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music · Friday 10 July 2026 · See schedule 
South Galway Bay Music Festival 2026
At Ballinderreen GAA grounds · Ballinderreen, Co. Galway
At Ballinderreen GAA grounds · Ballinderreen, Co. Galway
Every July, the GAA grounds in Ballinderreen fill with something the village has not forgotten: the sound of a band in full swing and people dancing outdoors on a long summer evening. The South Galway Bay Music Festival was born out of that memory. Back in the 1950s and 60s, Ballinderreen was a regular stop on the touring showband circuit, one of those small villages that punched far above its weight as a place to see live music. The festival, now in its fifth year, sets out to bring that spirit back - and it does so with a proper weekend of acts, not a single-night gesture.
The 2026 edition runs Friday 10 to Sunday 12 July at Ballinderreen GAA grounds, with music starting at 6pm on Friday and Saturday and a slightly earlier 5pm kick-off on Sunday. The 2026 lineup mixes original Irish acts with crowd-pleasing tribute performances: Hermitage Green and The Young Wolfe Tones sit alongside The Tumbling Paddies, Claudia Buckley, The Amazing Apples and a Springsteen tribute. It is the kind of bill that works for a GAA field on a July evening - broad enough to keep everyone happy, familiar enough that nobody is standing around not knowing the words.
The event is run entirely by volunteers from Ballinderreen Hurling and Camogie Club, with all proceeds going back into the club. There are covered indoor dance floors and bars on site, which matters a great deal in the west of Ireland - rain does not cancel anything here. Line dancing is part of the weekend programme. Single night tickets range from €25 to €35 (including fees); a weekend pass costs €70. Booking through the festival website is the recommended route.
Ballinderreen is on the south Galway coast, roughly 30km from Galway City. From the city, take the N18 south towards Limerick and then follow the R458 west towards Kinvara; Ballinderreen is signposted from there. The drive takes around 35 minutes in light traffic. There is no regular public transport serving the village directly, so a car - or a lift with someone who has one - is the practical choice. Festival parking is typically on local roads and fields around the GAA grounds; arrive with time to spare on Friday evening when the crowd is largest.
The village sits above the shore of Galway Bay, with the Burren limestone landscape of County Clare visible across the water on a clear day. It is quiet country by default - the festival weekend is one of its most animated moments of the year. There is more to see in Ballinderreen and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Ballinderreen GAA grounds in Ballinderreen? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Ballinderreen area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.