Galway plays a distinct role in the historical and contemporary story of Ireland and Irishness. It is a place set apart, geographically marginal but also central to the establishment of our national identity.

You stroll through Galway city from Eyre Square to the Spanish Arch on a spring or summer’s day. During your walk, you pass through Shop Street and Quay Street. These streets are positively bustling with buskers, musicians, artists, and maybe face-painters. You could be forgiven for thinking you were in a more bohemian area of Catalonia!

With about 120 festivals staged in Galway each year and a young, vibrant and bohemian community, the city always seems to be in the party spirit. Visitors to the city often make inquiries about the City Museum.

In April 2007, a new museum building was opened. It was purposefully built behind the site of the old museum at Comerford House. It’s a beautiful modern building in a historic setting. It offers spectacular views overlooking the old Claddagh fishing village, river Corrib, and Galway Bay. There is a fine selection of the unique local Currachs on display. Also on display is the city’s medieval Civic Sword and Mace once bought up by US newspaper publisher, W Randolph Hearst but later returned to the city.

A few Boston connections with Galway worthy of mention! The late President John F Kennedy’s visit to Galway on June 29th 1963 was a momentous occasion. His speech at Eyre Square that day was memorable. He said, ‘If the day was clear enough and you went down to the bay and you looked west and your sight was good enough, you would see Boston, Boston, Massachusetts.’ A bust of the late president stands at Eyre Square today. Another Boston connection is through Cardinal Cushing. He helped fund-raise for the Galway Cathedral. He eventually consecrated it when it opened in 1965.

Galway is practically surrounded by water. The city was, of course, made famous in song for Galway Bay which was made popular by a Bing Crosby recording in 1947. The many canals in the city were used in olden times for commercial purposes. To the northern side of the city is Lough Corrib, southern Ireland’s largest lake. A delightful 90-minute river cruise of the Corrib with the Corrib Princess runs each summer from the beginning of May till end of October. The cruise passes ivy-clad castle ruins, rowers on the river and fleets of swans. There’s a light-hearted commentary included not to mention Irish Coffee tastings!

If you’re lucky enough to visit Galway on a Saturday, you can explore the wonderful farmer’s Market including food and crafts in front of the 700-year-old St Nicholas’ Church. There’s crepes, sushi, bockwurst and vegetarian curries to die for on offer. Some of the finest and atmospheric traditional pubs cum restaurants in the city include Tig Naughton’s with the walls coated in old festival posters, the historic Kings Head, , the Quays super-pub and Taffe’s Bar.

Many of these and more attractions can be experienced by taking a Western Tours and Tales Historic and Cultural Walking tour.

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