Destinations > Ireland > Connaught > County Galway

County Galway

This large county offers a variety of attractions, which include vibrant Galway City, the scenic Connemara region and the Aran Islands.

Galway (Gaillimh)

Galway is the republic's third largest city and one of Europe's fastest growing cities.

It is a lively place with a charming old centre and a good selection of pubs, clubs and live music venues.

Practical Information

Galway Tourist Information Centre

Forster Street, Galway

Tel (091) 537 7000

Open Jan-Apr Mon-Fri 9am-5.45pm, Sat 9am-12.45pm, Sun 9am-5.45pm; May-Jun 9am-5.45pm daily; Jul-Aug 9.30am-7.45pm daily; Sep 9am-5.45pm daily; Oct-Dec Mon-Fri 9am-5.45pm, Sat 9am-12.45pm, Sun 9am-5.45pm

Salthill Tourist Information Centre

Seapoint Promenade, Salthill

Tel (091) 520 500

Open May-Sep 9am-5.45pm daily

LAUNDRY

Prospect Hill Launderette

Prospect Hill, Galway

Open Jan-May Mon-Sat 8.30am-6pm; Jun-Aug Mon-Fri 8.30am-8.30pm; Sep-Dec Mon-Sat 8.30am-6pm

Coming & Going

AIR

Galway Airport (website www.galwayairport.com) is in Carnmore, 6km from the city centre. Aer Arann (website www.aerarann.ie) and British Airways (website www.ba.com) have flights from Galway to Birmingham, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Lorient and Manchester.

Aer Arann Islands (website www.aerarannislands.ie) flies to the Aran Islands from Connemara Regional Airport, which is about a 50 minute drive from Galway. An airport shuttle bus runs to Connemara Airport from Galway city centre, departing from Kinlay House Hostel on the corner of Merchant's Road and Victoria Place.

Citylink (tel (091) 564 163; website www.citylink.ie) run four daily bus services between Galway and Shannon Airport near Limerick.

BUS

Bus Éireann (website www.buseireann.ie) runs buses to most destinations throughout Ireland.

Citylink (tel (091) 564 163; website www.citylink.ie) operates an express bus service between Galway and Dublin with one-way tickets costing €12. BusNestor (tel (091) 797 484 or 1800 42 42 48) is another bus company running buses between Galway and Dublin. Both BusNestor and Citylink buses have stops at Dublin's city centre and Dublin Airport.

Michael Nee Coaches (tel (095) 34682) runs buses between Galway and Connemara. Buses leave from Forster Street near the train station and tourist information centre and cost €9 one-way or €12 return.

TRAIN

Galway's train station is near Eyre Square with direct trains to Dublin. The train journey from Galway to Dublin takes around three hours.

Accommodation

Archview Hostel

1 Upper Dominick Street, Galway

Tel (091) 586 661

Barnacles Quay Street House

Quay Street House, 10 Quay Street, Galway

Tel (091) 568 644

Claddagh Hostel

Queen Street (off Eyre Square), Galway

Tel (091) 533 555

Eyre Square Hostel

35 Eyre Street, Galway

Tel (091) 568 432

Galway City Hostel

Station Road, Galway

Tel (091) 566 959

Hostel 77

77 St Brendan's Avenue, Galway

Kinlay House Galway

Corner Merchant's Road and Victoria Place, Galway

Tel (091) 565 244

Salmon Weir Hostel

3 St Vincent Avenue, Galway

Tel (091) 561 133

Sleepzone

Bóthar na mBan, Woodquay, Galway

Tel (091) 566 999

Woodquay Hostel

23-24 Woodquay, Galway

Tel (091) 562 2618

Sights

Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven

This relatively new cathedral dates from 1965 and was built on the site of a notorious prison. The cathedral features a large copper domed roof and was constructed mostly from local materials. Recitals are held in the cathedral during summer.

Gaol Road, Galway

Website www.galwaycathedral.org

Concerts €8

Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm

Galway Altantaquaria

Ireland's largest aquarium is home to a large variety of marine life including salmon, stingrays and the angel shark.

The Promenade, Toft Park, Salthill

Tel (091) 585 100

Website http://gofree.indigo.ie/~mbjg/

Admission €7 (€5 students)

Open 10am-6pm daily

Galway City Museum

This museum features exhibits relating to Galway's history including displays about Galway's fishing industry as well as exhibits about Galway's medieval heritage. The museum is housed within the Spanish Arch, which was built in 1584 as an extension of Galway's city walls.

Fishmarket, Spanish Arch, Galway

Admission €2 (€1 students)

Open 10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm daily

Lynch's Castle

Lynch's Castle is regarded as one of Ireland's best examples of a town castle, which were elegant mansions built for wealthy merchants during the 15th and 16th centuries. Although it now houses a branch of the AIB Bank, the building dating from 1320 was originally home to the powerful Lynch family that ruled Galway between the 13th and 18th centuries. There is a small exhibition at the front of the building.

Corner Abbeygate & Shop Streets, Galway

Tel (091) 567041

Admission free

Open Mon-Wed 10am-4pm, Thu 10am-5pm, Fri 10am-4pm

Nora Barnacle House

James Joyce's wife, Nora Barnacle was the inspiration for the character Molly Bloom in Joyce's famous novel Ulysees. Nora Barnacle's House in Galway's Bowling Green neighbourhood has now been turned into a small museum.

8 Bowling Green, Galway

Tel (091) 564 743

Admission €2.50

Open mid May-mid Sep Wed-Fri 10am-1pm & 2pm-5pm

St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church was originally built by the Lynch family in 1320 but has been rebuilt several times over the last 600 years. The church is noted for its intricate medieval detail that includes carved gargoyles and mermaids and it is believed that Christopher Columbus visited the church before setting sail for America in 1492.

Market Street, Galway

Admission free

Open 9am-5.45pm daily

Aran Islands (Oileán Árann)

The three Aran Islands in Galway Bay are home to a rugged landscape and several important Celtic archaeological sites. Due to the islands' isolation, traditional Irish language and culture has been preserved and for many travellers this is the main reason for visiting the Aran Islands.

Coming & Going

AIR

Aer Arann (website www.aerarannislands.ie) offers the quickest way of getting to the Aran Islands with flights from Connemara Regional Airport in Inveran, west of Galway, to all three islands taking less than 10 minutes. The return airfare to any island from Connemara Airport is €44 (€37 students). The airfare includes the cost of the airport shuttle bus from Galway city centre, which departs from Kinlay House Hostel on the corner of Merchant's Road and Victoria Place.

FERRY

There are three ferry companies that sail to the Aran Islands from either Doolin or Rossaveal on the mainland.

Aran Islands Fast Ferries (tel (065) 707 4550; website www.aranislandsfastferries.com) sails between Doolin and Inishere. The return fare is €20.

Island Ferries (tel (091) 568 903; website www.aranislandferries.com) sails to all three islands from Rossaveal. The return fare is €19 return (€15 students).

The Queen of Aran II (tel (091) 566 535; website www.queenofaran2.com) sails between Rossaveal and Inishmore. The return fare is €19 (€14 students).

Aran Islands Fast Ferries and Island Ferries also operate ferry services that connect the three islands with one-way fares costing around €10.

Rossaveal is about a 45-minute drive from Galway and most ferry companies operate shuttle buses. The ferry trip between Rossaveal and Inishmore takes around 30-40 minutes.

Inishere (Inis Oirr)

Inishere is the smaller of the three Aran Islands and at only 8km from Doolin, it is the closest island to the mainland.

O'Brien's Castle is the main attraction on Inishere.

Accommodation

Bru Radharc Na Mara Hostel

West Village, Inishere

Tel (099) 75024

Inishmaan (Inis Meáin)

The middle island is a rugged place that has been immortalised in John M Synge's Riders to the Sea and Robert Flaherty's film, Man of Aran.

Inishmore (Inish Mór)

Inishmore's attractions include Dún Aonghasa and Ionad Árainn – Aran Heritage Centre.

Accommodation

An Aharla Hostel

Kilronan, Inis Mór, Aran Islands

Tel (099) 61305

Artists Hostel

Kilronan, Inishmore, Aran Islands

Tel 08720 79383

Killeany Lodge Pilgrim Hostel

Kilronan, Inishmore

Tel (099) 61393

Kilronan Hostel

Kilronan Village, Inis Mor, Aran Islands

Tel (099) 61255

Mainistir House Hostel

Main Road, Inishmore

Tel (099) 61169

Sights

Dún Aonghasa

This large stone fort perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean dates from prehistoric times.

Kilmurvey, Inishmore

Tel (099) 61008

Website www.heritageireland.ie

Admission €2 (€1 students)

Open Jan-Feb 10am-4pm daily; Mar-Oct 10am-6pm daily; Nov-Dec 10am-4pm daily

Ionad Árainn – Aran Heritage Centre

The Aran Heritage Centre depicts over 2000 years of history on the Aran Islands through displays of photographs, maps and charts. Robert Flaherty's 1934 film, Man of Aran is shown here daily.

Kilronan, Inishmore

Tel (099) 61355

Website www.visitaranislands.com

Admission centre only €3.50 (€3 students); centre & film €5.50 (€5 students)

Open Apr-May 11am-5pm daily; Jun-Aug 10am-7pm daily; Sep-Oct 11am-5pm daily

Clifden (An Clochán)

This attractive small town is considered the main hub of the sparsely populated Connemara region.

Practical Information

Clifden Tourist Information Centre

Galway Road, Clifden

Tel (095) 21163

Website www.connemara-tourism.org

Open Jun Mon-Sat 10am-6pm daily; Jul-Aug Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun noon-4pm

Coming & Going

Bus Éireann (website www.buseireann.ie) runs buses to Galway and during summer also has buses to Leenane and Westport. Bus Éireann buses stop next to the library on Market Street.

Michael Nee Coaches (tel (095) 34682) runs buses between Galway and Clifden. Buses leave from the courthouse and the trip to Galway costs €9 one-way or €12 return.

Accommodation

Brookside Hostel

Fairgreen, Clifden

Tel (095) 21812

Clifden Town Hostel

Market Street, Clifden

Tel (095) 21076

Inishbofin (Inish Bó Finne)

This small island 11km off the Connemara coast has lovely coastal scenery.

Coming & Going

The Inishboffin ferry (website www.inishbofinferry.com) sails between Inishbofin and Cleggan (about 16km northwest of Clifden). The return fare costs €15.

Accommodation

Inishbofin Island Hostel

Inishbofin

Tel (095) 45855

Letterfrack (Leitir Fraic)

This small village was established by a Quaker couple from Yorkshire who came to Connemara to contribute to post-famine relief. There is little to do here other than drink in the local pubs but many people come here for the local hostel and its welcoming atmosphere.

Coming & Going

Bus Éireann (website www.buseireann.ie) runs buses to Clifden and Galway and during summer also has buses to Leenane and Westport.

Accommodation

Letterfrack Lodge

Letterfrack, Co. Galway

Tel (095) 41222

Old Monastery Hostel

Letterfrack, Co Galway

Tel (095) 41132

The Bards Den

Letterfrack, Co Galway

Connemara National Park

This 2000-hectare national park near Letterfrack is noted for its mountains, bogs, and heaths and it is home to Connemara ponies and red deer.

The park's visitor centre features exhibitions and an audio-visual presentation.

Leenane (An Líonán)

There's not much to Leenane, but it does enjoy a lovely setting on Killary Harbour and Killary Fjord – Ireland's only fjord – is nearby.

Coming & Going

During summer Bus Éireann (website www.buseireann.ie) runs buses to Clifden and Galway and Westport.

Accommodation

K2 – the Killary Centre

N59, Leenane

Tel (095) 43411

Sleepzone Connemara

Leenane

Activities

The Killary Centre (tel (095) 43411; website www.killary.com) runs a variety of adventure activities that include rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, sailing and windsurfing.