Annual Summer Garden Festival
Saturday the 5th & Sunday the 6th of July 11am-5pm
Claregalway Castle welcomes all to the annual Galway Garden Festival on Saturday and Sunday the 5th & 6th of July from 11am to 5pm. It will feature many of Irelands best nurseries and rare plant specialists and many well-known members of Irish Specialist Nurseries Association (ISNA)
The Garden Festival is the perfect opportunity for gardeners of all levels to visit Claregalway Castle and speak informally to experts who will give advice and suggest the perfect plant choices for your garden: whatever its size, shape or aspect, making it the place you’ll want to be.
An unmissable event for anyone about to start a garden, or develop their existing garden, patio, or window boxes, or wishing to enjoy good food and see handmade Irish crafts.
Come along and meet the Specialists who can address your garden problems, and are willing to share their knowledge and wisdom. It is an opportunity to buy one or two extraordinary plants at modest cost - all produced in Ireland for Irish weather conditions.
Meet friends at the Castle Tea Rooms with light refreshments and cakes available all day. Have lunch with Handsome Burger. Music with Silvermoon trad jazz will add to the pleasure of the occasion
Garden Exhibitors
Rare Plants
Boyne Garden Centre
Three Gates Florist & Nursery
Coldblow Nursery
Slug be Gone
Mulhall Obelisks
Shady Plants
Kilmurry Nursery
Leaf & Petal
Crooked Boot Farm Nursery
Garden Blooms 4 u
Muirin Beo Feed
Music Programme
St Patrick’s Brass Band
The Galway Baytones
The Claregalway Choir
The Pocket Jazz Orchestra
Entertainment
Yer Mans Puppets
Nemo the Magician
Guest Speakers 2025 to be confirmed
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Klaus Laitenberger
Klaus Laitenberger is the author of four gardening books: ‘Vegetables for the Irish Garden’, ‘Fruit and Vegetables for the Polytunnel and Greenhouse’ and ‘A Vegetable Grower’s Handbook’ and “The Self-Sufficient Garden”. He works as an Organic Inspector for the Organic Trust Ltd and manages a number of private gardens.
Together with his wife, Joanna, they run a seed company, specialising in the most suited vegetable varieties for the Irish climate as well as the most resistant and delicious ones (Green Vegetable Seeds).
He is contributor to various gardening magazines e.g. The Irish Garden, Irish Independent, Irish Examiner, GIY magazine and Clover. Klaus also works as an organic advisor and runs gardening courses throughout the country.
More information on the courses and seeds can be found on
Sunday - 14.00
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Colm O Driscol
Kildare-born Colm O’Driscoll is Head Gardener at Lismore Castle Gardens, Co. Waterford.
A graduate of the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, he has a diverse horticultural background encompassing landscape, retail, nursery stock, and organic food production.
Colm is a dedicated proponent of organic horticulture and craft gardening, striving to innovate with new plant introductions and sustainable practices.
He regularly contributes to The Irish Garden Magazine and shares his expertise through lectures and workshops.
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Paul Smyth
Paul Smyth, a renowned Irish gardener and horticultural expert!
With roots in the gardens of Bellefield House in County Offaly, Paul’s journey has taken him across the globe, from the top UK specialist nurseries to plant-hunting expeditions in Vietnam.
Now back in Ireland, Paul is making waves as Head Gardener at Bellefield House.
Co-author of Gardening Together, and co-host of the DIRT podcast
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Christopher White
Chelsea Flower Show & Bloom Gold Medalist
& creator of 3 light Nursery
“The Rose & Dahlia Gardeners Workshop”
Sunday - 15:00
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Karen Williams
Karen is a member of the Flower Farmers of Ireland. She is a former Primary School teacher but now she has no time off at all in the summer as she’s busy being a sustainable florist, flower grower and garden designer.
She is passionate about biodiversity and has been planting species rich gardens, in a number of locations, for some year. These have attracted all kinds of wildlife, above and below ground. Native plants, especially self-seeded, are at the core of these gardens.
Karen is the designer behind the Flower Farmer of Ireland Silver Award in Bloom this year and was previously awarded the Gold with Riverlane Nurseries.
She is a member of Blanchardstown Gardening Group, founded by Aoife Munn and Michelle Griffin.
She is currently studying horticulture in the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin.
Saturday - 15:00
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Leonie Cornelius
Leonie Cornelius is a well-known Irish garden designer and interior architect who also works as a broadcaster.
She has a strong reputation for her award-winning designs and her work has been featured in numerous publications.
She is based in Co. Leitrim, Ireland
Children’s Events
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Marco the Alchemist
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Nemo the Magician
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Your Mans Puppets
Exhibitors
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Botanical Art Exhibition
The Botanic Art Exhibition is a well-established attraction at the festival featuring the work of many of Irelands best known Artists; many of the paintings are for sale, along with limited edition prints.
The Exhibition will be launched at 7pm on Friday the 5th of July by Dr Marina Levitina, founder of the Lough Grainey Nature Sanctuary
Location - Banquet Hall
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Galway Flower & Garden Club Location
Floral Art Competition / Growers Competition / Botanical Photography Competition / Children’s Competition
Sunday – Flower arranging demo
Location – Marque
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Corrib Lace Makers Exhibition
Exhibition of Irish Lace
This exhibition will display the unique pieces created and hand stitched by Lásadóirí na Coiribe. Each handmade piece draws its inspiration from the culture, heritage, landscape, flora and fauna of Galway. Lace requires practice and precision; the result is a unique creation that reflects the artistry and skill of the maker's hands.
Two Antique Irish crochet lace wedding dresses (on loan from The traditional lacemakers of Ireland, Cork) will also be on display, threads of the past intertwined with those of the present.
Lace is delicate but highly decorative and as a group we share, promote and encourage community participation in lacemaking ensuring the continuance of these skills into the future....
Location - Banquet Hall
Shopping
Crafts
Food & Refreshments
Food & Refreshments
Castle Coffee Shop – Selection of freshly prepared Cakes from Goyas Bakery & Barista style Coffees
Local Food Trucks - Handsome Burger, SKG Catering, Bartollini Pizza & Americano Ice Cream Truck
Wine Bar
Handmade crafts and Artisan foods include the best of Galway County Councils ‘Made in Galway’
Entertainment
Music programme
The Silver Moon Quintet, Galway’s much loved St Patrick's Brass Band, the Barceló Brothers, Galway Baytones, the Claregalway Community Choir and on Saturday (12pm) the spectacular new show each day at 3pm by the unforgettable Pocket Jazz Orchestra.
Located in Claregalway Castle, Ireland.
The 2025 Galway Garden Festival takes place between 11am and 6pm on Sat/Sunday, July 5th-6th at Claregalway Castle.
Entry €15; €10 seniors citizens and students and children under 16 free; gate profits to CBM Ireland (Christian Blind Mission
Located just off the main road in Claregalway at Claregalway Castle.
Just bring yourself—we’ll handle the rest.


















