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theatre · Sunday 15 November 2026 · Various 
Shamtown
At The Mick Lally Theatre · Druid Lane, Galway City, Co. Galway
At The Mick Lally Theatre · Druid Lane, Galway City, Co. Galway
Shamtown gets its first full professional production at the Mick Lally Theatre this November, telling the story of a remarkable stretch of West of Ireland creativity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is written by Ollie Jennings, longtime manager of the Saw Doctors, and directed by Andrew Flynn, with musical direction from Carl Kennedy, and adapted from the songs of Davy Carton and Leo Moran. The opening 15 to 22 November run sold out, and eight further performances were added from 24 to 29 November, which gives some sense of the local appetite for this one.
The show is set against the backdrop of a period when Galway and Tuam’s cultural life was unusually alive: Macnas paraded Gulliver down Shop Street, The Waterboys recorded Fisherman’s Blues out in An Spideal, and a young band from Tuam played the opening slot at the very first Feile in Thurles in the summer of 1990. Shamtown follows that arc through to a homecoming performance in 1991, told through eight actors and three musicians, including Saw Doctors drummer Rickie O’Neill alongside cast members Jarlath Tivnan and Midie Corcoran and singers Eilish McCarthy, Eoin Mullins and Emily Donoghue. Well-known songs including “To Win Just Once,” “Same Oul’ Town,” “Clare Island” and “I Useta Lover” are woven through the piece.
The production has been developed with support from Galway City Council Arts Office, the Town Hall Theatre Patron Scheme and an Arts Council Agility Award. It suits anyone with a soft spot for the Saw Doctors or West of Ireland music history, as well as audiences who enjoy homegrown musical theatre with a strong sense of place.
The Mick Lally Theatre is on Druid Lane in Galway city centre, a short walk from Eyre Square and within easy reach of the city’s bus and rail stations. Bus Eireann and GoBus connect Galway to Dublin, Limerick and other cities, and city-centre car parks on Merchant’s Road and at Jurys Inn are the closest options for drivers.
Druid Lane sits close to Quay Street and the Latin Quarter, both worth a wander before or after the show. There is more to see in Galway and across Co. Galway.
Heading to The Mick Lally Theatre 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.
In town for The Mick Lally Theatre? These Galway tours book out in summer.