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seasonal · Saturday 25 July 2026 · Various 
Roundstone Regatta 2026
At Roundstone Harbour and village · Roundstone, Co. Galway
At Roundstone Harbour and village · Roundstone, Co. Galway
Every July, the quiet harbour village of Roundstone sheds its usual calm and fills with the rust-red sails of Galway Hookers and the rhythmic crack of currach oars on water. The Roundstone Regatta - known in Irish as Féile Cloch na Rón - is one of the oldest traditional sea festivals in the West of Ireland, tracing its roots to the 1890s. Free to attend and run by the local community, it draws competitors and spectators from across Ireland and further afield for a weekend that puts Connemara’s maritime heritage front and centre.
The water is the main stage. Over two days, traditional sailing vessels race across the sheltered waters of Bertraghboy Bay - Galway Hookers in their different classes (the Bad Mór, Gleoiteog, Leathbhad and Púcán) alongside canvas and timber currachs and the sleek Naomhóga. The Galway Hooker is a gaff-rigged wooden boat, black-hulled with distinctive red sails, that has worked these Atlantic coasts for centuries. Watching a fleet of them tack across the bay with the Twelve Bens as a backdrop is the kind of thing that stays with you. The currach races are faster and more frantic - oars churning, boats sitting low in the water. Both disciplines mix serious athletic competition with a pride in keeping these craft alive. On shore, evenings bring traditional music and dancing, and local restaurants make the most of the weekend crowd with menus worth planning around.
Roundstone sits on the southern edge of Connemara, roughly 60 km west of Galway City. The most direct route is the N59 to Clifden and then the R341 coastal road down through Ballyconneely - allow around an hour from the city. There is no regular public transport to Roundstone, so a car is the practical choice. Parking is available in and around the village; during the regatta weekend it fills quickly, so arriving early gives you the pick of spots close to the harbour.
Roundstone is a working fishing village with a harbour to match - boats, salt air, and a small pier where you can watch the catch come in on quieter mornings. Errisbeg Hill rises directly behind the village and rewards a short climb with wide views over Connemara and the bay. There is more to see in Roundstone and across Co. Galway.
Heading to Roundstone Harbour and village in Roundstone? Galway has plenty more to see. Read the Roundstone area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.