The Macnas Halloween Parade returns to the streets of Galway

By Ella Carey

Macnas are taking over the streets of Galway this Bank Holiday Sunday (29 October) for their Halloween Parade.

The magical Macnas performance will kick off on University Road at 5:30pm and end on Father Griffin Road around 7:30 pm. The outdoor event is completely free and suitable to all ages.

The team returns to Galway City to display their “spooktastic” parade for the first time in four years. This year’s theme surrounds the legend of La Loba, and as darkness descends on the Halloween Sabbath, La Loba will prowl Galway’s city streets.

What is Macnas?

Macnas is an award-winning, internationally acclaimed performance group from Galway. The group performs at parades, hosts theatre shows, and participates in film and performance art.

Macnas believe any site can become a stage as they’ve performed on city streets, in GAA clubs, disused warehouses, bogs, mountains, car parks, and sheds.

To pull off their show-stopping performances, the clique consists of people with their own individual skill. These include freelance artists, engineers, musicians, sculptors, filmmakers, performers, poets, actors, playwrights, puppeteers, markers, and pyro-technicians.

The Macnas are not limited to only preforming around public holidays.

The group have a year-round, complete participatory program, including the Macnas Youth Theatre, Macnas Drumming and Macnas Brass. They also have an education programme with freelance artists in partnership with community groups and primary and third-level institutions.

Cnámha La Loba

The parade is inspired by the legend of La Loba – a wild Wolf-Woman who stands almost five meters tall and is covered head to toe in white skulls.

La Loba spends her time wandering the world collecting and preserving bones. The skeletal remains belong to animals, humans and gods that are in danger of being lost to the world. Under the moonlight with her pet wolf by her side, La Loba gathers her treasure trove of “cnámha” and uses her magical voice to sing life back into the bones.

The bones rise again and roam our streets as a reminder of the past.

The Macnas Parade is the perfect way to embrace the spooky season!