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Thursday, January 1, 2026

What's Open in Galway on New Year's Day 2026



New Year's Day, 1 January, is a public holiday in Ireland.  

Most pubs are open.  Some cafes are, too.   But many places in Galway choose not to open on New Year's Day.     

So this is a list of places which are open in Galway city-centre on New Year's Day in 2026:  it is a work-in-progress, and will be live-updated on the day.






Pubs

Almost all Galway city pubs are (or will) open on New Year's Day - but many will open a little later than they usually would!

Neachtain are opening from 5pm


Exceptions - pubs that didn't open on New Years' Day in 2026, or have announced they won't

Watch this space!


Pubs that weren't open on New Year's Day in 2024

Blue Note
Massimo 
Roisin Dubh
The Universal



Cafes and restaurants 


Cafes / Restaurants in Galway city which will or are open on New Year's Day 2026

Anfora
Apache Pizza, Dominick St and Terryland 
BakeBox, open from 8:30am
Caprice
Charcoal Grill,  Mary Street, Quay Street 
Dough Bros, Middle Street and in O'Connells
Giovannis- from 4pm
Khow Thai
LanaThai - Mary Street
Little Lane from 10am
McDonalds
Magnetti, Quay St 
Nana's Teahouse 
Osaka Prospect Hill - normal hours
Osaka, Salthill  open from 12:30pm
Osteria Simone - normal hours
Samyo Asian, Salthill
Tucos 
Venice - from 1pm
Xi'an
Zambrero - Planet Entertainment centre 



Cafes / Restaurants in Galway city which did open on New Year's Day 2025


Asian Teahouse,  from 5pm
Beef & Lobster
BóTown burgers, from 3pm
Boojum
Capital Kebab House 
Caprice, 10am-4pm
Caffe Nero

Chill Shack 

Ciarlantini Woodquay
Coco to Go

Creamery,  Salthill 
Da Roberta

Eastern Tandoori
Galleon Salthill 
GBC 

Gino's Gelato

Golden Rikshaw - evening 
Gourmet Food Parlour 
High Cafe 
Kashmir
Krispy Kreme Donuts
Kumar's 
La Vina

Magnetti, Salthill 

Mama Rich
Meltd - from 11am
Milano
Mocha Beans -all stores
Monroes PizzaPizza
Murphys ice-creams
O'Reillys,  Salthill 
Pizza Maxx Salthill 
Pizza Time 
Plámás, from 10am
Ré Coffee Salthill 
ReNao
Renzo
Salt and Pepper,  Salthill 
Samyo Asian Salthill 
Smashbird
Supermacs - Cross St from 2pm
Thai Garden 
The Hidden - from 4pm
Tulsi

Yummy Wok 
Zaiqa

Pubs that serve food


Busker Browne's 
Cellar
Dáil
Front Door/Sonnys
Imperial 
John Keoghs
Kings Head
M Fitzgerald's 
Mary Mullens 
Monroes
Murphys (toasted sandwiches!)
Seven
Taffes
The Quays  from 4pm
Tig Neachtain from 5pm


Cafes / Restaurants in Galway city which will be or are closed on New Year's Day 2026

56 Central
Ayran Pizzaria - closed until 4 Jan
Bare Pantry Liosbaun, re-opens on 27th
City Pantry Cafe, re-opens on 9 January
Classico
Corrib House tearoom, reopens on 6 January
Espresso 44, Shop Street and West End 
Esquires Eyre Square
Gemelles - are closed for "a while"
Gourmet Tart - re-opening 8am on January 7th
Grind Briarhill
Insomnia, Eyre Square
Java
Jungle Cafe Prospect Hill reopens on 2 January 
Kai, reopens on 2 January 
McDonagh's Fisk and Chips
Magpie, reopens on 8th January
Mona Lisa 
Mr Waffle
Neighbourhood Cafe, Doughiska, reopens on 6 Jan
Pascal
Pasta Factory, reopens on 7 January
Pizza Pasta Napoli, closed until 22nd  January 
Poppyseed at Galway Crystal, reopens on the 2nd
Roots Shop Street,  reopens on the 27th
Starbucks, Eyre Square
Truffle,  closed 1-7 January


Supermarkets / foodstores

Open, or have announced they are opening on NYD 2026

Dunnes Stores, Terryland - open 11am to 7pm
Tesco - superstores only (Headford Rd, Oranmore) from 10am


Shops that did open on New Year's Day 2025

Asiatic Asian Foods
Carnival Supermarket

Have announced that they are not opening on New Year's Day 2026

Dunnes Stores - all stores
Lids - all stores
Aldi - all stores
M&S

Jasmine Asian Grocery

Ernei's Fruit and Veg


Other shops

Shops which are open on New Year's Day 2026, or have announced they will open 

Almost all convenience stores / Newsagents will open

Anthony Ryans from 12:30
Aran Sweater Mart 
Brown Thoma, open from 11am
Centra Forster St, 7am - 11:25pm
Eason bookshop, from 12-noon
Galway Woollen Market
Galway Gifts
Holland and Barrett  from 11am
Hollands Newsagents, open from 12-noon.
Londis Eyre Square, 7am to 12-midnight
Monaghan's Centra  7am - 10pm
Number 10 Newsagents, from 1pm
Spar Mainguard Street 8am to 10pm
Tommy Hilfiger
Weavers of Ireland 

Shops which did open on New Year's Day 2025      


Aunty's Nellie's Sweets
Boots Galway Shopping Centre,  from 12-noon
Boots Shop Street,  11:30am- 6pm
Brennans Shoes
Brown Thomas
Carrolls Gifts- Williamsgate Street only
CEX Game Exchange
Evergreen Healthfoods, from 12:30pm
Fine Wines, Raven's Tce 
Fonez4U

Mountain Warehouse
Mullins Pharmacy Salthill 
Lifestyle Sports 
Lovisa 
O'Brien's Newsagents 
O'Brien's Wines  
Salthill Phone Repairs 
Staunton's Pharmacy,  Salthill 
Whelans Pharmacy 




Shops which have announced they are closed on New Year's Day 2026

Ah Sure Lookit, reopens on 10th January 
Angel Nails
An Tobar Nua, reopens on  6th January
Art 'n Hobby
BathShack
Better Blinds, reopens on 5 January 
Blacoe Jewellery, closed 1-7th January
Cash & Carry Kitchens, reopens 2 January
Cash Creators, reopens on the 29th
Castle Davitt Furniture 
COPE Galway shops, reopens on 5 January
Crescent Pharmacy
Decorate Your Own, reopens 6th January 
DID Electrical 
Doctor Claire's Apothecary
Dubray Books
eCig Store
Edmond's Shoe Repairs, reopen on 3 January
Enable Ireland, Cross Street
Equine Warehouse
Express Frames, reopens 5 January 
Finnerty Butchers
Flaherty Paints, Woodquay, reopens on 5th January
Galway Luggage Storage, reopens on 5th January
Heffernan Shoe Repairs, re-opens 6 January
Hickey Meats  reopens on 3 January 
Home Pharmacy, Forster St
Laura Jane
Logues Shoes
Oxfam
Pat McDonnell Paints
Petworld
Sea Rd Laundrette, reopens on January 2nd
Simon Charity Shop, reopens on 2 January
Specsavers, Eyre Square
The Card  Store
Tubs & Tiles



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