Highlighting the Celtic culture and its heritage, Brigit's Garden is an award-winning themed park that is a local favorite, as well as a quite popular spot with tourists. Located in Galway, the popular garden features structures that are characteristic of Celtic architecture like the fairy fort, roundhouse and the stone chamber, to name a few. Apart from the cute, fairy tale locations within the site, the programs and games organized to benefit the children also attracts many visitors. Big on magical grandeur and old world charm, you'd definitely love it here, no matter what your age is.
Taibhdhearc Theatre was first leased from the Augustinian Fathers by Hilton Edwards. After being refurbished it opened its doors to audiences in August 1928 with a production of "Diarmuid and Gráinne" by Micheál MacLiammóir. Since this date Galway has had a theater which presents plays in the Irish language. The theater also regularly features regular musicals and opera. Many luminaries have appeared at the Taibhdhearc, including playwright and novelist Walter Macken, poet Máirtin Ó Direáin, distinguished actress Siobhán McKenna and actor Seán McClory.
Situated about twenty minutes' drive from Galway city and close to the village of Oranmore, Renville Park surrounds a magnificent 16th century estate. The grounds include a network of trails and walks through woodlands, providing spectacular views of the sea and of counties Clare and Galway.The variety of flora includes several tree varieties, wild flowers, shrubs and old creeping ivy. Local fauna incorporates otter, heron, curlew and raven. The park has picnic areas with barbeque facilities (bring your own charcoal) and a children's play area. Open all year round, this park makes for a great family day out.
Ask around the neighborhood for the place that serves top quality beer, and you are sure to be pointed towards The Oslo. Whether you're a fan of beer or not, this bar will leave you impressed with its fabulous collection of brews and light meals. Claimed to the first microbrewery in the city, this bar offers a wide range of brews infused with the spirit of Galway. Boasting a selection of 20 beers on tap, along with a sizable collection of international beers, its unlikely that this bar fails to produce one that suits your taste.
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 Roisin Dubh is internationally renowned as a live music venue. The Frames, and The Handsome Family have all played acoustic sets here, as have various emerging singer/songwriters. Also known as Galway's top comedy venue, the Roisin Dubh has featured top acts like Stewart Lee and Rich Hall. The Galway Comedy Festival draws both local and tourist crowds to the city, and is hosted here. The venue is intimate and atmospheric with good acoustics, and people crowd cozily into the wooden tables and booths. The outer bar is cozy and warm, ideal on a wet winter night. A fire usually blazes just inside the door, and the bar staff are quirky but usually friendly.
Galway enchants with its vibrant pubs bristling with traditional Irish music, an Irish harbor city riddled with cobblestone streets and small, independent shops selling books, musical instruments and traditional crafts. Life in Galway goes with the flow, and its best to just walk around and see where the day takes you. Nestled on the banks of the Corrib River, at the point where it meets the Atlantic, a stroll along the promenade will take you to the seaside suburb of Salthill, while a little further away, the mountains, bogs and heathlands of the Connemara National Park call to the adventurer within. Street-side performances are a common sight down Quay Street, while the cliffs of Moher and the Aran Islands make for great day trip destinations. For a taste of the city's rich history, there are plenty of options to explore including Lynch's Castle, the Galway City Museum and the Galway Fisheries Watchtower Museum. Deemed a UNESCO city of film, Galway hosts the annual Galway Film Fleadh, Ireland's best-known fete of this kind. Music is, however, the soul of the city, best captured not only by live performances at its pubs, but also through the classical concerts at the Galway Cathedral. Tourists throng the city's Latin Quarter for a fabulous night out on the town, and a sampling of fresh seafood at Kirwan Lane is simply a must. Let Galway warm you with its friendly embrace, wow you with its scenery and bewitch with its vibrant culture.
Situated in a beautiful spot overlooking Killary Harbour, this centre records Connemara's sheep and wool industry. Many different breeds of sheep graze in the valleys and mountains in Connemara, and this centre shows how wool provided essential clothing material down through the years. The visitor can see how wool was manufactured before the industry became mechanized. Demonstrations include carding, spinning, weaving and dyeing using natural plant colorings. There is also a craft shop and restaurant on the premises. The centre is open between April and September.
Sections of Galway's original medieval town wall can still be seen in the Eyre Square Shopping Center.They are immaculately preserved and have been seamlessly incorporated into this modern building. The wall was built by the De Burgo family, who settled in Galway in the 13th century. Portions of the medieval town wall can also be viewed near the Spanish Arch, where a long stretch of wall ends in a machicoulis dating from 1584.
The renowned historian James Hardiman laid the foundation stone of the present St. Augustine church in August 1855. This neo-gothic church took four years to build and eventually opened its doors in September 1859. As you enter the church the Augustinian crest can be seen on the mosaic floor. It reads, in Latin, "Tolle Lege" which means "Take up and Read", and comes from a discussion with St. Augustine after he read Paul's letter to the Romans. Oak panelling surrounds the high altar and dates from 1855, although some alterations were made in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The tabernacle was enshrined and the stained glass window over the main altar was replaced. The ceiling was also reconstructed with cedar wood, although the ancient roof supports still remain. The organ is a magnificent focal point; it was constructed and installed by the famous Dublin organ builder, William Telford in 1868. Mass times are: 7p Saturdays and 9a, 11a, 12p and 6.30p Sundays.
A visitor to Galway in 1614 noted the city's prosperous appearance. He was especially struck by the elegant townhouses with finely cut stone facades, fortified with "faire battlement, in an uniform course". These houses would have been owned by Galway's leading merchant families, the "fourteen tribes of Galway". The Lynch family were one of the leading "tribes". Lynch's Castle (now an Allied Irish Bank) is one of the best examples of a 16th century townhouse. The finely cut stone lintels, coat of arms and fine stone fireplaces in the interior are well worth a look.
Shop Street is the central location for shopping in Galway, with plenty of locals and tourists checking out the variety of stores and strolling the sidewalks. Some long-standing brick buildings and artsy cafes give certain sections of the street a more intellectual feel, while street performers in other places create a laid back atmosphere. Shop Street also features one of Galway's oldest architectural structures, Lynch's Castle.