We happened upon an international art festival and it was fun. Music dancing, crafts which was fun…read morebut the coolest part was a parade that was like nothing I'd seen before.

I had heard great things about the Galway weekend market, so great that I made it a point to be in…read moreGalway Friday night as part of my Ireland trip. Hotels were a bit expensive in early September, but I learned that I had picked the weekend of a big car show (the Cannonball) that drove up prices and drove down availability. I'll search calendars next time. Other than the market (usually weekends only but Wed/Thur/Fri in July and August), Galway has a lot going on. It is a seaside town so you'll find restaurants with fresh seafood. There is a ferry from here to the Aran Islands. There are beaches and a lighthouse (that requires an appointment). The Galway Museum is good for an hour or two of history. Several nice pubs along Quay Street. Lots of smaller hotels, hostels and B&Bs. There are taxis and Uber or you can try the Bus Éireann which has its schedule and route published on Google Maps. Parking is available in most places and unless there's a sign or a kiosk, it's free. Five stars for Galway and don't miss it. [Review 1963 of 2024 - 145 in Republic of Ireland - 22985 overall]

If you are a lover of James Joyce's writings, you might want to stop here and visit his wife and…read moremuse's childhood home. Nora Barnacle met Joyce in Dublin on June 10, 1903 and arranged to go on a date on 14th, but she blew him off saying she couldn't get away. Never a quitter, Joyce arranged for a follow up on June 16th and this time went to pick her up. For readers of Joyce's classic tome "Ulysses", June 16th will forever be known as Bloomsday. Nora's famous quote of Joyce lives on: "I mistook him for a Swedish sailor - His electric blue eyes, yachting cap and plimsolls. But when he spoke, well then, I knew him at once for just another Dublin jackeen chatting up a country girl." Though it should be noted, it took them 28 years to tie the knot and it annoyed Joyce that the media of the day made such a big deal of it. But they never got tired of celebrating June 16th! True love, eh?

Fantastic little museum! Very personal, detail oriented, with a generous guide. Highly recommend…read morevisiting for a quick stop to learn more about an interesting lady and her family!

One of the things we noticed during our visit to Ireland was that almost every pub and hotel we…read morewalked into had a photo of American President John Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy somewhere. Here are some examples: The Brazen Head Pub https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/the-brazen-head-dublin?select=W0wqZDK-ZZ5NCCSuNfngdQ&userid=cVrM2BvOvPV0Vi_rC8kepQ McGann's Pub https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/mcganns-pub-doolin?select=bzAc4kUINNs6t-4Q-GJZ8g&userid=cVrM2BvOvPV0Vi_rC8kepQ Our Irish tour guide told us that growing up, there were two photos on a wall in his house - the Pope's and John Kennedy's. Our guide explained that to the Irish, JFK was a hero, for his success in America as an Irish American Catholic. In June of 1967, JFK visited Ireland to meet his relatives in Dunganstown, County Wexford. This was the town his great-grandfather Patrick Kennedy left behind when he emigrated to America in 1848. The next day, the great-grandson of that peasant farmer addressed the Irish Parliament in Dublin. Ireland lavished JFK with love and affection, and treated him as the returning prodigal son. When he was killed less than four months later, our tour guide told us that "every heart in Ireland was broken". The JFK memorial in Eyre Square features a stylized bust of Kennedy's profile on a stone base. In 1965, Eyre Square was officially renamed "Kennedy Memorial Park".

"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." -Oscar Wilde…read more Sitting on a bench in front of shop in Galway's city center, you'll find statues of Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde. They are posed to be looking at each other, perhaps caught in the middle of a philosophical conversation about current events though they never met in real life. Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was an Irish poet, playwright, and novelist known for his satirical works including The Importance of Being Earnest and The Picture of Dorian Gray. He was also a controversial figure at the time, due to his homosexuality and imprisonment for gross indecency. Eduard Vilde (1856-1933) was an Estonian journalist, critic, and novelist regarded as one of the pioneers of Estonian literature. He authored realistic books about the social and political issues of his time, such as The War of Mahtra and The Milkman of Verona. He was also a diplomat and an advocate of Estonian independence. The statues were created by Estonian sculptor Tiiu Kirsipuu in 1999, as a tribute to the two writers and their cultural connections. The original sculpture is located in Tartu, Estonia, while a replica was gifted to Galway by Estonia when it joined the European Union in 2004. [Review 1941 of 2024 - 123 in Republic of Ireland - 22963 overall]

A nice tourist attraction when visiting the Burrens. The tour is well organized and the caves are…read moreamazing. The formations however are not fantastic compared to caves I have been into across Australia or the US. Well worth a visit anyway. The cheese factory and the fudge shop are also worth a visit and the view from up above is spectacular. It is a bit expensive for a cave tour but the view from up above is free :-)

Boooooooooo. That…read morewas my reaction after making it through this overpriced, underwhelming tourist attraction. I love caves, and am always ready to tour or explore them when it's nearby on a trip. But this was pure disappointment. For one, it's expensive, like 12 euros a person just for the cave, another 8 euros if you want to visit their "Birds of Prey" center. So for just my wife and I, the cave alone was the equivalent of about $30 for what amounted to a mediocre 30 minute experience. The cave itself isn't very exciting. The lighting is dim, there's one small waterfall, and you go in probably 1/2 mile. You get to learn about complex geological events, like "stalagmites" as you go. There are a couple small formations that are slightly interesting looking, but nothing that's going to really knock you out. Additionally, the guide we had didn't seem terribly invested; it was a lot of "Here's a brief anecdote...(insert story about farmer/geology here). Anyone have any questions? Okay, moving on." Weirdest part: after you make it 1/2 mile in, you basically get to walk out on your own through a long tunnel. No more tour, nothing, just the twenty or so people you went in with, walking in a straight line to get to the exit. The guide stays to make sure everyone who went in, goes out; in the meantime, you get a 1/2 mile walk down a service entrance with very little to look at (especially because the lighting is still dim). Oh, but you start and end your tour in the gift shop, of course. Overall, a poorly-designed, overly priced attraction that isn't terribly attractive. I would not recommend it.

A must see full of great stores, pubs, and street musicians. Take the time to browse around, and…read morecheck out the vintage stores if that's your thing - we found interesting items!

Completely touristy - but fun for a few hours…read more If you're in Galway a stroll in the Latin Quarter is surely on your list. And it was on ours too. It's a fun little area, very easy to navigate with countless bars, pubs and restaurants. The nicest thing about it are the colourful buildings. A feast for the eye. At around 10-12 in the morning you still have a good chance to enjoy the buildings and take good pics, since there's not much going on yet. Also a good time to check out the shops. Later in the afternoon the streets get really packed. Sometimes it's a real traffic-jam and finding a good table in a pub with music or a table outside is nearly impossible. Besides the tourists there are street artists and musicians (of different quality) lining up on the street. Most pubs and restaurants cater to tourists with mostly reasonable prices, but average food-quality. But it's still a fun place and we also dined here, even we knew the meal wouldn't be perfect. But it's a perfect place to sit at an outside table and watch the world go by.

I have to admit, I really don't know much about this place. We just happened to walk up on it while…read morewalking around in the city. That said, I was impressed by the signage that tells you what is going on, and the ability to walk through it when it is open. Definitely worth a stop if you are one of those tourists who likes to check out every nook and cranny.