Church sights in Galway City
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Galway Cathedral
Lording over the River Corrib, imposing Galway Cathedral was dedicated by the late Cardinal Richard Cushing of Boston in 1965. The cathedral's unwieldy full name is the Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, but its high, curved arches and central dome have a simple, solid elegance even if the greater whole feels rather sterile (although a side chapel with a mosaic of the Resurrection does include a praying JFK in the tableau). The superb acoustics are best appreciated during an organ recital (program dates are posted on the website).
From the Spanish Arch, a riverside path runs upriver and across the Salmon Weir Bridge to the cathedral.
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Collegiate Church of St Nicholas of Myra
Crowned by a pyramidal spire, the Collegiate Church of St Nicholas of Myra is Ireland's largest medieval parish church still in use. Dating from 1320, the church has been rebuilt and enlarged over the centuries, though much of the original form has been retained.
Christopher Columbus reputedly worshipped here in 1477. One theory suggests that the story of Columbus' visit to Galway arose from tales of St Brendan's 6th-century voyage to America. Seafaring has long been associated with the church – St Nicholas, for whom it's named, is the patron saint of sailors.
After Cromwell's victory, the church was used as a stable, and damaged stonework is still visible today. But St N…
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