I Love My Neighborhood: Galway’s City Centre

Welcome to another edition of “I Love My Neighborhood”, where I ask expats from across the globe to share the joys of local life they’ve found in their corner of the world.

If you’re just joining in now, check out the other cities that have been covered so far here.

Today’s post is a bit special as it comes from someone from my past, someone who isn’t a travel blogger but an old classmate I’ve known since we were kids. E.C. and I went our separate ways after high school, but a mix of twitter and a love for Ireland brought us back in touch. She’s the only person I know as big a Hibernophile as I am — and now she’s living my dream: living in Galway, getting her master’s in Irish Studies, and learning to speak Gaelic. Seriously, I would drop Paris in a heartbeat to go do that.

E.C.: Why I Love City Centre

I was at Tigh Neachtains just yesterday, and being one of the oldest pubs in Galway, it’s always packed. Even at 4 pm on a Friday. I ordered my Guinness and trolled the pub inside and out to try and find a seat. Well, when that failed, I saw two people chatting over a cup of coffee at an outside table. I asked to join them and they graciously pulled up a chair for me. Elaine, a Galwegian by birth who now works in Limerick, and Scotty from Waterford. When I asked why Elaine lives here instead of Limerick, she smiled and said, “Ah, Galway. It’s just fun here.” It was a simple answer, but really, really understandable if you lived here. This woman drives 200 kilometers on her weekdays just so she can stay in the heart of Ireland where I too now call home.

Galway (Gaillimh) is the third largest city in Ireland. It’s located on the banks of the River Corrib which connects Lough Corrib to Galway Bay. You know of the Claddagh Ring? The Claddagh is the neighborhood located just outside Galway’s City Centre.

In City Centre itself the two main streets are Shop Street and Quay Street, which are both cobblestone pedestrian streets where you’re bound to run into at least three people you know, hear amazing busking musicians, and be completely tempted by the pubs, shops, and bakeries. I studied here in 2009 and was supposed to stay four months and I stayed nine (oops). Now, I’m back again to pursue a Master’s degree in Irish Studies (anytime I say that to my American friends they ask me what I’m going to do with that….I always say, I have no idea but who cares, I get to live in Ireland).

I love Galway for a lot of reasons, but if I had to narrow it down, I’d say:

The Places

Let’s put it this way: my bank is a castle. Seriously. Lynch’s Castle on Shop Street is now AIB bank. I half expected to forge a moat in order to get to the ATM. On my walk to school, I pass the preserved ruins of Terryland Castle. I go to mass at St. Frances Abbey which was founded in 1296. Last Sunday was the All-Ireland Gaelic Football match final with Donegal playing Mayo. I went to a pub called Fibber Magees to watch (I kid you not. You can’t make a name like that up). I went at 2 pm and stayed until 2 am. The Irish are more insane sports fans than Americans, and that’s a bold, bold statement. Charlie Byrnes bookshop is a book nerd’s wet dream. The shop stocks over 100,000 new and used books and hosts a variety of events. I’ve seen my programme director there twice and once got in an intense conversation with two older gentlemen about Galway’s archeological history. Also there are two really good looking guys who tend the till, so I try to get in there as much as possible.

Irish

Galway City is one of the few bastions of Irish speakers left in Ireland. It’s not uncommon to walk into a pub or restaurant and hear the beautiful language being exchanged. As part of my Irish Studies programme, it’s compulsory to learn the language. I have to say, when you LOOK at Irish, your brow raises and face contorts a bit. It looks a little, um, harsh I guess is a good word for it? BH’s and MH’s and sixteen vowels next to each other; it’s confusing. But when you hear it, oh, when you hear it, you melt a little. If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, think Elvish. It’s that beautiful.

The Spanish Arch

There’s no way I could write about Galway and not mention these two places. The Spanish Arch has to be my favorite: The Arch is essentially a giant wall built in 1584 to protect the city’s quays. It has now become Galway’s most idyllic spot to sit and do nothing. On St. Paddy’s day, you’ll find all of my college, sitting at the Arch with a Guinness in hand. The rolling River Corrib is hypnotizing to both see and hear. And if you walk along the promenade extending from the Arch called The Long Walk, you’ll look upon Galway Bay. You can see across the Bay to Connemara, an official Gaeltacht (Irish speaking region) in Ireland.

The Docks

…I just love because I’m a sailor. And you know what’s at The Docks? SHIPS. LOTS OF THEM. One of my favorite bars in all of Galway isn’t a lively, Irish pub. It’s a small, modern bar called Bar 8. It’s located on the Docks, and I go pretty religiously on Tuesdays to hear my favorite jazz group. Many times after a few pints, I’ll wander out of the bar and just sit and stare at the ships. Also, The Volvo Ocean Race always stops in Galway in one of the legs of the race. It was here for 2012 and I missed it by two months. UGH.

Pub Culture

You know the image of an old Irish sailor salt who after a long day of work goes to the pub, orders a pint, proceeds to get absolutely pissed out of his mind and starts mumbling into his Guinness after a while? That’s true. But so is the lively traditional music pub. So are (as my Canadian friend calls them) “pub clubs” with dub step and fist pumping. I love Galway because it has everything for you. I think the trad pub has got to be my favorite though. Tig Cóilí is probably the best example: there’s a front booth that is reserved for musicians, but everyone is just so laid back that you can sit right next to the guy tearing up a fiddle. See my Dad be absolutely captivated below:

The People!

I saved this for last because the sites and the greener-than-green grass is fun if you’re a tourist. But LIVING here, I’d say the biggest joy of Galway is the people. Some of the people who are dearest to me are Liam, the man who owns a fine wine and food shop who I sit with and talk American politics for hours. James, who has essentially memorized my wine order at McCambridges and once gave me free tickets to a wine and whiskey fair he thought I’d enjoy. Jamaican Brian is the drums busker you ALWAYS find in Quay Street pubs after a long day’s work. He’s now donned a fedora and started selling his beautiful paintings of Ireland. Michael, I always say, kind of IS Galway. He’s an Englishman by birth but the city of Galway has definitely adopted him. I sometimes think of him as the unofficial mayor since he seems to know EVERYBODY. He’s releasing a collection of poetry at Charlie Byrnes that I’m SO excited to read.

I think that’s part of the mystique of Galway. You never know who you’re going to meet. Especially at a crowded pub with nowhere to sit.

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About the author: E.C. Pollick is a 20-something graduate student of Irish Studies in Galway, Ireland. She’ll never let you forget she’s a Pennsylvanian and American since she always wears John Deere and Tractor Supply apparel. She likes big words, sailing, concert-going, pastel colored pants and puppies. She’s an amateur spoken word artist and poet — you can check her material out at www.hellopoetry.com/-ecpollick/ and find her on Twitter @irishpierogies.

All photos courtesy of the author.