The short answer
The HSE lists 2 free sexual health clinics in Galway. They are free, and you contact them directly for an appointment.
If a clinic doesn't suit you, the free home testing service covers the whole Republic of Ireland — see below.
Free home testing, posted to Galway
You don't have to attend a clinic. SH:24 runs the HSE's free home STI testing service: you order it, they post you a kit, you take the samples and post them back, and they send your results. Free if you're 17 or over and live in the Republic of Ireland.
You order directly from SH:24, which runs this with the HSE. STI.ie is an independent guide. In Northern Ireland?
Free HSE sexual health clinics in Galway
Details below come straight from the HSE's clinic directory, checked on 10 September 2026. Where the HSE doesn't publish something, we say so instead of guessing.
Sexual Health Clinic
Portiuncula University Hospital, Ballinasloe, Galway
Phone: 090 962 4676
Cost: free. The HSE states plainly: “All services are free.”
Booking: contact the clinic directly for an appointment.
The HSE listing doesn't publish this clinic's opening hours, walk-in availability or referral rules, so we don't either — ask when you ring.
Sexual Health Clinic
University Hospital Galway, Newcastle Road, Galway
Phone: 091 525 200
Cost: free. The HSE states plainly: “All services are free.”
Booking: contact the clinic directly for an appointment.
The HSE listing doesn't publish this clinic's opening hours, walk-in availability or referral rules, so we don't either — ask when you ring.
Before you go
The HSE listing gives contact details, not opening hours. So ring first — and these are the things worth asking, because none of them are published:
- When are you open, and do I need an appointment or can I walk in?
- Do I need a referral from my GP?
- How long until you could see me?
- What should I bring, and is there anything I shouldn't do beforehand (like passing urine just before)?
- How will you give me my results?
If saying it out loud is the hard part, this is enough: “Hi — I'd like to book an STI test, please.” They take these calls every day. You don't have to explain yourself.
Which route makes sense for you?
You have symptoms
Sores, blisters, ulcers, pain, or unusual discharge? Ring a clinic or your GP rather than waiting on a postal kit. A clinician may need to look and take a swab.
No symptoms, just checking
A free kit posted to you is usually the easiest route, and it covers the whole Republic of Ireland.
Never done this before
Knowing what happens takes most of the worry out of it.
What about my GP?
Any GP can arrange an STI screen. What it costs depends on your own GP and your cover, and it isn't something we can quote for you — ask the practice when you book. Public sexual health clinics and the free home service don't charge at all.
Other counties
Sources
- HSE — Sexual health services and clinics (clinic names, addresses, phone numbers, and the statement that all services are free)
- HSE — Sexual health (free home STI testing: 17 or older, living in the Republic of Ireland)
Checked 10 September 2026. Clinic details change — ring ahead before you travel. If something here is out of date, the HSE listing above is the one to trust.