A céad míle fáilte! That’s Irish for a hundred thousand welcomes! Welcome to our first blog, the first of many, in which we will be writing about the past, present and future events of Galway; a truly unique and enchanting city. If you’ve ever been to Galway than you will know that Galway is a vibrant, cosmopolitan town steeped in history and culture. Galway is often considered to be Ireland’s cultural heart due to a wide variety of festivals, music, literature and nightlife.
Galway is located in the province of Connacht in the west of Ireland which is the home of the world famous: Galway Bay, Spanish Arch and the much loved Claddagh Ring. Galway is often referred to as “the city of tribes” named after fourteen merchant families who led the city between the 13th and 16th centuries. The names of these families are still evident all around Galway today. Galway overcame many tribulations over the centuries such as wars, famine and two great fires, to become a bustling town of trade and culture.
The beauty of Galway is the mix between the old and the new. There is still a strong traditional presence in Galway and it is not uncommon for one to strike up a conversation with a stranger who knew your grandparents well! Also Galway is home to one of countries largest Gaeltacht areas or Irish speaking regions. Many parts of this region are largely untouched and it has an rugged, romantic setting which is rare to find these days. That is not to say that Galway does not embrace the new. This can be visible while walking through the streets of Galway... there is a mix of colourful buildings and murals, mixed with medieval buildings.
Perhaps the most endearing thing about Galway is the mix of culture, which you can experience by walking down the main street. There is a wide range of talented buskers that can be heard to play anything from traditional Irish ballads to others displaying more contemporary forms of art. Literature is also an important part of culture here in Galway: home to the best bookshop in Ireland and setting to James Joices famous poem "She Weeps Over Rahoon".
As for the food and drink....well there is no better place. Galway is home to some of the best restaurants and pubs in the country. Some of the greatest food can be found in the Galway market on a Saturday...a market that has been trading for centuries. Galway also has access to the best seafood in the world including oysters from Galway Bay. There are many great bars in Galway too; whether you’re on the search for the best pint of Guinness or you’d like to try some of the local craft beers, there’s a pub for you. Many of the pubs around Galway have a wide variety of live music including traditional music sessions, local bands to internationally known acts.
Please join us again as we delve a little deeper into life in Galway and checkout all our beautiful Celtic & Claddagh Jewellery online today and join us in our journey.