'An Tír Faoi Thoinn - The Land Beneath the Waves' Photography Exhibition Opens at Galway City Museum

11th February 2026

Lorna Siggins

Cuán mara agus Crosóg bhriosc | Edible Sea Urchin and Common brittlestars | Echinus esculentus & Ophiothrix fragilis. Location: Killary Harbour Credit: Dr John Costelloe.

Galway’s enduring connection to the sea is celebrated in a new underwater photography exhibition featuring the work of the late Dr John Costelloe.

Dr Costelloe was a marine biologist, passionate diver and gifted underwater photographer.

The exhibition, entitled l An Tír Faoi Thoinn – The Land Beneath the Waves, was opened on Tuesday by the Mayor of Galway City, Mike Cubbard, and is hosted by Galway City Museum with the Marine Institute.

Bundún leice | Dahlia anemone| Urticina felina. Location: Killary Harbour

“An Tír Faoi Thoinn reveals the remarkable beauty and richness of life beneath Galway Bay and shows us that Galway Bay is not just a backdrop to our city, but a living world that deserves our curiosity and care,” Mayor Cubbard said.

“ The striking photographs by John Costelloe offer a powerful reminder that our natural heritage is one of our greatest strengths as a city, and I am delighted that this exhibition allows people to connect more deeply with the ocean on our doorstep.”

Director of Galway City Museum, Adam Stoneman, said that “John Costelloe’s lifelong devotion to Ireland’s underwater world, paired with his sharp photographic eye, has created an extraordinary visual legacy that continues to inspire new generations to explore, understand and protect the marine environment”.

Bundún leice | Dahlia anemone| Urticina felina. Location: Killary Harbour

“We are honoured to share John Costelloe’s remarkable work and proud to collaborate with the Marine Institute to bring the wonders of our ocean world into the heart of the city,” he said.

Marine Institute chief executive Dr Rick Officer said that “John Costelloe’s work reminds us that Galway Bay is not only a place of heritage, but a living, breathing ecosystem central to Ireland’s future”.

Hiodróideach | Oaten Pipe Hydroid | Tubularia indivisa. Location: Killary Harbour

“As Ireland’s national agency for marine research, the Marine Institute is proud to support an exhibition that inspires curiosity, deepens understanding, and encourages us all to protect the ocean that sustains us,” he said.

Complementing the photography are sculptural works by Aisling Roche, Andrea Spencer, and John Coll, highlighting the power of the underwater world as a source of creative inspiration as well as scientific discovery.

The exhibition runs from February 11th to June 2026, and will be accompanied by a programme of talks, workshops, and family-friendly events.

Visitors can also enjoy a wide range of other exhibitions at the Museum, including Surrounded by Stone; Keepers of the Gael; Revolution in Galway, 1913–23; The Galway Hooker; Earth Action; and The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science.

Admission is free, and Galway City Museum’s opening hours are Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm (galleries close at 4:45 pm)

Admission is FREE. More information: www.GalwayCityMuseum.ie

Published in Galway Harbour, Diving, Marine Science, Marine Photo

Published in Galway Harbour

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About The Author

Lorna Siggins

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Lorna Siggins is a print and radio reporter, and a former Irish Times western correspondent. She is the author of Search and Rescue: True stories of Irish Air-Sea Rescues and the Loss of R116 (2022); Everest Callling (1994) on the first Irish Everest expedition; Mayday! Mayday! (2004); and Once Upon a Time in the West: the Corrib gas controversy (2010). She is also co-producer with Sarah Blake of the Doc on One "Miracle in Galway Bay" which recently won a Celtic Media Award

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Galway Port & Harbour

Galway Bay is a large bay on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south. Galway city and port is located on the northeast side of the bay. The bay is about 50 kilometres (31 miles) long and from 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) to 30 kilometres (19 miles) in breadth.

The Aran Islands are to the west across the entrance and there are numerous small islands within the bay.

Galway Port FAQs

How old is Galway port?

Galway was founded in the 13th century by the de Burgo family, and became an important seaport with sailing ships bearing wine imports and exports of fish, hides and wool.

How old is Galway bay?

Not as old as previously thought. Galway bay was once a series of lagoons, known as Loch Lurgan, plied by people in log canoes. Ancient tree stumps exposed by storms in 2010 have been dated back about 7,500 years.

What is the tonnage of the port?

It is about 660,000 tonnes as it is a tidal port.

Who is the harbourmaster of Galway port?

Capt Brian Sheridan, who succeeded his late father, Capt Frank Sheridan

When are the lock gates open?

The dock gates open approximately two hours before high water and close at high water subject to ship movements on each tide.

What's the biggest ship that can 'fit' in the harbour?

The typical ship sizes are in the region of 4,000 to 6,000 tonnes

Is renewable energy generating a lot of business for Galway port?

Turbines for about 14 wind projects have been imported in recent years, but the tonnage of these cargoes is light. A European industry report calculates that each turbine generates €10 million in locally generated revenue during construction and logistics/transport.

Is Galway a European cable location?

Yes, Iceland has selected Galway as European landing location for international telecommunications cables. Farice, a company wholly owned by the Icelandic Government, currently owns and operates two submarine cables linking Iceland to Northern Europe.

What's the update on the Galway port expansion plans?

It is "very much a live project", Harbourmaster Capt Sheridan says, and the Port of Galway board is "awaiting the outcome of a Bord Pleanála determination", he says.

Where does all the scrap go at Galway Port?

90% of the scrap steel is exported to Spain with the balance being shipped to Portugal. Since the pandemic, scrap steel is shipped to the Liverpool where it is either transhipped to larger ships bound for China.

Why is Galway Port exporting silage and the Irish farmers are crying out for it?

It might look like silage, but in fact, its bales domestic and municipal waste, exported to Denmark where the waste is incinerated, and the heat is used in district heating of homes and schools. It is called RDF or Refuse Derived Fuel and has been exported out of Galway since 2013.

When is the new ferry starting service from Galway?

The new ferry is arriving at Galway Bay onboard the cargo ship SVENJA. The vessel is currently on passage to Belem, Brazil before making her way across the Atlantic to Galway.

Is the Volvo Ocean Race coming back to Galway?

Two Volvo round world races have selected Galway for the prestigious yacht race route. Some 10,000 people welcomed the boats in during its first stopover in 2009, when a festival was marked by stunning weather. It was also selected for the race finish in 2012. The Volvo has changed its name and is now known as the "Ocean Race". Capt Sheridan says that once port expansion and the re-urbanisation of the docklands is complete, the port will welcome the "ocean race, Clipper race, Tall Ships race, Small Ships Regatta and maybe the America's Cup right into the city centre...".

When is Seafest coming back to Galway?

The pandemic was the reason why Seafest did not go ahead in Cork in 2020. Galway will welcome Seafest back after it calls to Waterford and Limerick, thus having been to all the Port cities.