On 25 October, the Irish town of Galway hosted a large-scale Halloween parade featuring giant moving puppets, theatrical costumes, music and pyrotechnics. This year’s event, entitled Fiáin, was dedicated to the wildlife of the west of Ireland and the 40th anniversary of the Macnas theatre company. According to Travel Extra, up to 80,000 spectators were able to watch the festive procession. Dozens of professional artists and hundreds of volunteers took part in organising the parade.
- On 25 October, a large-scale Halloween parade took place in Galway, Ireland.
- According to Travel Extra, the festive event attracted up to 80,000 spectators.
- A total of 121 performers and 168 volunteers took part in the parade.
- Fiáin’s theme was the wildlife and cultural traditions of the west of Ireland.
- The parade was held to mark the 40th anniversary of the Macnas theatre company.
Giant dolls have taken over the streets of Galway, Ireland
The centre of Golway was transformed into an open-air stage. Huge theatrical figures made their way through the city’s streets, accompanied by performers in unusual costumes and masks, to the sound of music and drumbeats.
The festive parade set off at 5.30 pm from the University of Holway and made its way through the historic city centre, passing Holway Cathedral, Eglinton Street and Shop Street, before ending in the Claddach area.
This year, the parade consisted of six themed sections and 11 individual floats. It featured 121 performers and 168 volunteers. A further 45 specialists were responsible for the professional production and organisation of the event.
Five large-scale puppets, masks and structures, which the organisers had brought back from previous Macnas productions, particularly caught the audience’s attention.
What does ‘Fiáin’ mean, and why was this particular theme chosen?
The name «Fiáin» comes from the Irish language and means «wild» or ‘untamed’. The organisers have dedicated this year’s parade to the natural landscape of the west of Ireland, its legends and creative traditions.
According to representatives of Macnas, the performance took the audience on a journey through 40 years of the theatre company’s history, a company renowned for its large-scale street performances.
The parade was directed by James Riordan, and the lead artist is — Sheri White. Elaborate costumes, moving structures and special lighting effects were created for the production.
Macnas was founded in Galway in 1986. Since then, the company has gained international renown for its street theatre, large mechanical puppets and spectacular performances.
How is Halloween linked to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain?
The parade formed part of the large-scale city-wide programme ‘Gaillimh Ah-Boo!’, dedicated to Halloween and ancient Irish traditions.
Samhain is considered to be one of the cultural precursors of modern Halloween — a Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the transition to the darker half of the year.
In ancient beliefs, this period was associated with the spirit world, mythical creatures and special rituals. Over time, certain Samhain traditions influenced the development of the modern Halloween celebrations.
Today, Ireland makes active use of this cultural heritage to organise festivals, theatre performances and themed events.
Holway Town Council has included the Macnas parade in the ‘Home of Halloween’ programme, which combines historical traditions with contemporary street art.
The festive parade will also be shown in Dublin
Following the event in Galway, Macnas has planned another large-scale march for 26 October in the Irish capital.
The Dublin edition of Fiáin will form part of the festival Bram Stoker, dedicated to the Irish writer, author of the novel *Dracula*.
The parade is scheduled to start at 7.00 pm local time. The organisers promise to combine giant theatrical structures, music and lighting effects.
Both parades are free for visitors.
