Galway (english)

Galway (english)

Posted by Mayara Floss

Yes, I should have written about the city I'm living before. The beautiful Galway in Ireland or  Gaillimh in irish is in the province of Connacht. It is a city surrounded by the water. Here's Lough Corrib, the Corrib River and Galway Bay. The Galway Bay has appeared on several songs, one of them "The Luck of the Irish" John Lennon:

"If we could make chains with the morning dew
The world would be like Galway Bay
Let's walk over rainbows like leprechauns
The world would be one big Blarney stone"

Of course all this water delighted me. I wrote after venturing down the Corrib River with Kayak Club of National University of Ireland, Galway:

"I could not believe when I reached the edge of the stream and saw the Corrib in front of me. Rainy day and cold the water temperature was at around 4 ° C, winter a typical Irish day. With the rain the river filled and all we get scared when we started paddling down the river. The secret to not turn the kayak is paddling and the instructor started screaming 'paddle' with a great desire. The water lapped at my face and as I crossed the bridges I rowed much. If I turned the kayak I should knock three times on the side of the kayak and go, but my brain was considering not turning, would reach the end. I spent paddling through the Spanish Arch. The heart almost stopped beating on the River Corrib. When I was finished with a smile on my face and the Irish cold warmed up. "

Kayaking in the Corrib Riber

Corrib river (summer)

Fishing at Corrib River

I think I'm  moved from a city surrounded by water, the city of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul - Brazil, and ended up in another city as well. It's fate. But Galway is not just water. I will only talk of Galway city because Cliffs and the Islands need a special post. Anyone can read the post about Connemara click.  Galway was built in 1124 and is known as "City of the Tribes" referring to 14 merchant families who dominated the social, political and commercial Galway. When you arrive in Galway one of the first things that you will discover is the Eyre Square and shields hanging from 14 families.

Fourteen tribes

Eyre Square

Speaking in Eyre Square it originated from "The Green Gate" which was the gate of the city in medieval times. In 1965 she was named as John F. Kennedy Memorial Park in honor of President Kennedy came to visit Galway on June 29, 1963.'s Eyre Square has some peculiarities as the symbol of the square a fountain in honor of the city browsers.

Fountain depicting Galway Hookers in Eyre Square

Another peculiarity is a "door" that was the front door of the Browne family who first stood on Abbeygate Street but was moved in 1905 to Eyre Square.

Browne door house

Leaving the Eyre Square we can go to the Cathedral of St. Nicholas. The famous cathedral where Christopher Columbus was blessed before discovering America in 1477.nIncidentally, tongues say that Christopher came searching navigational charts of St. Brendan or Clonfert or Bréanainn (c. 484 - c 577). Known as "navigator". St. Brendan was known for a long trip through the northwest Atlantic that would have led to a land, usually described as an island "beyond the known world" (which may be America).

In addition, the Irish tell that Christopher Columbus loved the Irish Wolfhound. He liked the dog so much the he decided to put a dog (known to be the largest in the world) in his ship. Well, this breed is very active and it seems that when Christopher Columbus sighted America the dog jumped in and swam to the land, and eventually the Irish dog was the first "European" to set foot in the Americas.

Irish Wolfhound: Fonte: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/irishwolfhound.htm

Moreover the St. Nicholas Cathedral is full of other stories. The cathedral was completed in 1320 (do not have a firm date for the start of construction) and is largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use as a place of worship. It was a Christian church but when Cromwell invaded Galway he destroyed all the faces of the images of angels from the church, except one that was on his face. After that it became a Protestant church and continues like this until today.

St. Nicholas church

St. Nicholas church

The angel with face

Following the line of the churches, the other big church in the city is the Cathedral of Galway, constructed in 1965. The Cathedral of Galway is the newest church in Europe made ​​of stone. As the Irish do not like the English because of the war and the refusal of England to help Ireland in time of famine this cathedral has a very peculiar aspect: everything is done with Irish things. They refused to export any item from England or everywhere. Another interesting thing is that before be a cathedral the place was a prison. If you're lucky you can hear someone rehearsing in the organ during the afternoons in the Cathedral.

Galway Cathedral. Fonte: http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Ireland/North/Galway/Galway/photo1148717.htm

Galway Cathedral. Fonte: http://www.galwayphotographssite.com/city/cathedral.html

Another tourist spot of Galway's Spanish Arch built in 1584 by William Martin where the Corrib River empties into the sea. The Spanish Arch was originally an extension of the city wall as a measure to protect the town pier. It was partially destroyed after the tsunami generated by the earthquake in Lisbon in 1755. Todayit is part of a region where is the Galway City Museum in which you can follow exhibitions and learn more about the history of Galway.

For those who are looking for a symbol of friendship, loyalty and love - at the old streets of Galway originally came Claddagh Ring. These rings are produced since 1700 in Galway. Hands on Claddagh Ring represent friendship, the heart love and the crown loyalty. The ring can be used between friends but usually it is used at weddings in Ireland.

Claddagh Ring. Fonte: Royalcladdagh

Old streets of Galway

Moreover, there is the charming shop street, the heart of trade in Galway. But it has a much greater significance overnight. Galway is known as the cultural capital of Ireland. Here the major festivals take place including the soon happen Galway International Arts Festival days 14-27 July. Also, here we have the  Cúirt - International Festival of Literature (you could read more clicking here). 

The Shop Street

Galway has over 100 pubs in the town. Yes, for a population of around 70 thousandthousand  inhabitants, is quite 100 pubs (we're not counting the pubs within Galway). Here you can find a little of everything, from rock to traditional Irish music. I have written about some pubs: The Crane, The Kings Head, Taaffes , The Roisin Dubh and The Carrol's. But is worth searching well and choose well the pubs to go if you have little time here, who want traditional music should go in The Crane, and a popular Irish music can choose Taaffes or the classic pub rock here The Kings Head.

Here are some information that I learned from the Free Walking Tour in Galway which worthwhile for anyone who wants to know a "summary" of the city in 2 hours. The soundtrack of the day is in the Wagon Wheel interpretade Shop Street by the group called Cozy Cartal who's busking in the weekends.

Here is a piece of history and the streets of Galway. A piece of what path I cross almost all my Irish days.

See more:
Galway tourism: http://www.galwaytourism.ie/
Kayak Club: http://nuigkc.com/
St. Nicholas Church: http://www.stnicholas.ie/
Galway City Museum: http://www.galwaycitymuseum.ie/
Free walking tour Galway: http://www.galwaypubcrawl.ie/galway-tour.html
Galway city pub guide: http://www.galwaycitypubguide.com
Galway Arts Festival: http://www.giaf.ie/
Cúirt: http://www.cuirt.ie/en