Galway

Arrived in Galway - very busy city with lots of traffic but it still has a bit of an old town feel to it, which they pride themselves on. Our hotel, which is directly opposite Eyre Square (where they used to hang people), is very old and the rooms are huge. Had a walking tour of Galway with Conor, a PhD student of archaeoastronomy. He was fascinating and explained how certain phrases, such as " won't give them the time of day" came about. Part of the medieval wall has been preserved in the shopping mall and we continued on to see the medieval town. An original church remains, as does a castle that is now a bank. The centre of the city is pedestrian only and it was jam packed with people, locals and tourists. Conor pointed out the best pubs with Irish music and another that sells 150 types of whiskey. One of the pubs was started by the man who beheaded King James. With the money he earned for the job he came back to Ireland and opened a pub and called it The Kings Head and it's still going! Some of the pubs have changed very little inside if at all over the centuries.Read more