Three quarters of the Big Top concerts and five theatre shows have already sold out — the biggest and earliest box office success yet for the Galway International Arts Festival.

There are tickets now left for just three of the 12 Big Top gigs – the 40th anniversary greatest hits show of Galway girl Mary Coughlan, Glasgow outfit Mogwai and the big classical concert closing the two-week arts extravaganza featuring Norwegian violinist Mari Samuelson with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Creative Director Paul Fahy said there had been a surge of sales since the physical box office opened to the public on Wednesday.

“There was a huge amount of interest in Sabotage, which is showing in its own bell-shaped tent with a capacity for 700 people. It’s an extraordinary, contemporary circus, unlike anything we’ve ever seen done in Galway,” he revealed.

“I’m also getting a sense from people stopping me on the street of the sense of affection and goodwill for Mary Coughlin — the local girl coming home for her 40th anniversary. I’m hoping she gets the welcome she deserves with a full house.

“Scorched Earth by Luke Murphy who had the hottest tickets in Galway in 2020 and 2022 with Volcano had a really different retelling of the John B Keane story, The Field. It’s visually fantastic, one of my personal highlights, it’s so unique.”

There are tickets in some big capacity venues still on sale for some of the biggest shows including the acrobatic spectacle The Genesis, the world premiere of the opera Mars, and Belgian ode to climate change from three explorers, Dimanche.

He said the Branar show, Story of a Day, told in Irish, English and in relaxed performances for special needs audience members, featuring live music by the Galway Music Residency, should not be missed by families.

“I really think they’re one of the unsung heroes of the Galway arts scene, there’ll be great excitement, a great buzz about that one.”

Pushed to predict the top three hits of the festival, he reluctantly settles on Sabotage, Scorched Earth and the specially commissioned pieces from UK artist David Mach in a show in the An Post gallery on William Street called Burning Down the House.

“In the past he’s seen audiences queuing to get in and I think this will be no different. It’s going to be incredible and we’re only week seven into that build.” His previous exhibitions featured enormous crucifixes in 2012 and a yacht, caravan and car made of old newspapers in 2018.

He urged avid arts festival fans to buy their tickets for the remaining shows to avoid seeing the ‘sold out’ stickers.

“This the earliest we’ve ever sold out so many shows. We’ve had a lot of interest from America and the UK so I don’t want Galway audiences to be disappointed.”

The Galway International Arts Festival runs July 14-27 across the city with the box office now open at the old PTSB office on Eyre Square.

Pictured: Long-time Festival collaborator Mikel Murfi performs his new solo show Oh …  entirely underwater in the main tank of Galway Atlantaquaria. Photo James Connolly.