Interesting roundabouts
by sourbugger
Galway people are sometimes called 'The tribesmen' as from the period of roughly 1459-1650 fourteen anglo-norman families ran the city it a style similar to Greek city states of ancient times.
it was Oliver Cromwell who gave them this nickname as he was making them out to be uncivilised. They were in fact just the opposite - and came to be proud of this initial slur on their character.
One way the 14 families (or tribes) are now remembered is on the roundabouts of the city. Each has the appropiate coat of arms - see if you spot them all from :
Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'arcy, Deane, Ffont, Ffrench, Joyce, Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerrett.
Lose your shirt on this one !
by sourbugger
The Galway races are one of the major events of the horseracing calendar.
They usually take place the last week in July
(in 2004 they will finish on Sunday 1st August)
They are unusual in that they last for a full seven days, with some evening, and some full-day events.
The course itself is quite hilly, but compact with a ruined castle in the middle !
The facilities are excellent, although the popularity of the meeting means it is very difficult to get a hotel room during the week, and the roads get completely clogged up.
Admission is quite steep, at 25 euro on the two biggest days - quite a loss even before you start betting !
The course was also the setting for a massive Papal mass when Pope John Paul II visited Ireland in the 1970's. Bags of cash !
If you go on Ladies day - then enter the spirit and dress up.
A Large Pub With Live Traditional Irish Music
by BillNJ about Monroe's Tavern
Monroe's Tavern is another Irish pub in Galway City that has traditional Irish music seven nights a week. It is a large white building situated close to the Claddagh area in Galway City near the River Corrib. I walked past this pub in the morning. I hoped to return in the evening, but I never made it back. Hopefully, I will enjoy a pint of Guinness at Monroe's next time I visit!
Cheap Bus Option
by orlikins
If you're on a budget and want to get to Galway from Dublin, you can get the City Link bus line which leaves from Supermacs fast food 'restaurant' from O'Connel St bridge. There are also direct buses from Dublin Airport to Galway city
There are city services for the suburbs.
Spanish Arch
by al_mary
The Spanish Arch stands on
the left bank of the Corrib,
where Galway's river meets
the sea.
The arch is the remainder
of a 16th century bastion,
added to the town's walls
to protect merchant ships
from looting.
At this time, it was known as Ceann an Bhalla or Head of the Wall.
Its current title Spanish Arch dates from the last century a reference
to the former merchant trade with Spain, whose galleons often docked
under its protection.
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Another Jumping photo
Lynch's castle, shop street
Baptismal font
Busker on Bruscar ;-)
