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music · Tuesday 7 July 2026 · 20:30 
SOAK at Roisin Dubh
At Roisin Dubh · Galway City, Co. Galway
At Roisin Dubh · Galway City, Co. Galway
Bridie Monds-Watson - stage name SOAK - is one of the most quietly compelling voices to come out of Ireland in the last decade. Raised in Derry, she started writing songs at thirteen and earned a Mercury Prize nomination with her debut, making her the youngest artist shortlisted at the time. Her music sits between indie-folk and dream pop: intimate, unhurried, built around lyrics that stay with you. This show at Róisín Dubh opens the Galway International Arts Festival music programme and suits anyone who prefers a room where you can actually hear the words.
Róisín Dubh is the kind of venue that suits SOAK well. It is a mid-sized live music pub on Dominick Street Upper in Galway’s west end - not a stadium, not a tiny backroom, but a proper concert space with a genuine atmosphere. The name means “Black Rose” in Irish, and it has been a fixture on the Irish live circuit for more than two decades, with Christy Moore, Steve Earle and The Frames all having played the room.
SOAK’s third album If I Never Know You Like This Again (2022) showed a more expansive sound without losing the confessional quality of her earlier work. Expect a set that draws from across her catalogue - songs that reward close listening and sit well in a room where the crowd is genuinely there for the music. Doors at Róisín Dubh typically open before the advertised stage time, so arriving early gets you a better spot.
Galway is well served by rail and bus from Dublin, Limerick, and most of the country. Irish Rail runs regular services to Galway station, about fifteen minutes on foot from Dominick Street. Bus Éireann and GoBus cover Dublin and Cork. Driving into the city on a Tuesday evening can be slow - the NCP on Eyre Square is the most convenient car park.
GIAF runs through July, with street events, theatre, and pop-up performances across the city. A concert at Róisín Dubh makes a natural anchor for a night or a longer stay. There is more to see in Galway and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Roisin Dubh in Galway? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Galway area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.