The 1957 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 71st staging of the All-Ireland hurling championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1887.
Wexford were the defending champions, however, they were defeated in the provincial campaign.
Prior to the start of the championship the Galway county board put down a motion at the Gaelic Athletic Association's (GAA) annual congress seeking immediate entry to the Leinster championship.
Since 1922 Galway's hurlers had no competition in the Connacht championship and, as a result, they gained automatic entry to the All-Ireland semi-final every year.
The motion at congress was eventually withdrawn and the existing format remained intact.