I’m not usually a great fan of Uke events. The ones I’ve been to tent to be fairly disorganised and a bit amateur. Lots of listening to people do their thing before your 15 mins of fame.

However, a few people from my group raved about Galway, so my wife and I decided to go on holiday in Ireland and take in at least 1-2 days of the 4 day event.

In the end we stayed all 4 days!

Very professional organisation, in a fenced off area of a park right in the centre of Galway.

Lines of spontaneous uking with random and happy people and also open mike sessions. Fantastic workshops run by professions and good players. Fantastic evening concerts by pro groups, not just ukers but great singers and musicians, several quite famous.

Workshops covered everything. Finger style, Beyong Strumming, Song writing, Classical playing, Beat and Strum, Rock on Uke, you name it.

What really makes it though is Galway. Major Irish city, on the coast, tourist season. Everything open, every bar and restaurant busy, all with a live band or player of some sort. Every king of food.

But the people were so happy and friendly, no English snobbishness (I’m English!), no load mouthed yanks, no German towel grabbers. All such people were relaxed and happy.

Here’s a street musician

Here’s the final street party