Galavanting in County Galway

For my first road trip in Ireland, I pointed my little VW Up to County Galway. I had an exhaustive list of things I was going to see and do now that I had the freedom of my own transportation. No Galway stone was going to be left unturned, I was going to tackle it all! Then I got to Galway City and thought, “Maybe for today, I will just sit here on the patio of a cafe on Quay St. with my newly purchased Claddaugh Ring, drinking a beer and listening to street performers as a steady flow of people wander by. Everything will be there tomorrow.”  

Tomorrow came, and I thought, “Maybe I will just spend the day at one location on the list and catch up the next day. I mean, I have a car!”

And with the next day came honesty, “Ok, what is coming off this list, because stones will be left unturned.”

Over the course of my four days in Galway, in tourist terms, I “saw” less then some of the advertised Day Trips. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. It was great to stop feeling like a tourist racing from place to place just to say I had been there but not really having the time to absorb anything. To take the time to really experience the old-world beauty of Ireland’s coast.

Taking old-world life to heart, I did not even use my GPS on my phone to get around. Only maps and road signs. I was going authentic and the empowering part was that I did it with no major (or minor) injuries to the car or myself.  There may have been a wrong turn or two, but isn’t that part of wandering? Going down a path not usually taken just to see where it leads. Sometimes the path leads to something great (like a Holy Well built on the side of the road) and other times it leads nowhere. Turn around and try again.

Driving and taking photos at the same time is pretty much frowned upon, and not really in my talent spectrum, but below are some of the highlights of my trip to County Galway. A lovely place to experience Ireland simply.

Galway City

In city centre, Quay Street is a lively mix of music, shops, pubs, and cafes. It is an inviting atmosphere that encourages you to make friends with strangers.

On the day I was visiting, I was waiting out a sudden rain shower under the canopy of a cafe with a cup of tea. An older gentleman stopped by to get out of the rain and we struck up a conversation. He was an engineer from Australia on a bit of a wander himself in Ireland. He joined me for lunch and made suggestions on where I should visit in England. It was a great way to make a new friend on a rainy afternoon.

Of course a trip to Galway would not be complete without visiting Thomas Dillon’s Claddagh Gold. The Claddagh ring, created in Galway, has two hands holding a heart with a crown – signifying love, loyalty and friendship. Thomas Dillon’s is Ireland’s oldest jewelry shop and labeled the original makers of the Claddagh ring. Needless to say, rings were purchased.

Aran Islands -Inis Oirr

The Aran Islands consist of three islands (large, medium and small) off the coast of Galway. Ferry service will take you to the islands for day trips and for the driven, you can even visit all three. I decided to spend the day at the smallest island (Inis Oirr) because I felt like everyone would be flocking to the largest (Inis Mor). Pat myself on the back because I was right. At the ferry dock, there were TWO ferries taking masses of people to Inis Mor and ONE ferry taking a group of us to Inis Meain (medium island) and Inis Oirr.

As the ferry pulled in to Inis Oirr, I was enchanted. The island is almost 2 miles by 2 miles wide and covered in farmland. I rented a bike to tour the island and then twenty minutes later remembered that I hate riding a bike and returned it to walk the island. Easier for me to get around and take photos (again transportation and taking photos are a bad mix).

The island only has about 300 residents and the daily language is Irish. It was like stepping back in time to walk through 15th century churches, wander through the maze of stone walls, and bear witness to a shipwreck. A truly charming way to spend the day.

Dunguaire Castle

This castle solidified my belief that I would not like having a normal house. For quite some time I have become obsessed with Tiny Houses with their creative floor plans and tiny nooks. Then Dunguaire Castle showed me the glory of a Tower House.

A Tower House is pretty much as described: a stone tower with a winding staircase through the middle that leads to each of its four floors stacked on top of one another. Built in 1520, it was renovated by a woman in 1954 who lived in the residence until it became open to the public. Wonder where you find property listings for tower houses?

Dunguaire is on a beautiful piece of land overlooking Galway Bay. A path winds around the outside of the castle walls with various areas you can sit and look out of the bay. I definitely need a Tower House.