Galway's annual Love Festival has been pulling out the stops for Leap Year with a wide variety of romantic events taking place over this weekend.
The Grá Fest has attracted a lot of visitors to the city including one French woman who used the occasion to propose to her boyfriend.
There was devilish behaviour on the streets of Galway as the city embraces Grá Fest and all things love. The theatrical tricksters shared traffic light badges with members of the public.
Zoe Hayter flashes a cheeky wink and explains: "We have three colour codes that people can wear to indicate their current status.
"Green means you're on the hunt for love, amber is a maybe and red means you're taken.
"We've put a green badge on the Galway Girl sculpture on Quay Street. She looks so lonely on the bench by herself and we feel she's looking for love."
Fortunate Nyakambiri laughs uproariously at not needing a badge, but says she is supporting "all the single ladies" as her friend Sonia Villada sports an amber badge.
"I am taken and I'm not looking for anybody else but this is a great festival and we're having so much fun. I moved here from Drogheda and I just love the way Galway celebrates romance. I want all my friends to find love," she said.
Margaret Nolan is artistic director of the festival and said: "We started three years ago and we usually host it on Valentine's weekend. But this year is special because it's a Leap Year when women traditionally get to propose to a partner.
"We also want to celebrate coming out of lockdown and being able to hold hands, kiss and embrace one another again.
"Add some champagne and oysters, chocolate tasting workshops, poetry readings and historical tours tracing the steps of Galway's icons of love including Nora Barnacle and James Joyce. It's grá, grá, grá all the way."
Husband and wife Mags and Brian Sweeney, from Co Kerry and Co Clare, dropped by the Truffle store to indulge in a chocolate tasting workshop and share their own recipe for lasting love.
"It's truth and honesty" Brian said. "Chocolate helps too," Mags added.
Around the corner in Naughton’s the snug was set aside for a poetry love fest.
Caoimhe Lavelle operated a bespoke poetry hotline on a retro phone with verses composed on the spot for people calling her with requests.
The Claddagh ring has the heart at its core and was the inspiration for one young French woman from Montpellier to propose to her boyfriend.
Chloe Galard had been planning the trip to Galway for over two years and took a leap of faith in 2024.
She said: "This is our first trip to Ireland and I always wanted to come to Ireland because my grandmother gave me the gift of a Claddagh ring 20 years ago.
"I fell in love with the story of love and loyalty and friendship and how you turn the ring towards your heart when you have found true love.
"This is a leap year and I was determined to make my dream come true."
French woman proposes to her boyfriend in Galway as part of Grá Fest Leap Year celebrations. He said YES! @rtenews @ByrnesBooks #LeapYear #claddaghring pic.twitter.com/ug7ztDhiEE
— Teresa Mannion (@TeresaMannion) March 3, 2024
Chloe's voice broke as she said her grandmother is no longer alive, but the Claddagh ring bonds them forever and is the reason she is in Galway.
Chloe then went down on bended knee in Charlie Byrne's bookshop and asked her boyfriend, Clement Artaud to marry her.
As he gazed into her eyes, the young French man beamed and replied: "Yes, yes. Of course yes. I love you."
Chloe is a psychotherapist and Clement is an engineer. The couple then fitted their bespoke Claddagh engagement rings on each other's fingers.
"These rings were planned with so much love and the Blacoe Jewellers worked around the clock to have them ready in time for my leap year proposal.
"I wanted a shamrock to replace the crown and they did a fantastic job," said Chloe.
Clement said this time and place would be embedded in his heart forever.
Staff and customers in Charlie Byrne's bookshop looked on and applauded with tears in their eyes.
Then the couple stayed on to hear Tom Mathews recite from his book of poetry 'No Return Game'.
Later, the couple were presented with a Claddagh pampering pack before leaving Galway to return to France.
The Grá Fest culminates tonight with a masked ball.
