Some of the biggest names in contemporary Irish folk music have just been announced for the inaugural Galway Folk Festival – taking place from June 15–19 across four stages in Monroe's, Galway.

The initial line-up for the five-day festival includes Villagers, John Francis Flynn, Andy Irvine & Donal Lunny, Hothouse Flowers, Séan Keane, and The Henry Girls as the main headliners – with Peter Broderick, I Draw Slow, Dani Larkin, The Raines, Zoë Conway & John Mc Intyre, The Frank & Walters (Acoustic), Lorraine Nash, BRÍDÍN, Ultan Conlon, Woven Kin, Sonny Casey, Emma Langford, King Pallas, Robert John Ardiff, Aoife Scott, Stevie Appleby, A. Smyth, Laura Duff, Les SalAmandas, Seba Safe and more also set to play.

In addition to the shows at Monroe's, you can also expect pop-up gigs and a music trail – with details still to be revealed.

"We are thrilled to welcome some of the best folk artists this country has to offer to Galway this June," says Peter O’Sullivan, Festival Director & Programmer. "As well as the afternoon and evening shows at Monroes, we will be doing free events around the city including some pop-up performances and all age events.”

"We are delighted to launch the very first Galway Folk Festival," adds Gary Monroe of Monroe's Live. "We are looking forward to the first summer of live music in two years and are excited to be bringing something new to the Galway music calendar."

The festival kicks off on Wednesday, June 15, with headline act Villagers performing an acoustic show, followed by four more days of music at Monroe’s and across the city.

Tickets on sale now via galwayfolkfestival.ie