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 Status. Power was transferred from the then ruling de Burgo family to the fourteen merchant tribes. They controlled the city in the following centuries, thus the name, City of the Tribes.