The Tonnta festival, which celebrates Galway as a bilingual city, runs over the bank holiday weekend.

Highlights will include a free Céilí Mór and fire shows in Eyre Square as well as bilingual concerts, workshops, food tours and family events. All are bilingual, accessible and inclusive.

Headline acts include the Máirtín O’Connor Trio, supported by Inis Mór singer-songwriter Padraig Jack at the Town Hall Theatre this Sunday. Singer and flautist Ríoghnach Connolly will be joined by An Chéad Ghlúin Eile at An Taibhdhearc this Saturday, to celebrate St Brigid’s Day, while Jiggy perform at the Róisín Dubh this Friday,

Other events will include the premiere of a new Irish language commission by James Riordan of Brú Theatre Company, at An Taibhdhearc, also this Friday.

There will be a series of free events at PorterShed a Dó, Market Street, on Saturday, including bilingual yoga, St Brigid’s cross-weaving and Irish language conversational sessions, in partnership with the Claddagh Credit Union.

The popular Cosy Club, hosted by Kayte O’Malley, will take place in the HYDE Bar on Saturday, while there will be a special screening of the award-winning bilingual film Froggie at the Pálás cinema, followed by a panel discussion.

Eyre Square will be the venue for a free Céilí Mór on Eyre Square this Saturday from 2pm to 5pm, and fire performances at 5pm and 7pm, all celebrating the Irish language.

On Sunday, the festival’s Lá na bPáistí will be in Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra, one of Galway City’s two designated Gaeltacht areas.

Thiswill have workshops,  games, circus skills, face-painting, and a kids’ disco.  Presenters from TG4’s Cúla4, will attend and there will be opportunities for people to practise their TV skills and perform in front of the camera.

The festival will close on Sunday, with The Dirty Circus, as Gaeilge which returns by popular demand.

Tonnta is an initiative of the group Gaillimh le Gaeilge, to enhance the presence of the Irish language in Galway.

For more information go to www.tonnta.eu.

Pictured: The Máirtín O’Connor Trio: Cathal Hayden, Máirtín and Seamie O’Dowd.