Connacht - Ireland for Tourists - page 44

Galway
Located in County Galway in southern Connacht, Galway is rightly praised as the cultural
capital of Ireland, and is the main travel hub for anyone passing through Connacht. With its
stunning combination of artistic, musical, and athletic events (to say nothing of the rousing
nightlife), Galway has become one of Ireland's most popular destinations, not only with in-
ternational tourists but also with vacationers from elsewhere in Ireland. Galway also has the
advantage of being right in the middle of some of the most stunning green landscapes on the
Emerald Isle, and makes a perfect home base for hikers, backpackers, and campers.
After music and dance, Galway is known primarily for one thing: its pubs . Although the
pubs in Galway are less historic than those in Dublin (the oldest are only four or five cen-
turies old!), they are bursting with craic and the traditional Irish pub atmosphere. The pubs
often play host to Galway's storied session musicians. Like New Orleans or Chicago in the
United States, Galway has been the ultimate destination for several generations of aspiring
musicians, and an incredible scene has formed around these musicians and their fans. Al-
though the Galway music scene is definitely centered on the traditional music of western
Ireland, it also has plenty of jazz, rock, and blues bands. This diversity of musical sounds,
mingling with the sounds of laughter and revelry, is the constant backbeat of life in Ireland's
cultural capital.
Calm Afternoon on Galway Bay
(photo credit: J. Diego via Creative Commons)
Galway's location on the coast is also a draw for tourists. But remember - this is Ireland's
western coast. Galway Bay offers a little shelter, but not much, and the pounding fury of the