Galway Weekend Trips
Why not take a short trip to the superstitious city of Galway to catch their traditional Celtic Spring or Oyster festivals? Once a fishing village, this now cosmopolitan city boasts a lively array of celebrations, eateries and very interesting locals who believe that redheads are bad luck.
For a variety of battered fish, stop into the local chippie, McDonagh’s located on Quay Street for bite to eat and a Guinness to wet your whistle. If your stomach still isn’t full, walk over to Sheridan’s Cheese Shop located behind St. Nicholas’s church for a variety of stiltons, Cork cheddars and goat cheeses from Clare. Saturday is the day to hit the outside market, which sells a range of foods from smoked salmon and organic veggies to chocolate. Abbeygate Street boasts the Gourmet Tart Shop where you can find tasty sugary treats.
University culture is big here, and the university, home to approximately 20,000 students is one of the oldest in Ireland. The cultural diversity of the student body is not bound by the college campus, the high street boasts a variety of shopping from local to more controversial designers.
The native Galway oyster is a delicacy that has made its way onto the menus of restaurants in New York City and London. The Oysters are in season throughout the year but the event that should not be missed is without doubt the annual Oyster festival in September.
The odds are high that you might see a fiddler in your pub of choice in Galway.
Outstanding accommodations that will add excitement and comfort to your stay in Galway include, the five-star Ashford Castle that has hosted celeb guests like Brad Pitt and Pierce Brosnan, Cnoc Suain, for a more intimate experience as this resort is comprised of small cottages run by a geologist and musician, and the newest addition, which adds Hollywood glamour to the mix is The G Hotel, designed by hat maker, Philip Treacy.
