Hacktoberfest Hack Day Galway x Cybersecurity Society, University of Galway
Hacktoberfest 2026
Aras Na Mac Leinn, Distillery Rd, Galway Cube, Aras na Mac Leinn Galway, Galway 7WHR+5R Galway Ireland
Event Description
Build Open is a Hacktoberfest Hack Day hosted by the Cybersecurity Society at the University of Galway. It is a one-day mini-hackathon where you team up, build a working project with open-source AI tools or open-weight models, and demo it for a chance to win.
You can arrive with an idea or find a team on the day. Over the afternoon you will design, build and present something real, then submit it for the Best Open-Source AI Project challenge.
What you will get
- A full day of hands-on building alongside other students and developers
- A participation badge for every attendee
- A chance to win Best Open-Source AI Project, with a DEV Badge for every member of the winning team
What to bring
- Your laptop and charger
- An idea, or the willingness to find a team on the day
Details
- Date: Thursday 29 October 2026
- Time: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Venue: The Cube, Aras na Mac Leinn, University of Galway, Galway
- Places are limited, so register early.
Part of Hacktoberfest 2026, in partnership with Major League Hacking.
Who can attend?
Locations have different requirements for who can attend. This location is open to the following:
Schedule
Thursday 29 October 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 11:00 AM | Doors open and check-in |
| 11:20 AM | Welcome, rules and prize challenge briefing |
| 11:45 AM | Idea pitches and team formation |
| 12:15 PM | Hacking begins |
| 1:15 PM | Break |
| 1:45 PM | Hacking resumes |
| 3:30 PM | Hacking ends and project submissions close |
| 3:45 PM | Project demos |
| 4:30 PM | Judging and winners announced |
| 4:50 PM | Closing remarks and photos |
| 5:00 PM | Event ends |
Additional Information
Join our Discord at - https://discord.gg/eUSWQb7jg
Links & Resources
Agent Skills Explained: What They Are, What They Aren't, and How to Use Them
Overview of the Agent Skill Open Standard and SKILL.md authoring.
Open link →A Developer's Guide to Open-Weight LLM API Integration
Guide to deploying and integrating large open-weight LLMs.
Open link →How to Run Google's Gemma 4 Locally with Ollama
Local setup and edge execution for models under 10B parameters.
Open link →Hermes Agent: A Practical Guide
Setting up and orchestrating workflows using open-source agent harnesses.
Open link →Hosted by
We are student led society, at University of Galway, with a membership of over 500 students within the University itself, the society was founded 2 years ago, and has done many events in collaboration with Industry, Professional Bodies like ISC2 & ISACA, Local Community in Galway and over other cities in Ireland. The Society is well organised and ambitious to host more events in the city of Galway to invite more Professionals and Students to a collaborative environment.