Galway, Ireland

The cities in Ireland, while interesting, were not the best part of being in Ireland. Trust me. Go to the countryside and travel along the western coast.

In Galway, for example, we were in the middle of a sea of Americans. I knew Ireland was popular with American tourists, and because it is so similar to the U.S., it is a leisurely visit and a relatively short flight.

We stayed at the Harbour Hotel, a rather expensive choice, but right on the docks, a plus for my sailor husband. There were very few vacancies in the city, and until we arrived, I had no idea why so few places were available. Better choices were at the bed and breakfasts, also near the downtown area, but those were all booked, even weeks out. The hotel’s location was excellent, and parking was available. Otherwise, I would not recommend it.

Here’s a quick taste of Galway's seaside and the houses in the nearby neighborhoods.

We walked to our hotel from Salthill Village rather than taking an Uber or taxi, wanting to walk off the whiskey tasting we’d had at Micil Distillery. I am a fan of Scottish whisky and thought I would like to try the Irish version. While I learned a lot about distilling whiskey, I was not impressed with their whiskey.

As I went through this trip, I realized that my trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, last year had ruined me. As you read my comments, it might be possible that I’m very biased now, thinking that all towns and cities should be as beautiful and comfortable as Edinburgh was for me.

Of course, I’ve been drinking Scottish whisky for years, and I’m a little picky about that. I like what I like. I hoped the distillery tour would introduce my husband to whisky, but that failed miserably. (If you don’t know, the word for whisky in Ireland includes an “e”—whiskey. American’s version is bourbon.")

It was about five in the afternoon in the city center of Galway, and the city was mostly empty on a Tuesday afternoon. The weather was about to turn bad with the end of Hurricane Ernesto, which had crossed the Atlantic, and it appeared that the residents were getting prepared to stay indoors.

The polite term for the weather was blustery. My husband had other choice words.

We ran into a sea of Americans at the pedestrian area, the historic section of downtown Galway. As you can see from the banner, there was a Georgia Tech vs. Florida State exhibition game, which is why there were so few vacancies at places to stay. At our hotel, I questioned several folks wearing football sweatshirts. I learned that Ireland sponsors these types of games regularly to “promote the sport of American football” (having lived in the soccer world for thirty years, I don’t think so) and to increase their tourism numbers (a more likely reason.)

The downtown area was full of pubs and cafes, and tourist and Irish clothing shops lined several blocks. The food at Rúiubin Bar and Restaurant was excellent. The seafood chowder was better than any I’ve had in any country, and our meals were exceptional. If you’re in Galway, get a reservation (a “booking”) to ensure a seat, as it is a small place.

Galway was a friendly, small city, but except for the restaurant, I’d skip this city the next time around. Unless you like moving through a sea of American tourists on vacation.