Around Ireland: More Galway

SPECIFICS

Galway in County Galway is on Ireland’s west coast and sits on the River Corrib. With a population of around 83,000, it is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Ireland. It is a city of bridges and canals and strong breezes off the bay. One is never far from the honk of seagulls. The main center, around Eyre Square, is compact and walkable with a number of shopping streets closed to traffic.

Our original plan was to spend our second day in Galway with an excursion to one of the Aran Islands. The weather was lousy the day before, and the prediction for this day was for on and off light rain and temperatures hovering around 58 degrees, so we decided to bag the trip. Light rain here can mean an intense burst of rain for 15 minutes and then a brightening sky. Consequently, we spent all day partly inside but broken up by three separate walks. Said walks were taken between the rainy skies. Once, we got caught in an unexpected short shower.

EYRE SQUARE

Eyre Square, although somewhat small, attracts people throughout the day and evening. Whether to wait for a tour bus, sit on the grass, or gather to hear a street musician, it’s a popular venue. Here you see banners for the tribes of Galway and a seated sculpture of the first modern Irish writer. He initially wrote short stories in Gaelic.

CHURCHES

Like many Irish cities, Galway has several large churches. One is the Galway Cathedral (Roman Catholic), and another is St. Nicholas Collegiate Church (Church of Ireland or Anglican). St. Nicholas was built in the 16th century and has been open for worship ever since.

Galway Cathedral, the official name of which is Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, was actually built in the late 1950’s and completed in 1965. With its Renaissance style, it seems to be of a more historic time. The massive green dome dominates the city skyline even from a distance.

OTHER SIGHTS

On this quiet Sunday morning when the sun was shining, we took a lovely walk on a path along the river. Several men were out fishing and across the way was the occasional old stone building.

Later in the day, we walked through the Spanish Arch and along the Long Walk in the dock area. This arch is part of what remains of a city wall originally built in the 16th century; the name Spanish is probably not connected to Spain. The Long Walk was added much later and intended as further protection for the docks.

FOOD

We have eaten very well here. As you would expect, potatoes feature prominently at both lunch and dinner. Often as chips (fries) or crisps (potato chips) or sliced Lyonnaise style, sweet potato chunks, or just little round potatoes in their skins. A favorite lunch item is a toastie (usually grilled ham and cheese on sourdough), and we each had several. The so-called classic Caesar salad served in Ireland has lardons of bacon in it in addition to croutons, and sometimes thin slivers of Parmesan, but not always.

Breakfast buffets usually included some cold sliced meats and cheeses along with juice and pastries. And you could also order off the cooked breakfast menu, a full Irish breakfast or some eggs, sausage, pancakes, and always smoked salmon. At various evening meals, we enjoyed excellent fish and seafood, everything from turbot and sea bass to cod and hake plus shrimp and crab.

Our final dinner in Galway was at a relaxed place with a tasty menu aptly named the Brasserie on the Corner. The Chief Penguin and I shared the little bites on a seafood board and then tucked into our entrees. He had a perfect stuffed chicken breast with broccolini and mushroom cream while I savored every morsel of my sea bass with Thai red curry sauce. It was a delicious capstone to some wonderful eating adventures.

After all this wonderful food, great sights, and friendly people, we head back home, trading cool days for Florida’s heat and humidity.

Note: Photos ©JWFarrington (some rights reserved). Header photo is along the River Corrib.