The spooktacular parade will take place on Sunday October 26. It will start at 5.30pm and it is expected to finish at around 7.30pm.
Here’s everything you need to know about the event:
This year’s theme
Macnas’ Halloween event for 2025 is called “An Treun – The Summoning Of The Lost” and it has been described by the theatre company as “a spectacular, shape-shifting parade inspired by a long-lost tale by Dracula author Bram Stoker and the haunting call of the vanished Corncrake” as well as “one of our most exciting yet”.
The Galway-based spectacle theatre company explained: “Discovered last year in the archives of the National Library of Ireland, Stoker’s forgotten story flickers with folklore, magic and mischief. At its heart its sonic essence is something small, strange and precious: the Corncrake – once the summertime soundtrack of Ireland, now a ghost in our fields.
“This incredible new parade explores how our culture, memory and climate intertwine and asks what it means to hold on to what we’re losing.”
Co-Artistic Producers of ANU Productions Louise Lowe and Owen Boss are respectively Parade Director and Lead Designer of this year’s event.
Parade route
The Macnas parade will begin at the University of Galway and will turn left onto University Road, over the Salmon Weir Bridge, towards Galway Courthouse, before turning right onto Francis Street and proceeding along Eglinton Street.
It will then turn right onto William Street, travel down Shop Street, Mainguard Street and over O’Brien’s Bridge.
The parade will then turn left down Dominick Street Lower and onto Fairhill Road Lower before turning right onto Father Griffin Road and finishing at GTI, at the Claddagh.
‘The Boy’ will be part of Sunday’s Macnas parade. Photo: Emilija Jefremova
Road closures
Galway City Council has announced a number of road closure to facilitate the parade.
From University Road to Dyke Road/St Brendan’s Ave, and from St Brendan’s Ave/Dyke Road to University Road traffic will be diverted/stopped at UCH Junction and at the Dyke Road Junction from 5pm to 6.15pm approximately, until the parade is on Francis Street.
In Francis Street, Eglinton Street, Williamsgate Street, Eyre Square North, from 5pm to 6.45pm traffic will be diverted/stopped at Eyre Square North East Junction (Richardson’s corner). The area will reopen to traffic when the parade is fully on on William Street. Same also for Market Street, Abbeygate Street, Mary Street from St Patricks School.
On O’Brien’s Bridge, traffic will be diverted/stopped at Galway Arms from 5pm to 7pm approximately. In Dominick Street Lower, Fairhill Road Lower, traffic will be diverted/stopped at the junction of Fr Griffin Road and Lower Fairhill Road from 5pm to 7.30pm approximately.
From Fr Griffin Road/Claddagh Quay to The Crescent traffic will be diverted/stopped at Claddagh Quay from 6pm to 8.40 while from Fr Griffin Road/The Crescent to Claddagh Quay traffic will be diverted/stopped atvThe Crescent Junction with Fr Griffin Road from 6pm to 8pm approximately.
Where to watch
Recommended family viewing areas are on Father Griffin Road and Eglington Street. The organisers recommend viewing the parade from these less crowded areas if you are bringing small children.
The accessible viewing area is at Galway Cathedral.
Gardaí warned that an exceptionally large crowd is anticipated to attend this event. They urged all those intending to attend to arrive in Galway city as early as possible as there will be traffic restriction’s in place before and after the parade “so as to ensure the safety of all persons attending this much anticipated event”.
‘The Boy’ will be part of Sunday’s Macnas parade. Photo: Emilija Jefremova
The 2025 Parade Children’s Activity Pack
Children are invited to take part in this year’s Macnas Halloween Parade and “help call back the Corncrake”.
Macnas has commissioned a new story for children called Holding Up The Sky – The Return of the Lost, written by Louise Lowe and illustrated by Lisa Sweeney. The story is part of this year’s Macnas parade.
You can view the 2025 Macnas Parade Children’s Activity Pack and download the story on their website https://www.macnas.com/education/macnas-at-school.
“Once you have read the story, we invite you to make your own güiro, bring it along, and join in as we call to the Corncrake — something magical might happen,” Macnas explained.
