Top Rated Attractions in Galway

The Town Hall Theatre stands across from the Galway courthouse. Once the old Town Hall cinema, Town Hall Theatre is now an elegant but welcoming building with a plush, comfortable interior. The theatre hosts an extensive range of events, including amateur and professional theatrical productions, film screenings, concerts and opera. In the summertime, the venue houses the Galway Film Fleadh and the Galway Arts Festival.

The Mick Lally Theatre arrived in the city's Latin Quarter in the 1970s, at a time when the area was much neglected and dilapidated. Over the years, the theater has facilitated a change in the area, as more and more visitors were attracted to the area by the shows hosted here. In 2009, this iconic theater was modernized to better accommodate contemporary prodictions, and boasts a 90-seat auditorium, a well-equipped rehearsal space, and a spacious foyer. The theater is best known today as the home of the Druid Theatre Company. Besides the company's own productions, the theater also hosts a variety of events and performances by visiting companies on its hallowed stage.

Possibly the most impressive building in Galway, this was the last great stone cathedral constructed in Western Europe. The Cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and overlooks the Salmon Weir Bridge. The Renaissance-style building was opened and consecrated by the late Cardinal Cushing in 1965 and stands on the site of the old city jail. It is not particularly antiquated, yet still corresponds with conventional church design and features a marble floor and brown cedar ceiling. The woodwork, stained glass and mosaics were all handcrafted by Irishmen.

Druid Theatre Company can be touted as a torchbearer in promoting Irish theatre outside of Dublin. It owes a lot of its recognition and fame to the well-known Irish playwright of the early 1900's, John Millington Synge. One of his most acclaimed works, ‘The Playboy of the Western World', produced and performed in 1975 at this theatre, won huge accolades and shot the Druid straight into limelight. Since then it has been a never-ending journey of touring around (mainly Europe) and being a major platform for aspiring Irish writers. Although it's popularly known for showcasing productions of Synge's plays, it also has names like Martin McDonagh, Geraldine Aron, John B Keane Sive to embellish its status! Druid productions are held at two venues, at the Chapel Lane and at the Town Hall Theatre.

The Salmon Weir Bridge crosses the Corrib from the Cathedral on one side to the courthouse on the other. Hordes of people gather on this bridge from mid-April to early July to see the shoals of salmon make their way up the Corrib river to spawn. During the salmon season, people stop to watch anglers fishing in the waters below, applauding each catch. (However, the anglers are not always pleased to have an audience!) There is a magnificent view of the Cathedral from the bridge itself, and the view remains impressive all the way down to Wolfe Tone Bridge.