Ballinasloe Fair & FestivalAonach Béal Átha na Sluaighe

Ballinasloe Fair & Festival, often called the Ballinasloe Horse Fair, is an annual week-long festival in early October, centered on one of Europe’s oldest horse fairs 1. Dating back to 1722, it originally served as a large livestock market 2. Today the event combines traditional animal trading (horse and pony shows) with entertainment (music, parades, craft markets). It attracts up to 80,000 visitors, making it a major economic and social event for County Galway 3.

The fair originated as a major livestock market in the 18th century 1, known then as Europe’s largest livestock fair. The town’s Gaelic name reflects its history: 'Ford-mouth of the hostings' 2. It declined mid-20th century but was revitalized after 1948 with a carnival element 3. The modern festival retains horse and pony competitions (“Horse of the Fair”, “Pony of the Fair”) and a parade, continuing the ancient tradition in a family-friendly format 4 5.