300,000 visitors attended Galway’s Christmas Market 2023

Galway’s Christmas Market successfully finished its run in Eyre Square earlier this month. The tentpole winter event was the longest on record, spanning two months, to the delight of attendees, vendors, and local businesses.

300,000 people attended the market over its runtime according to Ruairí Lehmann, Galway City Council Tourism Officer.

“I believe it has been positively received,” said Eddie Hoare, Galway City Mayor. “City businesses have reported increased footfall levels and increased sales this Christmas,” he said.

“Great Experience”

The Prátaí bistro has been a mainstay in the Galway Christmas Market lineup since 2021. According to manager Joe Gaughan, 2023 was the best run yet for Prátaí.

“Year on year an improvement, absolutely,” he said.

Businesses in Eyre Square enjoyed the additional traffic, with some finding creative ways to attract festively-minded customers. For the Gatto Rosso restaurant, that meant setting up a stand at the front to sell pizzas by the slice.

“It’s another source of revenue for us,” said Simon Bega, manager at Gatto Rosso.

“But (it is) also advertising,” he said, “people might want to munch something from the market, but some might want to sit down and have a proper meal while they have their market experience.”

According to Mr Bega, there was no competition between market stalls and city businesses, because the increase in turnover was that significant.

He estimated that compared to the pre-market period, the Market brought about a “25-30% increase in business”.

A Trial Extension

The decision to extend the market into January, albeit at a reduced capacity, originated with the Galway City Council as part of the tender for the Christmas Market.

According to Mr Lehmann, the trial was largely successful. “Initial feedback (…) has been positive,” he said.

The decision on whether the next Christmas Market will run past St Stephen’s day is forthcoming, he said.

However, some vendors like Mr Gaughan decided against prolonging their stay at Eyre Square.

“When my brother first told me about the extension, we thought ‘Oh Jesus, that’s great!’,” he said. “Business is there after Christmas.”

The decision, Mr Gaughan said, came down to wanting to stay with loved ones over the holidays.

“Me, my brother, and all of our staff (…) took six to seven days off to spend time with family. We love spending Christmas at home.”