McCambridge’s
Located in the middle of a busy pedestrianised area on Shop Street and celebrating 90 years in business this year, McCambridge’s has been providing high quality retail artisan food and wine for over 4 generations.
It is a wonderful mix of select grocery, coffee shop, deli, Off-licence and restaurant.
The take-away sandwich bar is a busy hub of activity, where sandwiches are custom made to order. The coffee bar has great views out onto the main street, or customers can sit in the outside seating area and watch the world go by. They have the best of pre-packed and freshly cut Irish and International cheeses as well as a fully organic fruit and vegetable section.
The select grocery has a succulent olive bar and an array of Irish chocolate and sweets along with a variety of all kinds of jams and chutneys and a wide assortment of superior oils. They specialise in whiskey and their Award winning Off-Licence carries the widest range of Irish and Scotch whiskies in the west of Ireland.
A Whiskey Bar allows customers to sample a range of whiskies before purchase. There is also an assortment of boutique wines and more than 100 craft beers. They have recently introduced an upstairs restaurant which, with its use of the finest local ingredients has become part of Galway’s Food Revolution.
Hampers are an integral part of the business and they make hampers for all occasions which can be purchased off their website as well as in store where their staff will help customers put together an individualised basket.
Kylemore Abbey
One of the West’s most popular tourist attractions.
Nestled in the heart of Connemara, Kylemore Abbey & Gardens is one of Ireland’s Best-Loved Tourist Attractions while also being a haven of tranquillity, history, nature and romance.
Built by wealthy surgeon and MP, Mitchell Henry in 1860, for the past 100 years it has been home to an order of Benedictine Nuns who, after fleeing war-torn Belgium, created a space of reflection, education and welcome which is enjoyed still by all visitors to the estate. A new multimedia experience in newly-opened rooms and a renovation of the previously open rooms breathed new life into the stunning Victorian building in 2019 and offers visitors a full view of many generations that have passed through the estate.
The 6.5acre unique Victorian Walled Garden, woodland and lakeshore walks, romantic and tragic neo-Gothic Church and mausoleum are a few of the highlights that can be visited on a trip to Kylemore. With locally sourced produce and traditional Irish recipes, you can break up your day with a delicious meal in the much-loved Café or Garden Tea House followed by a spot of shopping in the huge Craft & Design Shop which sells a fabulous selection of Irish gifts alongside the unique Kylemore chocolate, soaps and pottery – all handmade onsite!
This year sees a host of new talks and events taking place daily on the estate throughout the Summer months. History talks, music recitals in the majestic neo-Gothic Church, garden tours, “behind-the-scenes tours” into our chocolate, soap and pottery production, and Connemara Pony talks are just a few of these new experiences which guarantee visitors a full day of novel experiences on the 1000 acre Kylemore estate.
For more information on Kylemore Abbey, our opening times and events please see their website.
Amenities:
-Online Shop
-Family Friendly
-partially accessible to wheelchair users and those with reduced mobility
-a limited number of mobility scooters are available for hire on-site and wheelchairs can be borrowed to assist those with reduced ability
-Dogs on a lead are permitted.
Opening hours:
Monday - Sunday: 10am – 5pm
Peregrine Falcon
Once you’ve reached the Cathedral, don’t forget to look up and see if you can catch a glimpse of the beautiful Peregrine Falcon perched along the steeples. This bird of prey is the fastest flyer in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to 300km an hour!
The Peregrine Falcon is identifiable by its dark grey head, large yellow claws, and mottled black and white breast. Their diet is made up of small birds, and they have the incredible ability to kill their prey simply by swooping down on it; the speed and sheer force of their swoop is enough to demobilise their prey while their sharp claws seal the deal.
They are widespread in Ireland, settling on coastal and inland cliffs.
Fr Burke Monument
Found at the entrance to Claddagh and near the bridge over the River Corrib is a statue of Thomas Burke (Tomas de Burca). This statue represents Fr. Tom Burke who was a Dominican preacher. Thomas Nicholas Burke (8 September 1830 in Galway – 2 July 1882 in Tallaght, Ireland) Fr. Burke was known as the ‘Prince of the Preachers’ for his work done in the USA at the end of the nineteenth century.
He was a strong Nationalist and attracted great attention for his preaching and lectures. He studied at first under the care of the Patrician Brothers, and was afterwards sent to a private school. An attack of typhoid fever when he was fourteen years old, and the famine year of 1847 had a sobering effect.
Toward the end of that year he asked to be received into the Order of Preachers, and was sent to Perugia in Italy, to make his novitiate. On 29 December, he was clothed there in the habit of St. Dominic and received the name of Thomas.
Shortly afterward he was sent to Rome to begin his studies College of St. Thomas in Rome, the future Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum. Burke was a student of philosophy and theology at the College of St. Thomas in 1848. He passed thence to the Roman convent of Santa Sabina.
His superiors sent him, while yet a student, as novice-master to Woodchester, the novitiate of the resuscitated English Province. He was ordained priest 26 March 1853. On 3 August 1854, defended publicly the theses in universâ theologiâ. Burke was made lector at the College of St. Thomas in 1854.
Early in the following year Father Burke was recalled to Ireland to found the novitiate of the Irish Province at Tallaght, near Dublin. In 1859 he preached his first notable sermon on "Church Music"; it immediately lifted him into fame.
Elected Prior of Tallaght in 1863, he went to Rome the following year as Rector of the Dominican Convent of San Clemente, and attracted great attention by his preaching. He returned to Ireland in 1867, and delivered his oration on Daniel O'Connell at Glasnevin before fifty thousand people.
Bishop Leahy took him as his theologian to the First Vatican Council in 1870, and the following year he was sent as Visitor to the Dominican convents in America. He was besieged with invitations to preach and lecture. The seats were filled hours before he appeared, and his audiences overflowed the churches and halls in which he lectured. In New York he delivered the discourses in refutation of the English historian James Froude.
In eighteen months he gave four hundred lectures, exclusive of sermons, the proceeds amounting to nearly $400,000. His mission was a triumph, but the triumph was dearly won, and when he arrived in Ireland on 7 March 1873, he was spent and broken.
During the next decade he preached in Ireland, England, and Scotland. He began the erection of the church in Tallaght in 1883, and the following May preached a series of sermons in the new Dominican church, London. In June he returned to Tallaght in a dying condition, and preached his last sermon in the Jesuit church, Dublin, in aid of the starving children of Donegal. A few days afterwards he died.
He is buried in the church of Tallaght, now a memorial to him. His chief writings included "Ireland's Vindication: Refutation of Froude and Other Lectures" (1872) and "Lecturer on Faith and Fatherland" (1874).The sculpture, by Seán Kavanagh, is testament to the work done by Fr. Burke, along with being a physical reminder of the area’s social and religious history.
Pied Wagtail
The Pied Wagtail is one of Ireland’s most common garden birds. It can be distinguished from the Grey Wagtail by its plumage, which is often black, white, grey and brown in colour. Unlike the Grey Wagtail, it is not currently endangered.
Like other members of the wagtail family, the Pied Wagtail can often be seen bobbing or wagging its tail while perched. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why they do this, but it's definitely endearing!
Pied Wagtails can be spotted along the canal, feeding on small insects they find next to the water. They are resident in Ireland all year round.
Angel Wings by Kelsey Montague, O'Connell's Bar
Kelsey Montague is an artist from Colorado who travels the world painting murals and interactive art. She painted these wings in October 2019 as part of her '#whatliftsyou' series. This is the second set of wings she completed on the wall beside O'Connell's pub. Initially a pair of monochrome wings which she painted in July 2017 adorned the wall beside O'Connell's pub.
She says "My murals specifically invite people into a piece and then invite people to share their experience online. I believe that art should not be separated from the human experience. Instead the human experience should have a hand in creating the art itself."
Kelsey studied art in Florence and graduated from Richmond University in London with a degree in Art, Design & Media. She spent 4 years in NYC developing her pen & ink style. On her website she says of her style "People have asked me where the designs come from in my illustrations. I could give some long, mystical answer, but the truth is… I honestly don’t know. I just know that when I start drawing, I completely lose myself in the flow of images. I hope you enjoy these designs as much as I enjoyed creating them!"
The Dáil Bar
The Dáil Bar, located at the junction of Cross Street and Middle Street is a focal point for the locals and tourists of Galway to gather over a drink and discuss the day’s events, hence the literal meaning of The Dáil.... “ a meeting place”
Over the years, the building has been a family home, a toy shop and is now a licensed premise. The Dáil Bar is just around the corner from some of Galway’s real treasures. Charlie Byrne’s on Middle St, Ireland’s No.1 book shop and Thomas Dillon Jewelers on Quay St, home of The Claddagh ring.
The Dáil Bar is also one of Galway’s most renowned sports bars showing all of the latest sporting action and are proud sponsor of Connacht Rugby. During your visit we highly recommend that you talk to the staff about sampling some of the many Irish Whiskeys they have on offer. Their selection includes Blended, Grain, Malt and Pot Stilled Irish whiskeys. The resident whiskey ambassador, John O,Connor, is always happy talk about the story behind each of the whiskeys and suggest the perfect taster option to suit your personal taste. House favourites include Yellow Spot and the Midleton Barry Crockett Single pot stilled whiskey.
If you enjoy relaxing by blazing fire, listening to great live music or simply want to dance the night away till the early hours, The Dáil Bar is the place to be.
Medieval Tour of Galway - Hall of the Red Earl
In the 13th century, when the de Burgo family ruled Galway, Richard – the Red Earl – erected a large hall as a seat of power, where locals would arrive to curry favour. After the 14 tribes took over, the hall fell into ruin. It was lost until the 1990s, when expansion of the city's Custom House uncovered its foundations, along with more than 11,000 artefacts including clay pipes and gold cufflinks.
The Custom House was built on stilts overhead, leaving the old foundations open. Interpretive panels detail the history of the city, the de Burgo family, and the replica artefacts on display. Volunteers are often on hand to give a verbal explanation of the ruins and their significance, and an insight into Galway life some 900 years ago.
Cormorant / An Broigheall
The Cormorant is a pitch-black seabird that can often be seen perched near the water, ready to dive for its prey. You may also spot them after a feed with their wings outstretched, drying themselves in the sun (although we don’t get much sunshine in Galway, unfortunately for them!)
Like some of the other aquatic birds resident on Galway’s canals, the Cormorant will dive underwater to catch its prey, which includes fish like wrasses, flathead, and sole. Their webbed feet allow them to swim in the river with ease, while they keep their head above water, occasionally diving.
They are resident in Ireland all year round and breed along the coastlines. Some winter out at sea.
Is éan mara atá chomh dubh le pic é an broigheall, nó an chailleach dhubh, agus is minic a d’fheicfeá é suite cóngarach don uisce agus é réidh le tumadh agus breith ar a chreach. B’fhéidir go dtiocfá air tar éis dó béile a ithe, a sciatháin sínte amach aige agus é á thriomú féin faoin ngrian (cé nach mórán gréine atá i nGaillimh dóibh, ar an drochuair!)
Cosúil le cuid eile de na héin uisce atá ag maireachtáil ar chanálacha na Gaillimhe, tumann an broigheall faoin uisce le breith ar chreach, ina measc iasc cosúil leis an mballach, an t-iasc ceannchothroim agus an sól. Tá sé in ann snámh san abhainn gan aon stró, a bhuíochas sin do na cosa scamallacha atá air. Coinníonn sé a chloigeann os cionn uisce agus anois agus arís tumann sé síos.
Caitheann an broigheall an bhliain ar fad in Éirinn agus déanann sé síolrú feadh na gcóstaí. Geimhríonn cuid de na broighill amuigh ar an bhfarraige.
National University of Ireland, Galway
From Queen's College to National University of Ireland, the University's past is intertwined with the history of Galway and Ireland.The Quadrangle first opened its doors to 68 students on 30th October 1849 and the University, then known as Queen's College was born. The University was one of three Queen's Colleges, the others located in Cork and Belfast.
The Quadrangle building, built in local limestone in a Tudor Gothic architectural style, is modelled on Christ Church at the University of Oxford. The 'Quad' still stands proudly at the heart of the University today as a testament to its past. It is now used primarily for administrative purposes and houses the offices of the President and the Vice-Presidents.
In the first academic year, 1849 -1850, the University began with three faculties, Arts, Medicine and Law but there were also schools of Agriculture and Engineering. Female students later joined the student body and in 1906 Alice Perry graduated from the college, believed to be the first female engineering graduate in the world to receive a first class honours degree in civil engineering
There are many historical buildings on campus, such as the James Mitchell Museum, established in 1952. This geological museum contains high quality collections sampling a significant diversity of the planet's geology, with a fine display of fossils, minerals and rocks.
The University has had three different names:
In 1849, it was called Queen's College Galway
In 1908, it was changed to University College Galway, or UCG for short
In 1997, it was changed again to National University of Ireland Galway, or NUI Galway for short
Newer parts of the University sprang up in the 1970s, including the iconic Arts/Science Concourse designed by architects Scott Tallon Walker. The 1990s also saw considerable development including the conversion of an old munitions factory into a student centre.
Since 2000, the University has invested €400 million in new buildings and facilities across campus. The early 2000s saw the addition of the Cairnes Building, Áras Moyola and the award-winning Engineering Building, all located in the north campus.
Menlo Castle
Menlo Castle is a 16th Century castle situated on the bank of the River Corrib in Co. Galway. It was built in 1569 and was home to the Blake family. The Blake family of Galway descend from Sir Richard Caddell, a swarthy and resourceful knight who came to prominence in the Anglo-Norman enclave of Galway during the late 12th century. Over the next 300 years the Blakes became one of Galway's most influential Catholic families. The Blakes were one of the richest families in Galway, as they owned extensive property in the counties of Mayo, Clare and Galway.
The Blakes lived in Menlo Castle until 1910, when a fire destroyed the Castle along with killing Miss Ellen, daughter of the Baronet & Lady Blake along with two maids. Strangely, the body of Miss Ellen Blake was never found, believed to be cremated in the flames of the fire.
It is believed in folklore that Menlo Castle is a magical place. One of the midwives of the Blake family told others in the household and people she new that one night while travelling to the Castle she heard fairy music and saw the fairies dancing in a fairy ring next to the Castle.
The ruins of Menlo Castle still stand today, even though covered in Ivy. It lies just a couple of miles outside of the city and is a wonderfully scenic place. There is the old graveyard close by of the Blake family and locals of Menlo. You can view the Castle from the other side of the river if you are taking in the NUIG Nature walk on the Galway App.
The Galway Arms
Inside this pub on the corner of Dominic Street and Mill Street, you will find one of the Medieval Coat of arms that was a center piece over the gateway of the Great West Bridge of Galway.
Eurasian Whimbrel
The Eurasian Whimbrel is sometimes mistaken for a Eurasian curlew due to its colour and shape. While they do share some similarities, the Whimbrel is smaller than a Curlew, has a shorter bill, and can be distinguished by the dark stripe that runs across the top of its head.
Like the Curlew and other waders, Whimbrels can be found fishing in shallow waters along our city shorelines. They are passage migrants, however, so can only really be spotted during the months of August/September and April/May. Whimbrels generally winter in more southern parts of Europe such as Spain.
Galway City Museum
Dive into Galway’s rich archaeology, heritage and history.
Galway City Museum – The Museum is a spacious, modern building, situated in the heart of Galway city on the banks of the River Corrib and overlooking the famous Spanish Arch. It houses a variety of permanent and touring exhibitions representing Galway’s rich archaeology, heritage and history.
To collect, preserve and display material relating to the history and heritage of Galway. To provide a platform from which visitors can engage with Galway, past and present. To be a centre of learning, inspiration and cultural enrichment.
Amenities:
-Free entry
-Two wheelchairs available on request for any visitor that requires one
-Assistance dogs are welcome
-Museum Café
Katie's Claddagh Cottage & Heritage Centre
It is now possible to walk in the footsteps of the original Claddagh families and experience life as it was 100 years ago. This restored traditional thatched cottage provides visitors with insight into what life was like in a traditional Wild Atlantic fishing village (also famous for the tradition of Hooker boat-building).
With it’s own superstitions and customs, visitors to this community of artists, musicians and crafters are guaranteed a little bit of magic and intrigue. Relax with a hot cup of tea and homemade scones in front of a roaring turf fire; or sit back and enjoy the revival of an ancient Irish tradition of telling stories and singing songs around an open hearth.
Whether it’s seeing how a family would cook on an open fire with a cauldron and bacús, or hearing about the King of the Claddagh’s fishing escapades,’ this is an experience not to be missed. In addition to this unique heritage centre, Katie’s has a separate building dedicated to art and design. It is possible purchase a unique gift or home accessory that is 100% Irish, bespoke and seeped in Claddagh history.
Opening times: 10am - 5pm Monday - Saturday.
The Spanish Arch
The Spanish Arch is thought to be an extension of Galway's medieval city walls, designed to protect ships moored at the nearby quay while they unloaded goods from Spain. It was partially destroyed by the tsunami that followed the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Today it reverberates with buskers and drummers, and the lawns and riverside form a gathering place for locals and visitors on sunny days, as kayakers negotiate the tidal rapids of the River Corrib.
A 1651 drawing of Galway clearly shows its extensive fortifications, but depredation by Cromwell and William of Orange, and subsequent centuries of neglect, saw the walls almost completely disappear. One surviving portion has been cleverly incorporated into the modern shopping mall Eyre Square Centre.
Galway City Poetry Trail - NUI Galway
The poem 'UCG by Degrees' by Terry McDonagh was unveiled by Tom Kenny in 2017. Terry McDonagh is a poet, teacher and dramatist from County Mayo who has taught creative writing at the University of Hamburg and was Drama Director at the International School for thirteen years. Terry is the author of many collections of poetry and also published a book of letters, a short novel and a play.
His poetry collection includes ‘The Road Out’ , ‘A World Without Stone’, ‘A Song For Joanna’, ‘CillAodain & Nowhere Else’ (illustrated by Sally McKenna) and a book of poetry for children titled ‘Boxes’. His work also encompasses his book of letters ‘Elbe Letters Go West’ and a short novel for young people ‘Ernst Klett Verlag, Stuttgart: One Summer in Ireland’ all published by Blaupause Books, Hamburg.
Galway City Poetry Trail - Salthill Promenade
At Cúirt 2006, a poem titled “Girls bathing at Salthill” was unveiled on Salthill Promenade. It was written by Seamus Heaney when he and his wife were on honeymoon in Galway, and it is located on the Promenade facing the ‘Ladies’ bathing area.
It was unveiled by the poet himself and John Mulholland, who was the assistant Mayor at the time. “Among schoolchildren as well as many a writer and poetry fan, Heaney, smiling public man, spoke and read and twinkled”.
Seamus Heaney was born in County Derry in Northern Ireland, where his family engaged in farming and selling cattle. His education included studies at Queen's University in Belfast, where he also served as a lecturer at the end of the 1960s.
He made his debut as a poet then, but continued to divide his time between his own writing and academia. He worked at Carysfort College in Dublin, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and at Oxford University. Seamus Heaney was married and had three children.
He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. Among his best-known works is Death of a Naturalist (1966), his first major published volume. Heaney was recognised as one of the principal contributors to poetry during his lifetime. American poet Robert Lowell described him as "the most important Irish poet since Yeats", and many others, including the academic John Sutherland, have said that he was "the greatest poet of our age".
Upon his death in 2013, The Independent described him as "probably the best-known poet in the world".
Galway City Poetry Trail - Jurys Inn
In 2019 Galway City Mayor Neil McNeilis unveiled a plaque of 'A Town Tormented by the Sea' by Mary Devenport O'Neill at the side of Jury's Inn, Galway. Mary Devenport O'Neill (3 August 1879 – 1967) was an Irish poet and dramatist and a friend and colleague of W. B. Yeats, George Russell, and Austin Clarke.
She was the daughter of RIC sub-constable, John Devenport, and his wife Bridget. She attended the Dominican convent , Eccles Street, Dublin before enrolling in the Metropolitan School of Art from 1898 to 1903. In 1900 she won the year's prize in the School of Art. She appears to have considered teaching as a career, as she is listed on the college register as a teacher in training from 1901 to 1903.
It was while an art student that she started to correspond with the writer she admired, Joseph O'Neill. Their relationship developed, and the couple married on 19 June 1908, settling in Kenilworth Square, Dublin. Many of her husband's friends disapproved of her modern and unconventional ideas, but she was popular with "the Rathgar Group" who attended George Russell's Sunday salons.
After a few years, O'Neill established her own salon referred to as "Thursdays at home", attended by Russell, Padraic Colum, W. B. Yeats, Richard Irvine Best, Frank O'Connor, Francis Stuart and Iseult Gonne. She became particularly close to Yeats, who she confided in. Yeats' recorded their weekly consultations in his diary while O'Neill was writing A vision (1925).
In his Oxford anthology of English verse from 1936, he included one of O'Neill's poems. In 1917, she contributed lyrics to her husband's play The kingdom maker. She published her only book in 1929, Prometheus and other poems. After this she occasionally contributed primarily modernist plays and poetry to The Dublin Magazine, The Irish Times and The Bell.
O'Neill collaborated with Austin Clarke from the Lyric Theatre Company on her plays Bluebeard (1933) and Cain (1945).
Ringed Plover
The Ringed Plover is a rather small, delicate-looking bird that resembles the dunlin in size and feeding habits. It is grey, white, and black in colour with a distinctive ring of white around its neck. They most often appear during the months of August to October and November to January, although their plain colours can make them difficult to spot.
Ringed Plovers reside in coastal areas, sometimes nesting inland or on stony beaches. They eat crustaceans and polychaete worms and, like other plovers, will hunt for their food by performing a definitive series of actions: run along the shore, pause, bend over, repeat.
Fun fact: if a predator gets too close to their nest, the Ringed Plover will pretend to have a broken wing to draw the animal away from its territory.
Galway City Poetry Trail - Wolfe Tone Bridge
Moya Cannon's 'Bright City' was unveiled here in 2010 by poet Gerry Smyth. The illustration is by Pádraic Reaney.
Moya Cannon is an Irish poet with five published collections, the most recent being Keats Lives (Carcanet Press, Manchester). The mountains, the sea and our primal and enduring responses to the beauty of the endangered earth are the inspiration for many of her poems. Archaeology and geology figure too as gateways to deeper understanding of our mysterious relationship with the natural world and our past.
'Speaking at the unveiling, Smyth described Cannon as having “the kind of contemplative eye that rewards” what Dubliner Thomas Kinsella referred to as “local watchfulness”.Smyth recalled how Dylan Thomas had described a poem as being “like a city” with “many entrances”, and noted that it might be a good idea if gateways to all cities were marked with the words of a poet or writer. The initiative in Galway “reinforces the value of poetry and the need for it”, Smyth said.' (Irish Times 2010)
The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas
The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas is more commonly known as Galway Cathedral. This site, on the banks of the Corrib River was originally the site of the old city jail. Work began in 1958 and was completed in 1965 making this the last great stone Cathedral to be built in Europe. It’s dome, at a height of 44.2 metres (145 ft), is a prominent landmark on the city skyline.
It’s architecture draws on many influences with the dome and pillars reflecting a Renaissance style and the rose windows and mosaics, echo the broad tradition of Christian art. The word “cathedral” is derived from the Greek ‘kathedra’ meaning seat as only a Cathedral can contain a bishops seat.
The architect of the cathedral was John J. Robinson who had previously designed many churches in Dublin and around the country. The architecture of the cathedral draws on many influences. The dome and pillars reflect a Renaissance style. Other features, including the rose windows and mosaics, echo the broad tradition of Christian art.
The cathedral dome, at a height of 44.2 metres (145 ft), is a prominent landmark on the city skyline.
Organs
The cathedral pipe organ was originally built by the Liverpool firm of Rushworth & Dreaper in 1966; it was renovated and greatly expanded by Irish organ-builder Trevor Crowe between 2006 and 2007. It has three manuals and 59 speaking stops, and is used regularly during services as well as in the annual series of summer concerts.
The cathedral also has a smaller portable instrument, with one manual and four stops. It is used in smaller-scale liturgy in the cathedral's side chapels, as well as in a continuo role in concerts.
An Tobar Nua
This is currently an Irish-American Café at the end of Dominick Street. However, it wasn’t always a café as the building housed the Royal Irish Constabulary during the 1916 Rebellion and subsequent War of Independence (1919-1921). |It is from here the RIC attempted to control the Nationalist uprising in Galway City.
Claddagh Icon
Commissioned by the Galway County Council by the Irish sculptor John Coll the Claddagh Icon sculpture is a tribute to the Claddagh area a former fishing village in Galway city. The sculpture includes details relating to the area’s former way of life including a seagull, a fishing boat and the sun.
Katie’s Claddagh Cottage and Claddagh Arts Centre
Hosting storytelling evenings, workshops & local events.
The Claddagh was originally a thriving fishing village of cottages. Nearly abandoned during the famine in the 1840s, it was completely demolished by the 1950s. The Claddagh Arts Centre opened, and today it stands as a museum with every last detail, from the open fire to the sash windows and half door, as it was 200 years ago.
The cottage is open each day to the public and hosts storytelling evenings, classes, workshops and local events. There is a specific emphasis on charity events in the centre. Each guest receives a cup of tea/coffee and a homemade scone baked above the open fire, and can view maps and records to see if they may be descended from the Claddagh people.
They also sell stunning pieces of art, crafting from bog oak, stone and wood. They can even host functions of up to about 80 people on request! What a stunning place for wedding photos with the roses winding up the handmade trellises out front and the flowers blooming outside the sash windows…
Amenities:
-Events and Wedding Venue
-Irish Design Collection for sale
-Tea Shop & Garden
-Puppy Hydration Area
-Vintage Seating
The Skeff
The Skeff is home to a premier cocktail bar, intimate whiskey bar and late bar until 2am. They serve food all day long including breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The kitchen use local produce to bake their own bread, homemade granola, chutneys and jams. At the Skeff Late Bar & Kitchen they understand that a good breakfast will keep you going for the day. All of the meat in their breakfasts are sourced from Collerans Butchers; a local Galway butcher, the meat is fresh and Irish.
The Skeff Kitchen’s hot lunch offering has an emphasis on high quality, wholesome food. The Skeff Head Chef, puts a lot of time into the preparation of the dishes to make sure their customers get the best quality lunch in Galway.
For years The Skeff Kitchen has been regarded as one of Galway’s finest places to grab a bite. They are keen to provide a high quality but casual and value for money dining experienced, supported by a friendly, fun and approachable staff. Choose a dish from their evening bar food menu which is prepared using the finest locally sourced and guaranteed Irish ingredients.
They host a range of events including live bands, sports screenings and whiskey tasting. Open until 2am, Monday through Sunday. Their late bar licence is a magnet for mid-week students and also weekend revellers, basking in their two days of 9-5 freedom.
For sports fanatics they are always match-ready with a full sports listing on their 8 HD screens.
Medieval Tour of Galway - The Kings Head
The Kings Head is a Pub, Restaurant & Live Venue over 3 floors and is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter
The building itself is over 800 years old and gets its name from its historic links to the execution of King Charles 1st in 1649. The 400 year old Fireplace, medieval windows and walls give it a unique atmosphere and make it a true piece of living history.
History aside, this family run Pub, is renowned for its entertainment. The Main Stage on the ground floor features Free Live Music every night of the week. It has played host to international acts such as Manic Street Preachers and The Riptide Movement and regularly hosts Ireland's best cover bands such as Megabeat and Pyramid. Every Wednesday features Trad at the Head, a fantastic traditional Irish Group with Irish Dancers.
The Ruby Room on the top floor is a pocket sized venue for music and is well known for its lunchtime comedy with David O' Doherty and Tommy Tiernan as regular guests. The Kings Head has been a Venue for Galway International Arts Festival for over 20 years and also features during Cuirt International Festival of Literature as well as Galway Comedy Festival.
The Kings Head serves food from 11am until 10pm every day. A proud member of Good Food Ireland, the Menu features rustic Irish Cuisine with fresh local seasonal ingredients. Some specialities include Best of Irish Platter, Galway Hooker Fish and Chips and steamed Mussels. In other words, Pub Food only better!
The Chop House which opened in July 2015 has added another dimension with its cozy, relaxed vibe and specialises in local seafood and steaks.
With Late Bars every weekend, the Kings Head has built a reputation for a friendly welcome, great Cocktails and Craft Beers. It now also boasts a fantastic selection of Whiskeys from the newly opened Irish Whiskey Bar and, where better to savour your favourite, than in the historic surroundings of The Kings Head. "Buail Isteach".
Monroes
Monroes is a cornerstone of Galway's West End. They opened their doors in 1964 and are now Galway’s premier live music venue with 3 bars, 2 floors, 2 stages and a diverse and fantastic supply of live music from around the world.
Pub downstairs, live music venue upstairs. Monroe’s Tavern has a rustic feel with open stone fires, stained glass features and wooden flooring.
The main bar is one of the longest in Galway City with lots of high chairs to perch upon. Monroe’s has a solid reputation as a home for traditional Irish music and live music is played here seven nights a week.
Shane O'Malley Mural at Pump Lane
Shane O'Malley is a Galway based artist with a graphic design and graffiti background. The Bauhaus movement is one of the inspirational forces behind O'Malley's vibrant designs with geometric and abstract shapes. His use of colour aims to tranform and uplift, with an emphasis on brightening the mood of the onlooker.
Shane's mural in Pump Lane is renowned in Galway city. It connects to a large audience, with multiple shots taken as both a stunning backdrop and subject of amateur and professional photographs shared online. Find out more about Shane's art and projects at www.shaneomalleyart.com
Fr Burke Park
Fr Burke Park is situated between Fr Griffin Rd and Munster Avenue. It is an ideal picnic location, with a play area for children. During the summer months Movie in the Park is held. Run By Galway's Westend, classic movies, such as, Grease and Into the West are shown in the park.