Ireland (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Fionn Davenport [334]
Stonework on the castle’s facade includes ghoulish gargoyles and the coats of arms of Henry VII, the Lynches and the Fitzgeralds of Kildare. The castle is now a branch of the AIB Bank, and you can peer into its old fireplace while withdrawing money from the foyer’s ATMs.
Spanish Arch & Medieval Walls
Framing the river east of Wolfe Tone Bridge, the Spanish Arch (1584) is thought to be an extension of Galway’s medieval walls. The arch appears to have been designed as a passageway through which ships entered the city to unload goods, such as wine and brandy from Spain.
Today it reverberates to the beat of bongo drums, and the lawns and riverside form a gathering place for locals and visitors on any sunny day. Many watch kayakers manoeuvre over the minor rapids of River Corrib.
Although a 1651 drawing of Galway clearly shows its extensive fortifications, depredation by Cromwell and William of Orange and subsequent centuries of neglect saw the walls almost completely disappear. Another surviving portion has been artfully incorporated into the modern shopping mall, Eyre Square Centre, complete with a tarot-card reader ( 091-556 826; by appointment) installed in the basement of a former turret.
Galway City Museum
Adjacent to the Spanish Arch, the Galway City Museum ( 091-567 641; Spanish Pde; admission free; 10am-5pm Apr-Oct, closed Mon Nov-Mar) is in a glossy, glassy building that reflects the old walls. Exhibits trace aspects of daily life through Galway’s history; especially good are the areas dealing with life – smelly and otherwise – during medieval times. When the roof is open, there are sweeping views out to the bay.
Galway Cathedral
Lording over the River Corrib, imposing Galway Cathedral ( 091-563 577; www.galwaycathedral.org; Gaol Rd; admission by donation; 8am-6pm) was dedicated by the late Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston in 1965. The cathedral’s unwieldy full name is the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, but its high, curved arches and central dome have a simple, solid elegance, as well as superb acoustics that are best appreciated during an organ recital. Program dates are posted on the website.
From the Spanish Arch, a riverside path runs upriver and across the Salmon Weir Bridge to the cathedral.
Eyre Square
Galway’s central public square is busy in all but the harshest weather. It’s a welcome open green space with sculptures and pathways. Its lawns are formally named Kennedy Park in commemoration of President John F Kennedy’s 1963 visit to Galway, though you’ll rarely, if ever, hear locals refer to it as anything but Eyre Square.
The street running along the southwestern side of the square is pedestrianised and lined with seating, while the eastern side is taken up almost entirely by the Hotel Meyrick (formerly the Great Southern Hotel), an elegant grey limestone pile restored to its Victorian glory. Guarding the upper side of the square, Browne’s Doorway (1627), a classy, if forlorn, fragment from the home of one of the city’s merchant rulers, looks like the remains from a carpet-bombing raid (at least the English can’t be blamed for this…).
Salmon Weir
Upstream from Salmon Weir Bridge, which crosses the River Corrib just east of the cathedral, the river cascades down the great weir, one of its final descents before reaching Galway Bay. The weir controls the water levels above it, and when the salmon are running you can often see shoals of them waiting in the clear waters before rushing upriver to spawn.
The salmon and sea-trout seasons usually span February to September, but most fish pass through the weir during May and June. To obtain fishing permits and book a time, contact the manager at Galway Fisheries ( 091-562 388; www.wrfb.ie; Nun’s Island). A half-day’s fishing costs as little as €18.
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A PERFECT SPOT
A fine footpath runs northwest along the Eglington Canal from the Lower Dominick St Bridge. Passing behind several of Galway’s better pubs (nod to the smokers who have ducked out back), the path makes a gentle climb. Look to