Visiting Galway: Pride o’ Tall Tales

“I’ve started to realize what an unrealistic character I am in all my own stories,” – Old Sean

An Arrival in Galway

After some time spent in Ennis, I wandered further North to visit my last major stop in the Republic of Ireland. The city of Galway was unseasonably sunny as I walked around the shoreline edges.

Galway is a surprisingly robust bohemian city situated along Ireland’s west coast.  The sunsets are sublime, the waters are choppy and the nearby landscapes oscillate between rocky and green.

I’ve been hearing songs about Galway my entire life.  I think it’s the most-frequently-used song in Irish music, with the possible exception of Dublin. There’s very few other places in Ireland that have quite the same name recognition. Many tunes harken back to Galway’s recent histories, referring to its evolution from a vital, hardworking, port-city into a culture hub.

Welcome Pub Crawl

During my initial evening in Galway, I spent some time walking along shores, especially the windswept South Park area. There were rugged stones dipping into foam and water-strikes as gulls wheeled overhead. In the bay, lopsided boats, long neglected, artfully rotted in the sea breeze.

As the evening wound down, I wandered back into the city, spending most of my first night in the supremely touristy Latin Quarter. I followed two Americans and a Frenchmen through various bars and pubs, occasionally pausing for lamb-and-veggie stew. We swapped travel tales, gradually turning a night out drinking into a night of one-upmanship storytelling.

I just barely won.  My stories from the past few years are splendid and more than a little outrageous. 

But to be fair, I purposely try to attract dramatic events.  I enjoy capitalizing on survivable mistakes as a cultural narrative.

Thoughts on Visiting Galway

Most of my time was spent visiting various venues close to the city. I checked out art stores, toy shops, tap dance performances, the Galway Cathedral and historical nooks.

By the end, I had a fond grasp on the city.

The foot traffic, especially at night, is fairly insane.  Anywhere around Eyre Square leading into the Latin Quarter has large crowds milling about. To escape the bustle, the coasts are fairy quiet. Since stuff wind is usually blowing off the sea, most people prefer to stay a bit further inland.

Looking along the coastal waterways is very pretty, especially since colorful houses tend to stand against strong, dull stone. 

There are all sorts of art features in the area and the coastline is artistically rocky with enormous sprays of white slamming into the air when the wind rolls in. 

The sky is a gambling device, since dark clouds are always inbound or departing. 

Back To Dublin

As things stand, Galway is a very pretty, almost-peaceful city. I especially enjoyed walks around the various water features, including Lough Atalia, the narrow canal system past River Corrib and the sea.

If I had more time, I think that I would’ve appreciated visiting some of the areas outside of Galway. I’ve heard of hiking trails, castles, craggy islands, hidden fields, old ruins and karst formations all within driving distance.

But alas, duty calls. I’m heading over to Dublin instead, after which, I’ll catch a ride into Belfast, officially returning to United Kingdom lands.

So until then,

Best regards and excellent trails,

Old Sean

Written July 18th, 2018

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