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seasonal · Thursday 17 September 2026 · Various 
Clifden Arts Festival 2026
At Multiple venues in Clifden · Clifden, Co. Galway
At Multiple venues in Clifden · Clifden, Co. Galway
Every September since 1977, Clifden has turned itself into a stage. The Clifden Arts Festival - now in its 49th year and Ireland’s longest-running community arts festival - runs for 11 days across the town, drawing writers, musicians, visual artists, and filmmakers from Ireland and abroad. It suits anyone who wants a cultural trip with real substance, and it works just as well for visitors using it as a reason to spend a few days in Connemara.
The programme spans literature, music, theatre, visual art, film, and dance, with events spread across venues throughout Clifden - including the Clifden Station House Theatre, Clifden Library, and the Festival Dome. The mix is genuinely wide: internationally acclaimed concerts and literary readings sit alongside community workshops, school events, and open exhibitions. An extensive schools programme runs in parallel, giving the whole thing an energy that larger, more commercial festivals rarely have.
The festival leans into participation rather than passive spectatorship. Local homes, schools, and public spaces become part of the events, and artists from as far as Slovakia have appeared alongside home-grown Connemara talent. The town is compact; most venues are within easy walking distance of each other. Book in advance at clifdenartsfestival.ie or by phone at +353 87-3315009.
Clifden sits at the western edge of Connemara, about 80km from Galway City. From Galway, take the N59 west through Oughterard and Maam Cross - the drive takes around an hour and a quarter and is worth the journey on its own. Bus Éireann runs a route from Galway to Clifden (check current timetables, as services are limited). Parking is available in the town centre, and during festival time the venues are all within a short walk of each other.
The town sits between the Twelve Bens mountains and the Atlantic, and it is easy to fill the days around festival events with walks on the Sky Road, cycling the Connemara Loop, or visiting the beach at Gurteen Bay. There is more to see in Clifden and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Multiple venues in Clifden 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.