Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Galway feels like a boomtown—rare in Western Ireland. Until the recession hit in 2008, it
was the fastest growing city in Ireland. And it's still its most international city, as one out
of every four residents were born outside of Ireland. With 76,000 people, Galway is the
county's main city, a lively university town, and the region's industrial and administrative
center. As it's near the traditional regions of Connemara and the Aran Islands, it's also a
gateway to these Gaelic cultural preserves.
While Galway has a long and interesting history, its British overlords (who ruled until
1921) had little use for anything important to the Irish heritage. Consequently, precious
little from old Galway survives. What does remain has the interesting disadvantage of be-
ing built in the local limestone, which, even if medieval, looks like modern stone construc-
tion. The city's quincentennial celebration in 1984 awakened a spirit of preservation.
