After hiking the Dingle Peninsula, we looked forward to a few days in Galway before returning to Dublin. From Annascaul, we took an early morning taxi to Tralee, a bus to Limerick, and then another bus to Galway. The bus (and train) station is just off Eyre Square, and our B&B in Galway was just a short walk from the Square. There was so much activity as we walked through Eyre Square. What a great “first glimpse” of a new city for us.
Paddy’s Place: Although our host didn’t live at the house where he offered five rooms for AirB&B, Paddy came by every day. It was fun to visit with Paddy, although his accent was strong, and I sometimes had trouble understanding him.
A little recent history: Paddy told us about changes in Ireland, how during the early years of the Irish Republic, it seemed that the Roman Catholic Church dominated the government. All began to change when the Bishop of Galway & Kilmacduagh, Eamonn Casey, became a symbol of church hypocrisy. In 1974 Casey fathered a son he would support financially, by embezzling from church funds, but never visit or recognize. Over the years he was accused of sexual abuse and rape by several others, but all was covered up, until Ms Murphy, the mother of his son, contacted The Irish Times in the early 1990’s to tell her story. It’s easy to see why Casey’s career brought disgrace to the Roman Catholic Church, just as the Boston Globe’s reporting on the pedophile-priest scandal did in America.
Eyre Square is a lovely green in the city center, surrounded by hotels, coffee shops, and restaurants, named for Edward Eyre, the mayor of Galway, who presented the land to the city in 1710. Over the years it has been redesigned and renamed, most recently in 1965 when it officially became the John F. Kennedy Square after JFK became the first US President ever to visit Galway. There’s a monument with a bust of Kennedy on the square, but everyone still calls it Eyre Square. It features a modern sculpture and fountain of the “Galway Hookers,” named for a traditional fishing boat with large sails used in Galway Bay.
Our Daily Walks: From Paddy’s place, we would walk down to Eyre Square and past, through a busy pedestrian area lined with shops – the shoes always catch Sara’s eye – restaurants, and pubs. It leads down to the river where the Spanish Arch still stands. We walked this path every day, taking side roads to check out more pubs and listen for music.
Music in Galway: Galway is known for its great “Trad,” traditional Irish music, but Ireland was still prohibiting indoor music, so we were disappointed. We heard a band perform in Eyre Square one night, but for the rest, there were only buskers along the pedestrian areas. They played more American music than traditional Irish, mostly buskers strumming electric guitars. But enjoy some:
- Brad Heidi played a combination of modern and a few traditional songs. A better guitarist than most, he also had a stronger voice.
- Our favorite in Galway was Katie O’Connor. One afternoon we found her and sat outside a pub across the street to listen. She has a lovely voice and accompanies herself effectively with her acoustic guitar, playing a mix of traditional Irish and her own take on current music. Sara and I enjoyed coffee and listened for probably an hour. As we listened, Brad Heidi and a friend came along and sat at a table near us for the same reason. We chatted with Brad, and he was also singing Katie’s praises. She was certainly the musical highlight of our visit to Galway.
Dough Bros Pizza: Although closed during the Covid Pandemic, the “Dough Bros Pizza” had opened for take-out. By some it’s been called the best pizza in Europe, and folks in Galway sing its praises. It was certainly creative and delicious.
The King’s Head: We dined twice at this Galway classic, so it deserves mention here. It’s famous for good food and great music. Well, no music when we were there, but the food was good.
The “King’s Head,” of course, refers to the head of Charles the First, King of England & Ireland, whose head was separated from his body after Oliver Cromwell, the puritan “Lord Protector” ousted the King and took over the country. Cromwell also came to Ireland, and Galway in particular, to re-assert English rule after a Catholic confederation had taken control.
Connemara: From Galway we took a bus for a day trip to Connemara & Kylemore Abbey. As predicted, Connemara is certainly beautiful with its mostly undeveloped wild terrain, mountains, blue lakes, and old dry-stone walls along the hills. Yes, it was lovely but not more than the Dingle Peninsula, which we experienced more fully by walking through it.
Kylemoor Abbey is a particularly scenic sight, so you’ve probably seen it pictured in Irish tourism materials. In Connemara it looks out over a lovely lake. Kylemoor was built in Victorian times, and there is a lovely, romantic story of the family that built it and how it changed hands over time. Today it features a beautiful Victorian Walled Garden and a gothic church, as well as the Castle itself. What was Kylemoor Castle is now Kylemoor Abbey because it’s the home of Benedictine nuns who fled Belgium during the first World War and established themselves here in 1920. And, of course, it is a major tourist attraction.
