Things to Do in Galway Great Grub in Galway
Galway Cathedral
Savour the tastes, from fabulous farmhouse cheeses at Sheridan’s, to the irresistible McCambridge’s food emporium, you’ll find something to suit your taste in Galway. Grab a window seat upstairs in McCambridge’s and watch the world go by, while your taste buds are satisfied by a huge array of gastronomic offerings.
Traditional Music on Quay Street A mecca of pubs restaurants and cafes, Quay Street also has the best selection of live traditional music in bars such as the Quays, Tigh Neachtain and the Spanish Arch Hotel.
Visit The Spanish Arch A true Galway icon, The Spanish Arch was built in 1584 and overlooks the River Corrib. The arches were used to access the quays from the town when Galway was a walled city and this is all that remains.
Galway Cathedral was constructed in the late 1950s, at a time when most similar buildings were using concrete. It is, therefore, the youngest of Europe’s great stone cathedrals. Dedicated to Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, it was designed by J.J. Robinson in a very eclectic style. It includes some Renaissance details mixed with the Romanesque and Gothic traditions. The cathedral also boasts an impressive variety of art, including a statue of the Virgin by Imogen Stuart, a large Crucifixion mosaic by Patrick Pollen, rose windows by George Campbell and more.
Galway Hooker boats The Galway Hooker is a traditional fishing boat developed in the 18th Century. Many of the boats have been restored by Hooker enthusiasts and can be seen during a festival in Kinvara, Co. Galway, which is a village certainly worth a visit.
Latin Quarter
GALWAY CITY MUSEUM By the Corrib River, the Galway City museum opened in a new building in 2007 and is a free and multifaceted attraction covering Galway’s archaeology, folk history, art and natural history. You can see a traditional Galway sailboat, known as a “hooker”, and the “Great Mace” a magnificent piece of ornamental silverware produced in Dublin at the start of the 18th century. Fragments from the 16th and 17th centuries are presented in the “Medieval Stone Collection”, which has corbels, plaques, coats of arms, chimney fragments and two complete 16th-century fireplaces.
Festival capital Galway is a Festival town and there appears to be a different festival every weekend. Check out the local Fáilte Ireland tourist office on Forster Street for up-to-the-minute information. It’s great craic!
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A hook-shaped district of cobblestone streets in the old centre of Galway, the Latin Quarter is on the left bank of the River Corrib from O’Briens Bridge down to the Spanish Arch. In this small and sociable place you’ll come by many of Galway’s favourite pubs, bars, restaurants, galleries and shops. If you’re on the hunt for classic Irish arts and crafts you’ll be in luck at the Latin Quarter, where shops like the Galway Woollen Market abound with traditional knitwear and are stocked with the local pure wool you’ll need for your own project. Street-performers and entertainers provide a constant folk soundtrack whether you’re window shopping, seeing the sights or bar-hoppin. Dunguaire Castle Dunguaire Castle lies at the heart of Ireland’s literary revival in the 20th century. Dunguaire became the venue for meetings of literary revivalists such as W.B. Yeats, his patron Lady Gregory plus, George Bernard Shaw. Experience the breath-taking views from the Castle Towers following a tour of Dunguaire Castle. Alternatively, join us for an exceptional medieval banquet. Open April to October. www.dunguairecastle.com
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