Ballinasloe – Fair, Music and Walks Through the Town

Ballinasloe combines town walks and a marina in the heart of the town with a long-standing festival tradition. If you are looking for a hotel in Ballinasloe, you can plan your trip around the town’s themes: events, music, golf and guided farm tours offer different ways to shape your stay.

Getting Here and Finding Your Way

Ballinasloe has a train station. It takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to walk from the station to the town centre; this is an approximate guide. Check train connections and timetables before your trip. This means planning your arrival involves two separate steps: the train journey and the walk to the centre afterwards.

Town Walks and Water

The Wonder-Wander-Weg leads to the historic Fair Green, where the horse fair is held every October, and ends at the Emerald Ballroom. The route therefore connects the Fair Green with another named destination in the town. Ballinasloe Marina is in the heart of the town. For those travelling on the Shannon, the River Suck is suitable for a day trip.

The Hymany Way also has a clearly defined route section: between Clonfert and Ballinasloe, it covers 21 kilometres. This distance applies to that section. You can use it as a specific route length when planning.

Festivals and Musical Tradition

The Ballinasloe Fair & Festival dates back to 1722 and includes food and crafts markets. The programme may change from year to year. The annual horse fair at the Fair Green is a separate feature of the festival calendar: it takes place in October.

Music and heritage are at the heart of Féile Cheoil Larry Reynolds. The traditional Irish music festival celebrates the East Galway Style and Larry Reynolds’ musical life. It takes place in Ballinasloe every year on the first weekend in September; check the exact dates when planning your trip.

The Ballinasloe Show was founded in 1829. Its competitions include five All-Ireland championship finals for ponies, horses, cattle, sheep and dogs. The classes represented may vary from year to year. These events therefore have distinct focuses: the Fair & Festival includes markets, Féile Cheoil Larry Reynolds is dedicated to music and heritage, and competitions are at the heart of the Show.

Golf, Architecture and Farm Tours

Founded in 1894, Ballinasloe Golf Club has an 18-hole parkland course. Visitors are welcome. As access and booking arrangements may change, confirm them before your trip.

The town’s architectural history is another subject to explore: the Presbyterian Church in Ballinasloe is a Gothic Revival building with pointed-arch openings, pinnacles and a crenellated tower. These architectural features give the building a distinctive form and make the church a destination in its own right for anyone interested in historic architectural styles.

On guided tours of Beechlawn Organic Farm, visitors learn how seasonal vegetables are grown, harvested and distributed. Other tour topics include composting, crop rotation and protecting biodiversity. The farm welcomes families, school groups and environmentally conscious travellers. The agricultural focus of the tours can therefore be considered as a distinct reason to stay in Ballinasloe, alongside its town walks, events and golf.

Discover more destinations: Drumkeary, Kilronan, Roundstone, Cleggan, Headford, Lettermore, Tully Cross, Kinvarra

For the main travel overview: Galway.