August, this is a genuinely spectacular day out, and it works just as well for families with no particular interest in horses as it does for lifelong pony people.
The festival runs across four days at Clifden Showgrounds, each with its own focus. Day one (Tuesday 18th) opens with the Loose Jumping Championships - a good crowd-pleaser with no rider in the saddle, just the ponies free-jumping at height. Wednesday is the big in-hand day: the Supreme Championship takes centre stage alongside domestic arts competitions, a dog show and Irish dancing performances. Ridden classes and championships fill Thursday, and the final day brings the Working Hunter competition and the Parade of Champions, which rounds off the week in style.
Beyond the main ring, there are craft and trade stalls, street entertainment in Clifden town and activities in the Market Square. A Mini Young Handlers class for children aged 3 to 9 is a popular draw for younger visitors - watching small children confidently lead ponies into the ring rarely gets old. Pony breeders come from all over Ireland and abroad, so the atmosphere around the showgrounds is as much about conversation and community as competition. Bus tours to well-known local pony studs also run during the festival week.
Clifden is about 80 kilometres west of Galway city. The most direct route is the N59, which runs the full way and takes around an hour and fifteen minutes. There is no direct train service - Bus Éireann runs a limited service from Galway, but for the show the car is by far the more practical option. Parking is available at and around the showgrounds; arrive early on the main championship days (Wednesday and Friday) when attendance is highest.
The town has good cafés, pubs and restaurants to settle into after the showgrounds, and the Sky Road loop nearby is one of the finest coastal drives in Connacht. There is more to see in Clifden and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Clifden Showgrounds in Clifden? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Clifden area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.