This article first appeared on Galway Bay FM

There was a record attendance at this year’s Galway International Arts Festival.

By the time the final curtain fell on Sunday night, more than 450 thousand people had attended events over the two-week period.

Organisers say it reflects a festival that was larger in scale than ever before, with a hugely ambitious programme.

The festival opened with Sabotage from Nofit State – and ended with a performance by Mari Samuelson with the RTE Concert Orchestra.

The festival says highlights included 8 new theatre, opera and dance world premiere productions and Festival commissions.