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heritage · Saturday 8 August 2026 · Various 
Cruinniu na mBad Festival
At Kinvara Harbour · Kinvara, Co. Galway
At Kinvara Harbour · Kinvara, Co. Galway
Every August, Kinvara harbour fills with red sails. Cruinniú na mBád - the Gathering of the Boats - brings up to a hundred Galway Hookers together for two days of racing, music, and craic that has kept the festival running for nearly five decades. The 47th edition takes place on 8-9 August 2026, drawing sailing enthusiasts, traditional music fans, and families in roughly equal measure. Entry is free all weekend.
The centrepiece is the racing. Galway Hookers - the distinctive black-hulled, red-sailed workboats that once hauled turf and limestone along the west coast - compete in four classes: the Bád Mór (35-44 feet), the Leath Bhád (around 32 feet), the Gleoiteog, and the small, nimble Púcán. Watching a fleet of these boats beat into Galway Bay is one of those genuinely arresting sights that photographs can only half capture.
One tradition survives from the working era: some vessels arrive with holds full of Connemara turf, sold from the pier - a direct link to the trade these boats once sustained.
On land, the programme runs wide. The pubs in Kinvara host traditional music sessions for the full weekend, attracting players from across Ireland. There are sean nós singing, sean nós dancing, art and craft stalls, street performers, and a solid line-up of children’s activities including face painting and circus skills workshops. It is the kind of festival where the official programme and the spontaneous corner-session carry roughly equal weight.
Kinvara sits on the south shore of Galway Bay, about 40km from Galway city along the N67 and N18. By car from Galway, allow around 40 minutes. Bus Eireann serves Kinvara on some routes from Galway, but check timetables carefully before relying on a weekend evening return - a car or taxi is the more reliable option.
Parking in the village fills quickly on race day. Arriving before noon and walking the last stretch is the sensible approach.
Kinvara is a small harbour town with a medieval castle - Dunguaire Castle - right at the water’s edge, and a character that holds up well outside festival time. There is more to see in Kinvara and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Kinvara Harbour in Kinvara? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Kinvara area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.