Galway Journals

Finding the Music in Galway

Best of IgoUgo

A September 2002 trip to Galway by wanderlustgirl

Quote: The West is the heart of the Gaeltacht, Gaelic is spoken widely in the area & it's rich heritage is celebrated perhaps more so than in any other region of Ireland. There may be no finer area to seek out traditional Irish music and culture.

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Finding the Music in Galway

Overview

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Music was the main reason I wanted to explore the towns on the West of Ireland, especially in and around Galway City. Also known for the seafood, I was hoping for some tasty morsels. Seeing the sights, music, & shopping ceased to carry any import as towards the end of the West coast leg of our journey, the calendar turned to September 11th. News of the the attacks came to us after touring around the idyllic island of Inismor in a pony and trap. The rest of the journey was quite subdued & anxious from there, more on this both here and in my ...Read More

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Hotel Meyrick

Hotel | "Great Southern Hotel"

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The Great Southern Hotel is an imposing presence taking up a full side of Galway's Eyre Square. We ended up here because the city was booked out for the weekend, luckily we got a better deal through the Bord Failte (just a few blocks off of Eyre Square). The rooms were lovely, vaulted ceilings, comfortable beds, huge windows opening out onto the square, t.v., and a fruit bowl waiting for you. My room looked out onto Eyre Square which was entertaining people watching, but a bit loud at night. Also to note: excellent water pressure in the shower...just be sure the shower cur...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on March 2, 2002

Hotel Meyrick
Eyre Square
Galway City, Ireland

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Róisín Dubh

Attraction

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Boasting an amazing array of artists (John Paul Jones, Ray Manzarek, Steve Earle, John Prine, Loudan Wainwright III, Arlo Guthrie, Donovan, Townes Van Zandt, to name a few) that have performed, the Róisín Dubh is the spot to find live music in Galway. The night we found our way across the bridge, it was extremely crowded, but in a welcoming way I suppose. The front part of the pub feels homey and warm, and the back room is where the stage is set up. Proximity to the University is another reason it stays packed night after night. Take a break from the marvellous trad music to be found elsewhere and listen to equally i...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 3, 2002

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Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival

Attraction

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Anyone out there recall an obscure 90's Janeane Garofalo film called "The Matchmaker?" Well, it was based on the real thing, alive and well in County Clare. The Matchmaking Festival is a fabulous annual tradition during September & October in the tiny spa town of Lisdoonvarna. Just a short drive from Galway, you can base yourself in either town to explore the wealth of historic and cultural sites in County Clare. The 2002 festival starts August 30th and lasts through October 6th. Most of the activities center around the weeken...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on March 10, 2002

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Galway, City of the Tribes

Story/Tip

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Galway has long been on my list of places to see in Ireland because of it's well-earned reputation as a cultural mecca. Evidence can be found in its countless festivals, its celebration of Gaelic culture, and sublime devotion to music and the arts. One of the fastest growing cities in Europe, Galway's population is roughly 50,000. There is also a large university adding to its appeal as a young & thriving community. Just three hours from Dublin and an hour and a half from Shannon airport, it's easily accessible & a great point from which to explore the West. Galway became a Royal Borough in 1396, but it wasn't until 1484 that King Richard III granted it Mayoral St...Read More

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9/11/01, A long night in Doolin...

Story/Tip

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The evening of September 11th found us in a crowded Pub in Doolin, just a short drive from Galway and the ferry from the Aran Islands. After leaving Inis Mór we simply wanted a place to watch the news and relax some while waiting to get through to family in the US. Doolin is also reputed to have some of the best trad musicians in Ireland. We arrived later in the afternoon without reservations and much of the town's B&B's were full. On the recommendation of one of the innkeeper's we checked with, we knocked on the door of a rosy-cheeked man in his late sixties. Apparently Daniel's wife was off in ...Read More