Pubs (general), Galway

Situated right on Eyre square this pub changed hands in 2006. It is nowadays a well run little pub with a good mixture of customers : students, businessmen, resident drunks, shoppers and the odd lonely wierdo.

Some the bar is listed - so it's not going to change in a hurry. The frontage, bar, floor and ceiling and preserved by order for posterity. The best bit is however the rear rooms. You could swear you were in a kitchen / sitting room from some peasant house of the 1930's. Apart from the massive aga that is. The outside courtyard is also a great little area, with it's own bar as well !

Whilst all this is reason enough for having a pint here, there is another reason. Take a look at the upstairs rooms. They are now thankfully empty except for the dirtiest net curtains in the world. It was in these rooms that some of the characters in one of the most bitter of family fueds lived in absolute poverty (despite the fact the pub was worth over 14 million). The whole tale was the subject of a TV documentary last year, and good viewing it made. The owner Mary O'connell, it was claimed wanted to leave the who property to charity. When other family member from abroad got wind of the plans all hell broke loose. Dodgy solicitors, court cases, skeletons in cupboards - it's all in there.

I spent a week in Galway while doing a study abroad in Finland ( fall 2007). I met some cool people and we went to all the pubs ( not nightclubs) and tasted the Guinness at all. We all agreed that the King's Head had the best. The traditional music at all the pubs was definitely the best part.

The craze for "Fat frogs" appears to have hit it's peak around Christmas 2003. This simple-to-make cocktail has a particular potency as it mixes together several differnent "Alcopops".

The usual mixture is a bottle each of Smirnoff Ice, WKD (blue) and Barcardi Breezer (orange). It turns the whole sickly mixture green.

Many of the pubs serving a younger type of drinker have home-made signs up saying they sell it, despite various calls in parliment to stop pubs serving it.

I'll think I will stick to the tried and tested black stuff.

If you want to listen to some of the most talented bands in town with locals as well as tourists, this is the place to go to. The place is actually an old castle so the interior is worth checking out. Staff is generally friendly and the music usually very good - bands play traditional as well as cover songs and the crowd usually starts to sing along at some point. Sundays there's a great jazz band playing in the afternoon, and if u want the spot to watch your football/rugby, this is the place to go. Lunch served daily, and you get pretty good value for your money - they offer sandwiches, soups, pizza etc. Go early especially in weekends if you want a seat - the place is usually packed starting from the early hours of the evening!

Dress Code: No special dress code observed.

There is alot of online stuff out there about pubs in Galway but i recently came accross Galway City Pub Guide whichhas reviews, photos and video. You can also post your own reviews and comments

Dress Code: Its all Good in Galway

oooooooh gpo. this is where the night got interesting. we got there earlier enough to hang out and have a beverage at the bar. it was nice. not so much my scene. it was a little prettier, and less like a pub... and if you read the next tip you'll see why

a little more lowkey than the kings head. i liked this place because it was little more intimate. and by intimate i mean, you could hear yourself think, you could have good conversation, but you were also packed in a little closer to those you are traveling with... and strangers. so if you dont mind mingling with your neighbor, then this place is for you.

Last night in Galway and next day back to Spain, i spent the evening with my friend and more peple in this bar. There was live music and you can ask for the singer a sing to dedicate. Is a great place to spend a good time.