Faces of Galway, 1988-89 by Suzanne Ahearne

What to Expect

Faces of Galway, 1988-89 is a photographic exhibition by Suzanne Ahearne, mounted in the outdoor temporary exhibition space at Galway City Museum. The pictures were taken across the summer of 1988 and into 1989, and they record the city and its close-knit community at a point when the arts scene and the bohemian side of Galway were both in full swing and before the boom years reshaped the place.

The exhibition opened during Galway International Arts Festival on 13 July 2026 and continues on display until 29 September 2026. Because it is sited outdoors at the museum, on Spanish Parade beside the Spanish Arch, it can be seen without going inside, which makes it one of the easiest exhibitions in the city to drop in on while walking the Long Walk or coming up from the Claddagh. Galway City Museum charges no admission at any time, so both the outdoor display and the galleries inside are free to visit. The museum’s own exhibition page is the source for the dates here.

Good to Know

• On display until 29 September 2026, having opened on 13 July
• Sited in the outdoor temporary exhibition space at Galway City Museum, Spanish Parade
• Admission to Galway City Museum is always free
• The outdoor siting means the work can be seen outside museum opening hours
• The museum’s indoor galleries currently also carry Survivor Stories and other free exhibitions
• Photographs date from the summer of 1988 and 1989

Getting There

Galway City Museum is on Spanish Parade, right beside the Spanish Arch at the bottom of Quay Street, a five-minute walk from Eyre Square through the Latin Quarter. There is no museum car park, so drivers coming in on the N6 should use the Jury’s Inn, Fairgreen or Corbett Court multi-storey car parks and walk down. City bus services stop on Fr Griffin Road and along the Claddagh within a few minutes’ walk, and Galway Ceannt railway and bus station is about eight minutes away on foot.