(some of) Galway City’s Areas of Interest

 Visit the Galway Museum - A small museum on the banks of the Corrib River, the Galway
Museum is free for anyone interested in the history of the city. There are three floors to explore
with exhibitions on the city’s prehistoric and medieval past, artwork, and even a Galway
Hooker– a local type of boat. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am (12pm on
Sundays) to 5pm and is one of the top things to do in Galway. (This may not be open right now,
but keep an eye out for when it does).

 Visit St. Nicholas Church – The largest medieval parish church of Ireland, the Collegiate Church
of St. Nicholas comes with some interesting finds and a long history which includes a visit from
Christopher Columbus. There are also said to be some links to the Knights Templar, and a
strangely carved pillar looks surprisingly similar to one featured in the movie The Da Vinchi
Code. The church is located on Lombard Street, just off Shop Street.
Check out the history here http://stnicholas.ie/history/

 Visit Merlin Woods - Said to currently be the largest expanse of urban woodland around Galway
city. It is a pristine area of flora and fauna, with squirrels, foxes, badgers, hares and rare flowers
and butterflies. An extensive network of paths running through the woods makes it an ideal
place for a quiet walk.

 Galway market (just off shop street) - Every weekend a lively little farmers market pops up in the
small alley beside St. Nicholas Cathedral. From fresh fruit and vegetables to homemade bread
and jams, arts and crafts. You can find all kinds of things here and it is a lively place to explore
part of the local life. The market is open from 8:30am-6:30pm on Saturdays, and from 2pm-6pm
on Sundays.

 Galway Cathedral is one of Galway’s most distinctive landmarks and a popular attraction for
visitors to the city. It is a prominent feature of the city skyline and is actually located on the site
of a former goal (jail). The wonderful stained glass windows, in particular the Rose Window
above the organ by George Campbell are alone worth the visit. John F. Kennedy visited the
church just before his assassination and they added mosaic artwork to pay respect to him and
his support for the cathedral. Can you find it? It is free to enter, but there is a suggested
donation of €2. Don’t plan to visit when a service is occurring unless, of course, you are
participating and not looking for the mosaic of JFK!

 City of the Tribes - The city has been around for centuries and seen its fair share of struggle and
triumph. During medieval times, Galway was a walled city governed by 14 merchant families
also known as the Tribes of Galway, which is how Galway got its nickname: “The City of Tribes”.
As you explore Galway, you’ll discover remnants of this time period.

Two of the most obvious relics are the Spanish Arch and Lynch’s Castle. The Spanish Arch is one
of the few remaining segments of the wall that surrounded medieval Galway. It was created to
allow passage from the Long Walk promenade to the center of town. In our typical Irish way,
there really is no relation to Spain with this arch!!
 Lynch’s Castle - Discover Where ‘Lynching’ came from. The family who owned Lynch Castle
were known for more than just their castle home. According to legend, in the late 1400s the son
of Mayor James Lynch, Walter, killed a Spanish man in a fight over a woman. His punishment
was death, but as he was being walked to the gallows the crowd formed a ‘lynch’ mob in an
effort to protect him. However, it didn’t do him much good in the end because his father, the
mayor, hung him from the window. The window still exists today and can be found on Market
Street behind St. Nicholas Church. If you are interested in history, take one of the free walking
tours. They run daily and only last a couple of hours.

 Flip Through the Finds at Charlie Byrne’s Bookshop - If you love books, then you can’t leave
Galway without stepping foot into Charlie Byrne’s. This bookstore is filled with everything and
anything you can find. There are over 100 000 new, used, and bargain books for sale on every
topic you can think of. Staff are friendly and welcoming and don’t mind you browsing. The
hallway outside of the shop is lined with used books for 2-3 euros. This shop is definitely worth a
wander on a rainy day.

 Photograph the Long Walk - Another nod to the famous “Galway Girl” song,  the Long Walk is a
stretch of colourful, private homes that face Galway Bay. They make for a pretty, scenic photo.

 Walk Along the River Corrib and Explore Galway’s Canals - Sunny days in Galway are the best
for walking along the River Corrib. There’s really not much “to see” per se, but it’s just a lovely
walk. If you start at the Long Walk, pass under the Spanish Arch and head in the direction of
Galway Cathedral it’s about a half a mile. From Galway Cathedral you could wander around
Nun’s island, exploring the canals and checking out the beautiful homes on your way towards
exploring Galway’s West End. You’ll see quite a bit of Galway on this walk.

 The Claddagh Ring -The story of Ireland’s famous Claddagh ring tells of pirates, lost love and
great romance. Pay a visit to Thomas Dillon’s, the oldest makers of the traditional Claddagh ring.
They’ve been in business for over 200 years and still make the famous Claddagh ring. The back
room has a small history of Thomas Dillon and how the ring came to be – as well as a ring the
size of a pinhead!