After a visit to the U.S in the early 90's I was introduced to the beautiful fragrances of Yankee…read moreCandles.It was impossible to find them in Ireland back then but how things have changed in recent years and I no longer have to pack my case with the jars when I visit the U.S. I recently had the chance to visit Yankee's on Lower Abbey gate St in Galway. It's a pretty decent sized store packed with all your favourite Yankee candles along with a pretty good selection of shades and other Yankee accessories. I managed to pick myself up a new edition Christmas Shade for €14 instead of the top price of €21, which I think is a little expensive anyhow. It's well worth checking out if you are stuck for a gift for that special someone or like me you are just a huge Yankee Candle fan!

Eating a fabulous meal at Dock 1 restaurant in Galway, one of the servers to come by the table had…read morethis beautiful compass necklace on. I really liked it so I complimented her on it. She happens to also work at a shop that sells the necklace and told my friend and I where we can get one. She even called the store for us and let us know there was only one in stock in sliver, hers that I liked was in gold. We walked over to the shop and ended up spending more time in there than we thought! Such beautiful jewelry! I almost changed my mind to a different necklace that said "Success" on it, but ended up going back to my original compass necklace which is what brought us there. My friend and I tried on various different pieces and really we could've spent all of our money here! Needless to say about 400 euro later between the two of us, we left. And she said that she would ship the compass necklace to me since I wanted gold and it wasn't at the store at the time. How fantastic! I was so happy that I could get what I wanted and I'll be eagerly awaiting it in the mail. It's important that I mention this is really a local flavor shop as everything inside is made by Ireland artisans. It's great to get authentic things while traveling rather than items that aren't made from the local area. And that it also supports those locals by spending money on their items. The doggie there is funny, kind of a ornery old bat but still sweet, she'd bark if she heard kids outside. You'd think it's fine as long as they weren't in the store but nope, keep it quiet kids! I pet her several times, so she was also very sweet. Stop in the store while in Galway! Pick up some small art, nicknacks, and especially some jewelry!! If you're able to get the Fexco Horizon card, definitely use the receipt here so you can get some of the tax back for your purchase - www.shoptaxfree.com

Great shop off the main drag... unique local pieces that you won't find everywhere else…read more Recommended to us by a local girl, so glad we found it!

If I could add more stars to this rating I would. Michael was very professional, helpful and…read morefriendly. I am a stone sculptor from Arizona on holiday, and popped in at the saw shop to inquire about marble to take home. Michael had me squared away in no time. Beautiful stone! I can't wait to get it back and start carving. Thank you, again.

An all-in-one tour and shop. We got to see how the marble is polished and processed and the…read moredifferent kinds of marble from around the country (the Kilkenny black marble with the fossil shells, the infamous green marble from the Connemara mountains). The shop had everything from jewelry to figurines, but not quite the Claddagh (for the price I was looking for). Make sure you go across the street for a visit. Yeah, that's where the restrooms are, but there's so much more to explore. Antiques and tea time for large groups (which we missed the timing of boy just a week) and they'll even have a peat fire going for you- I can smell it now. Make sure you drive past the Connemara Mountains on the way back, stop by the bridge from the Quiet Man, and pop into Peacocke's for a nice tea and scone break- well worth a visit!

This is a really cute and unique gift shop. They have all kinds of everything here, rocks (of…read morecourse) of all shapes and sizes and from all different places. They have jewelry, decorations, candles, you name it. A great little spot to pick up a gift for someone. There is a lovely cafe at the back which serves a great selection of cakes and coffees. Staff were very friendly. I popped here on a very wet day, and warmed up with coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake. A latte, flat white, slice of lemon drizzle and a slice of apricot and almond cake €13.20. Yummy.

Your basic touristy rock shop, with rocks and minerals from all over the world. The typical North…read moreAfrican trilobites, polished stones of no intrinsic interest for anyone over the age of 8, geodes from Brazil, etc. Probably of the most interest to the visitor was a small display on the back center that consisted of minerals found in Ireland. If you're looking for that, this is a good stop. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have some of the local fossils, some of which were abundant in the paving stones at the Cliffs of Moher park. In fact, we stopped to buy those--but they are probably not of interest to the types of tourist that this shop is geared towards. I did find a dark chocolate whiskey candy bar here, which I enjoyed. They do have a little coffee shop with desserts and pastries...a bit incongruous with the concept of a rock and gem shop.

People who visit Cong are usually here because they are fans of The Quiet Man movie. This cute…read morelittle cottage in Cong replicates the honeymoon cottage in the movie. Unfortunately the real 'White O'Morn' cottage is in ruin in a town about 45 minutes away, so this cottage is a nice opportunity to get a feel for what it was like during the movie. Props include hats and clothing reproductions, a tandem bicycle, furniture like Mary Kate's and a 'fine big bed'. There is information posted throughout explaining about the props and a video on loop with info on the film and locations nearby, as well as newspaper articles from the summer of 1951 during filming. Purchase tickets in the upstairs gift shop. This is a great gift shop! So many Irish and Quiet Man souvenirs in one spot! Magnets, hats and gloves, ornaments, books, signs, photographs, jewelry and on and on. I purchased a few items. Great to get the shopping done and support the museum. You don't have to be a movie fan to enjoy a town full of Irish pubs and restaurants or visit the cottage museum. Open 10am - 4pm. Parking in back for a small number of vehicles.

An Siopa Deas is a toy store filled with all kinds of cute merchandise and fun toys. I stopped in…read moreto see if I could find something fun for my grandson. They had a nice selection of the cuddly wool stuffed sheep. After seeing sheep everywhere for days I developed an endearing spirit for them. I wanted to purchase one but I doubted that my grandson would grasp their uniqueness. The store had lots of merchandise to go through with great options for both girls and boys. They had some nice games, learning toys, trucks and art supplies but I eventually ended up buying candy. It was packaged adorably and easy to pack.

Nice shop but the owner was the rudest man i ever met . He…read moredid not seem to have any interest in his customers and gave very short and abrupt answers . He certainly would not entice a return visit much less a purchase .

Big selection of items for sale - blankets, sweaters, jewelry, Irish glass, gift cards, books, art,…read moreetc. Lovely staff, helpful especially when explaining the difference between the blanket material types and offered shipping and tax process.

From the owner: The best of Irish Craft & Design, supporting local producers to allow you to find "a little piece…read moreof Ireland". We carry a wide range of Irish crafts, knitwear & gifts, including Aran Sweaters, Celtic Jewellery & Made in Ireland Crafts.