Introducing County Galway
Western Ireland’s heartland, County Galway has a spellbinding beauty.
The beating heart of the county itself is Galway city. Lined by colourful narrow shop fronts and pubs, this vibrant tangle of cobbled lanes has an intimate, villagelike atmosphere and an absolutely phenomenal live-music scene that attracts traditional and contemporary musicians – along with artists, writers, poets and assorted wayfarers – from all over the country and beyond.
Radiating from Galway city are the main arterial links to some of Ireland’s most heart-stopping scenery. Northwest of Galway city, the fabled Connemara region harbours one of the country’s largest and most important Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas. Woven with hiking and biking trails, the region’s weathered mountains, sheep-grazing pastures, bogs, and remote villages are raggedly stitched together by stone walls, while along Connemara’s coastline white-sand beaches offer invigorating swimming in summer and windswept walks in winter. South of Galway city there are medieval churches and castles, Norman towers and oyster beds in abundance, and eastwards of the city farming fields roll seamlessly to the country’s bucolic midlands.
Offshore, lashed by the unforgiving Atlantic, the rocky Aran Islands and Inishbofin are anchored by enduring traditions: pony traps, hand-knitted fishermen’s sweaters, and age-old legends and lore. Scrubbed clean by the elements, relics on the islands include ancient cliff-top ringforts and rusted shipwrecks that serve as a reminder of the perilous seas.
The county’s wild landscapes and thriving traditions invariably claim visitors’ hearts, and chances are your first visit won’t be your last.
Activities in County Galway
Galway City
Arty, bohemian Galway (Gaillimh) is renowned for its pleasures.
Tours in County Galway
Aran Islands
Easily visible from large swaths of coastal Galway and Clare Counties, the Aran Islands sing their own siren song to thousands of travellers each year who find their desolate beauty beguiling.
County Galway destination guides
Connemara
Think of the best crumble you've ever had, one with a craggy crust that accumulates hollows of perfect flavour.
Hotels in County Galway
Budget Hotels & Hostels in County Galway
Guesthouses and B&Bs in County Galway
Apartments in County Galway
Inishmór
Most visitors who venture out to the islands don't make it beyond Inishmór (Árainn) and its main attraction, Dún Aengus, the stunning stone fort perched perilously on the island's towering cliffs.
Entertainment in County Galway
Inisheer
Inisheer (Inis Oírr), the smallest of the Aran Islands, has a palpable sense of enchantment, enhanced by the island's deep-rooted mythology, its devotion to traditional culture and ethereal landscapes.
Shopping in County Galway