2 July - 6 August 2026 :: Thursdays at 8:00pm
Full details: https://recitals.galwaycathedral.ie
Galway Cathedral’s 33rd year of annual summer concerts begins on Thursday 2 July 2026, and continues every Thursday at 8.00pm until 6 August. The series opens with young Australian organist Jonathan Lee, who will use both of the cathedral’s organs. His performance includes 19th-century German composer Julius Reubke's dramatic, symphonic tone poem for organ, renowned as one of the greatest organ works of the Romantic period.
9 August features upper-voice choir Vox Orbis, directed by Galway's own Dr Mark Keane, presenting hauntingly beautiful music by French composer Maurice Duruflé, who died 40 years ago this summer. This concert also features cathedral organist Ray O'Donnell (artistic director of the series), with celebrity cellist Adrian Mantu and mezzo-soprano Raphaela Mangan.
American composer and organist Bálint Karosi performs on 16 July, playing one of his own compositions and an organ sonata by Anglo-Irish composer C.V. Stanford.
23 July is a treat for lovers of early and Baroque music: Michael Shields and Dorothee Mülheisen collaborate on harpsichord and baroque violin, including works by Handel and Telemann.
Organ duet performances are a rarity, but Dublin players Carole O'Connor and Patrice Keegan have made it their speciality. They play on 30 July, and an additional camera will be added to the usual screen at the front of the nave so all the duet action can be seen!
The series finishes on 6 August with young English organist Eben Eyres, presently in his third year of study at Cambridge. He will play favourites of the organ repertoire, including music by Bach, Elgar, Duruflé, and Grayston Ives.