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food-drink · Tuesday 18 August 2026 · See website for times 
Connemara Pony Show
At Clifden Showgrounds · Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
At Clifden Showgrounds · Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
August in Clifden belongs to the ponies. The Connemara Pony Show has been running since 1924 - first in Roundstone, then settling permanently at Clifden Showgrounds from 1947 onwards - and it has grown from a single-day local fixture into a four-day celebration that draws breeders, families, and curious visitors from across Ireland and beyond. The 2026 show marks 101 years of showcasing the Connemara pony, Ireland’s only native breed, and the showgrounds hold a particular energy that is hard to replicate anywhere else. If you have any interest in horses at all, this is worth the trip. If you don’t, there is still plenty here to fill a day out.
Each of the four days has its own shape. Tuesday the 18th opens with the Loose Jumping Championships and the official show launch. Wednesday the 19th is the big in-hand day - ponies are shown in hand, the Supreme Championship is decided, and the domestic arts section comes alive with entries judged by Irish Countrywomen’s Association members. The ICA competitions cover prize-winning eggs, jams, baked goods, arts and crafts, and the domestic arts entries have in recent years attracted submissions from as far away as Canada. Wednesday also brings a dog show and Irish dancing performances. Thursday the 20th focuses on ridden classes and their championship, while Friday the 21st rounds out with Working Hunter classes and the Parade of Champions - a fine spectacle to finish on.
Craft stalls line the edges of the showgrounds throughout, and there is a puissance competition for those who enjoy watching horses jump very tall walls.
Clifden is about 80km west of Galway city, roughly an hour’s drive on the N59 through Oughterard and Maam Cross. The road is scenic rather than fast. Bus Eireann runs a service from Galway (route 419/420) but the timetable does not suit a full show day - driving or arranging a lift is the practical option for most visitors. Clifden itself is a small town and parking around the showgrounds fills early on busy show days; arriving before 10am gives you more choice.
Clifden is the main town in Connemara and worth a couple of hours before or after the show - good food, traditional music in the evenings, and the Sky Road loop for views over the Atlantic. 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.