Name
The city's name comes from the Irish name ''Gaillimh'', which formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, ''Dún Gaillimhe'' "Fort Gaillimh".David B. QuinHistory
Men of Cathay have come from the west.f this F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...we have seen many signs. And especially in Galway in Ireland, a man and a woman, of extraordinary appearance, have come to land on two tree trunks r timbers? or a boat made of such?/blockquote> The most likely explanation for these bodies is that they wereInuit Inuit (; iu, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ 'the people', singular: Inuk, , dual: Inuuk, ) are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Labrador, Quebec, Nunavut, the Northwest Territories ...swept eastward by the North Atlantic Current. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Galway remained loyal to the English crown for the most part, even during the Gaelic resurgence, perhaps for reasons of survival. However, by 1642 the city had allied itself with the Catholic Confederation of Kilkenny during theWars of the Three Kingdoms The Wars of the Three Kingdoms were a series of related conflicts fought between 1639 and 1653 in the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland, then separate entities united in a pers .... During the resultingCromwellian conquest of Ireland The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland or Cromwellian war in Ireland (1649–1653) was the re-conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell invaded Ireland wi ..., Cromwellian forces captured the city after a nine-month siege. At the end of the 17th century, the city supported theJacobites Jacobite means follower of Jacob or James. Jacobite may refer to: Religion * Jacobites, followers of Saint Jacob Baradaeus (died 578). Churches in the Jacobite tradition and sometimes called Jacobite include: ** Syriac Orthodox Church, sometimes ...in the Williamite war in Ireland and was captured by the Williamites after a very short siege not long after the Battle of Aughrim in 1691. The great families of Galway were ruined. The city later suffered further under the Great Famine of 1845–1852.
Geography
Climate
Like most ofIreland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ..., Galway has anoceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...(''Cfb'') according to theKöppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ..., being one of the world's mildest cities for latitude, partly because it is on an island. Galway has a year-round mild, moist, temperate and changeable climate, due to the prevailing winds of the North Atlantic Current together with theGulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Current, North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida a ...(on the other side of theAtlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...temperatures can be 20 °C cooler or more.). The city does not experience temperature extremes, with temperatures below and above being rare. The city receives an average of ofprecipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...annually, which is evenly distributed throughout the year. The average January temperature in the city is and the average July temperature is . The highest temperature ever recorded in Galway was in July 1921, whilst the lowest temperature recorded was in January 1945. Whileextreme weather Extreme weather or extreme climate events includes unexpected, unusual, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Often, extreme events are based on a locat ...is rare, the city and county can experience severe windstorms that are the result of vigorous Atlantic depressions that occasionally pass along the north west coast of Ireland. Most of these storms occur between late autumn and early spring. Due to the city's northerly location, Galway has long summer days. Sunrise on summer solstice occurs at 05:07WEST West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...and sunset at 22:07. By contrast, on winter solstice, the sun rises at 08:49 WET, and sets at 16:19.
Places of interest
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* Lynch's Castle on
Shop Street Shop Street () is the main thoroughfare of the city of Galway in the west of Ireland. It has been pedestrianised since the late 20th century. As its name suggests, it is Galway's main shopping street, and was one of the first streets in the city ...is a medieval townhouse built by the prosperous Lynch family in the 16th century and is now a branch ofAllied Irish Banks Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is one of the so-called Big Four commercial banks in Ireland. AIB offers a full range of personal, business and corporate banking services. The bank also offers a range of general insurance products such as home, trav .... *St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas is a medieval church building in Galway, Ireland. It is a collegiate church and the parish church of St. Nicholas Church of Ireland parish, which covers Galway city. It was founded in 1320 and dedicated to ...is the largest medieval church still in everyday use in Ireland. ThisChurch of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...church was founded in 1320 and enlarged in the following two centuries. *Galway Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas (Irish language: ''Ard-Eaglais Mhaighdean na Deastógála agus Naomh Nioclás''), commonly known as Galway Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, Ireland, and one of the ..., known as the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, was consecrated in 1965 and is constructed from limestone. It has aneclectic Eclectic may refer to: Music * ''Eclectic'' (Eric Johnson and Mike Stern album), 2014 * ''Eclectic'' (Big Country album), 1996 * Eclectic Method, name of an audio-visual remix act * Eclecticism in music, the conscious use of styles alien to th ...style, with a Renaissance Revival dome, pillars and round arches, and a Romanesque Revivalportico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cult ...that dominates the main façade – which is an unusual feature in modern Irish church building. * The original quadrangle building of the University of Galway which was erected in 1849 (during the Great Famine or ''An Gorta Mór'') as one of the three colleges of theQueen's University of Ireland The Queen's University of Ireland was established formally by Royal Charter on 3 September 1850, as the degree-awarding university of the ''Queen's Colleges'' of Belfast, Cork, and Galway that were established in 1845 "to afford a university e ...(along withQueen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...andUniversity College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one of ...). The university holds theUNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...archive of spoken material for theCeltic languages The Celtic languages ( usually , but sometimes ) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic. They form a branch of the Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward .... * The Hardiman, originally the Railway Hotel, was built by the Great Southern Railway Company in 1845. Also known over the years as the Great Southern Hotel and then Hotel Meyrick, it sits at the southern perimeter of Eyre Square and is the city's oldest hotel still in operation. * The remains ofMenlo Castle Menlo Castle or Menlough Castle (), also called Blake's Castle, is a 16th century castle situated on the bank of the River Corrib near Menlo village in County Galway, Ireland. History Menlo Castle is built on the site of, and incorporates por ...can be seen outside the city, on the eastern bank of the River Corrib. It was one of the ancestral homes of theBlake Blake is a surname which originated from Old English. Its derivation is uncertain; it could come from "blac", a nickname for someone who had dark hair or skin, or from "blaac", a nickname for someone with pale hair or skin. Another theory, presuma ...family, one of the Tribes of Galway from c. 1600–1910. The façade of the family's townhouse ("Blake's Castle") is still extant next to the Jury's Hotel at the bottom of Quay Street. * Eglinton Canal, named after Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton, a formerLord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (), or more formally Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland, was the title of the chief governor of Ireland from the Williamite Wars of 1690 until the Partition of Ireland in 1922. This spanned the Kingdo ..., joins the River Corrib to the sea, and flows for just more than a kilometre from the university to theCladdagh Claddagh () is an area close to the centre of Galway city, where the River Corrib meets Galway Bay. It was formerly a fishing village, just outside the old city walls. It is just across the river from the Spanish Arch, which was the location of .... *The Claddagh ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...is the oldest part of Galway but little or nothing remains of its old thatched village. However, on a side altar of the parish church, St Mary's on the Hill, is the late medieval statue of Our Lady of Galway. The ancient ritual of the Blessing of the Bay takes place on the Sunday nearest to the feast of theAssumption Assumption, in Christianity, refers to the Assumption of Mary, a belief in the taking up of the Virgin Mary into heaven. Assumption may also refer to: Places * Assumption, Alberta, Canada * Assumption, Illinois, United States ** Assumption Town .... * "The Browne doorway", originally located on Lower Abbeygate Street but now standing at the north end of Eyre Square, was the doorway to the townhouse of the Browne family, one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway. * "The Lynch Window", on Market Street, at which is a plaque commemorating one of the city's legends. According to legend, in 1493, the then-mayor, James Lynch FitzStephen, hanged his own son for the murder of a young Spanish visitor who had the misfortune to befriend the girlfriend of the mayor's son. * The Hall of the Red Earl (''Halla an Iarla Rua'') can be viewed through a protective glass wall off Flood Street. It is the earliest medieval settlement fragment surviving within the walls of the city. It was built by the de Burgo family in the 13th century and was a key municipal building for the collection of taxes, dispensation of justice and hosting banquets. It was the medieval equivalent of tax office, court house and town hall.
The Claddagh
On the west bank of the River Corrib as it enters the sea is the ancient neighbourhood of The Claddagh. For centuries it was an Irish-speaking enclave outside the city walls. Claddagh residents were mainly fisher folk and were governed by an elected 'King'. The
King of the Claddagh The King of the Claddagh was the leader of the Claddagh community in Galway city as well as at sea who was charged with being the arbiter in any disputes. A new king was chosen on Midsummer#Ireland, St. John's Day, 23 June. It is now an honorary ...settled or arbitrated disputes among the locals and had the privilege of a white sail on his fishing boat. While the last holder of the title died in 1972, it is still used in a purely honorary and ceremonial context. The area is also known for its association with the Claddagh Ring.
Museums
The
Galway City Museum Galway City Museum ( ga, Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe, IPA: mˠuːsˠeːmʲˈkahɾˠəxˈnˠaˈɡal̪ʲəvʲə is a museum in Galway City, County Galway, Ireland. It was founded on 29 July 2006, and is located beside the Spanish Arch. Histo ...has two main sections: one about the heritage of Galway and one about Irish artists from the second half of the 20th century. This museum also houses the statue of the poet, Pádraic Ó Conaire which was originally located in the Kennedy Park section of Eyre Square, prior to the Square's renovation. A replica of the statue was erected in Eyre Square in 2017. The museum is near the Spanish Arch, the historical remnants of the 16th century wall. The city's university, the University of Galway, has several museums, including the James Mitchell Geology Museum and theComputing and Communications Museum of Ireland The Computing and Communications Museum of Ireland was founded in 2010, and is located at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics at the DERI Building, University of Galway. The museum curates a collection of historical computing machines and arte .... TheNora Barnacle Nora Barnacle (21 March 1884 – 10 April 1951) was the muse and wife of Irish author James Joyce. Barnacle and Joyce had their first romantic assignation in 1904 on a date celebrated worldwide as the "Bloomsday" of his modernist novel '' ...House Museum in Bowling Green is the smallest museum in Ireland. Nora was the lover, companion and, later, wife of writerJames Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ....
Cemeteries
Fort Hill Cemetery, on Lough Atalia Road, is the oldest cemetery still in use in Galway City. Inside the main gate is a memorial to sailors of theSpanish Armada The Spanish Armada (a.k.a. the Enterprise of England, es, Grande y Felicísima Armada, links=no, lit=Great and Most Fortunate Navy) was a Spanish fleet that sailed from Lisbon in late May 1588, commanded by the Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aris ...who were buried here in the 1580s. Rahoon Cemetery (officially known as Mount St. Joseph Cemetery), Rahoon Road, on the western edge of the city affords splendid panoramic views of the city. Among the people buried here areMichael Bodkin Nora Barnacle (21 March 1884 – 10 April 1951) was the muse and wife of Irish author James Joyce. Barnacle and Joyce had their first romantic assignation in 1904 on a date celebrated worldwide as the "Bloomsday" of his modernist novel '' ...(an admirer of Nora Barnacle who was the inspiration for James Joyce's character, "Michael Furey" in ''The Dead The Dead may refer to: * The dead, those who have experienced death Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''The Dead'' (Higson novel), 2010 novel by Charlie Higson * ''The Dead'' (Kracht novel), 2016 novel by Christian Kracht * "The Dead ...''),Michael Feeney Michael Feeney, MBE, is the founder of the County Mayo Peace Park and Garden of Remembrance. An Irish citizen he was awarded the MBE due to his services in promoting British-Irish relations by Queen Elizabeth II at a ceremony at Buckingham Pa ...(the "lover" in Joyce's poem ''She Weeps Over Rahoon''), and actress Siobhán McKenna.Bohermore Bohermore () is an area of Galway, Ireland. It got this name as it was the main road into Galway City from the east in medieval times. There is a large cemetery located in Bohermore known as the "New Cemetery", which contains two mortuary chape ...Cemetery (or the New Cemetery, as it is more popularly known), Cemetery Cross, Bohermore, was opened in 1880. It contains two mortuary chapels and is the burial place of several important Galwegians, including Pádraic Ó Conaire the Gaelic author, William Joyce, more widely known as Lord Haw-Haw the Nazi propagandist, Augusta, Lady Gregory, co-founder of theAbbey Theatre The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...inDublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...and Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin, a senior member of one of the Tribes of Galway and former world president of theInternational Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss .... A memorial to the 91 people who died on 14 August 1959 when Dutch aeroplaneKLM Flight 607-E __NOTOC__ KLM Flight 607-E was an international scheduled flight that crashed on 14 August 1958, on takeoff from Shannon Airport, Ireland. The aircraft was a Lockheed Super Constellation. All 99 on board died, making the crash the deadliest civ ...crashed into the sea west of Galway can be seen just inside the main gates. Several bodies of the passengers are buried around the memorial. There are several smaller cemeteries within the city boundaries. Some are no longer in use or are used primarily by families with ancient burial rights. These are St James's Cemetery (Teampall) in Glenina Heights, Menlo Cemetery nearMenlo Castle Menlo Castle or Menlough Castle (), also called Blake's Castle, is a 16th century castle situated on the bank of the River Corrib near Menlo village in County Galway, Ireland. History Menlo Castle is built on the site of, and incorporates por ..., Ballybrit Graveyard near the entrance toGalway Racecourse Ballybrit Race Track, also known as Galway Racecourse, is a horse race course in County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the townland of Ballybrit, in the environs of Castlegar, County Galway, Castlegar, just north of the N6 road (Ireland), N6 B ..., and a very ancient early Christian graveyard atRoscam Roscam is a medieval ecclesiastical site and National Monument located in County Galway, Ireland. Location Roscam is located east of Galway city, immediately north of Oranmore Bay. History Roscam stands on the site of a very early (5th cen ...near Merlin Park. Several city churches have graveyards attached which were formerly used for the interment of clergy and parishioners – Castlegar Church, Claddagh Church', St Patrick's Church on Forster Street and St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church. Several bishops are buried in the crypt below the RC Cathedral but this not usually open to the public.
Demographics
The 2016 census indicated that Galway city then had a population of 79,934, an increase of almost 4,000 over the 2011 census figures. As of 2009, approximately 80% of the population of Galway were Irish. Following an influx of immigrants to Galway during the 2000s, approximately 20% of the population is non-Irish. Slightly more than half of this group (11.3%) are white Europeans, coming fromPoland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...and otherCentral Europe Central Europe is an area of Europe between Western Europe and Eastern Europe, based on a common historical, social and cultural identity. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) between Catholicism and Protestantism significantly shaped the area' ...an andBaltic States The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ..., such asLatvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...andLithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania .... Smaller numbers of Asian and African immigrants come from East Africa,Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...,Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...andSri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an .... In the 2006 Census, 15.4% of the population were aged 0–14, 76.1% were aged 15–64, and 8.5% were aged over 65. 51.9% of the population were female and 48.1% were male.
Politics
Local government
With a population of 79,934, Galway is the fourth most populous urban area in the State and the 23rd most populous area of local government. Services such as waste collection, recycling, traffic control, parks and housing are controlled by a fifteen-membercity council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...elected to five-year terms byproportional representation Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...through means of thesingle transferable vote Single transferable vote (STV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which voters cast a single vote in the form of a ranked-choice ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vote may be transferred according to alternate p .... The City Council is chaired by a mayor who is elected to a one-year term by fellow councillors. The role of mayor is mainly ceremonial, although they do have the casting vote. The first mayor wasPeirce Lynch Peirce Lynch, alias Peter Lynch, fl. 1485–1486, was the first Mayor of Galway. The son of John Lynch fitz Edmond, as well as a brother of Dominick Dubh Lynch, and a member of one of The Tribes of Galway, Peirce became the first Mayor of Galway ...Fitzjohn, elected in 1485. The current mayor, Cllr. Clodagh Higgins, was elected in June 2022. In 1937, the Urban District of Galway became the Borough of Galway, remaining party ofCounty Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = .... In 1986, the Borough of Galway became the County Borough of Galway and ceased to part of County Galway. In 2001, it was renamed Galway City. The symbols of the office of the Mayor and the emblems of the dignity of the City Council are the Civic Sword (1620s) and the Great Mace (1710) which are carried in procession before the Mayor and Council on solemn civic occasions. When not in ceremonial use they can be seen at theGalway City Museum Galway City Museum ( ga, Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe, IPA: mˠuːsˠeːmʲˈkahɾˠəxˈnˠaˈɡal̪ʲəvʲə is a museum in Galway City, County Galway, Ireland. It was founded on 29 July 2006, and is located beside the Spanish Arch. Histo .... In 1579,Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...confirmed the city's charter and appointed the Mayor as 'Admiral of the Bay and of the Aran islands'. The title, though extant, is rarely used except for ceremonial purposes. The highest honour the city can bestow is the Freedom of the city. Among the names on the Roll of Honour are: Douglas Hyde,President of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can ..., 1939; Éamon de Valera,Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ..., 1946;Seán T. O'Kelly Seán Thomas O'Kelly ( ga, Seán Tomás Ó Ceallaigh; 25 August 1882 – 23 November 1966), originally John T. O'Kelly, was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as the second president of Ireland from June 1945 to June 1959. He also serve ..., President of Ireland, 1950;Robert F. Wagner Robert Ferdinand Wagner I (June 8, 1877May 4, 1953) was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949. Born in Prussia, Wagner migrated with his family to the United States in 1885. After graduating ..., Mayor of New York, 1961;John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ..., President of the US, 1963;Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ..., 1979;Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ..., President of the US, 1984;Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ..., 1999;Richard M. Daley Richard Michael Daley (born April 24, 1942) is an American politician who served as the 54th mayor of Chicago, Illinois, from 1989 to 2011. Daley was elected mayor in 1989 and was reelected five times until declining to run for a seventh term ..., Mayor of Chicago, 2003;Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (; ; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist who served as the President of South Africa, first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1 ..., 2003;Aung San Suu Kyi Aung San Suu Kyi (; ; born 19 June 1945) is a Burmese politician, diplomat, author, and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate who served as State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a prime minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs from ..., Burmese activist/leader, 2005; Garry Hynes, Druid Theatre Founder, 2006; and Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, 2012.
National politics
Galway City is part of the Galway West constituency ofDáil Éireann Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read .... Its TDs are: *Noel Grealish Noel Grealish (born 16 December 1965) is an Irish Independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency since the 2002 general election. Political career He is from the Gaeltacht region of Carnmore, near G ...(Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...). A native of An Carn Mór. *Catherine Connolly Catherine Connolly (born 12 July 1957) is an Irish Independent politician who has served as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann since July 2020. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency since 2016. She previo ...(Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...). Former Mayor of Galway, and Galway based. * Éamon Ó Cuív (Fianna Fáil Fianna Fáil (, ; meaning 'Soldiers of Destiny' or 'Warriors of Fál'), officially Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party ( ga, audio=ga-Fianna Fáil.ogg, Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach), is a conservative and Christian- ...). Corr na Móna (Conamara) based. He is a former Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs *Hildegarde Naughton Hildegarde Naughton (born 1 May 1977) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Health since December 2022. She has served as a Minister of State attending cabinet since ...(Fine Gael Fine Gael (, ; English: "Family (or Tribe) of the Irish") is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil ...). Former senator and city councillor. *Mairéad Farrell Mairéad Farrell ( ga, Máiréad Ní Fhearghail or ''Mairéad Ní Fhearail'') (3 March 1957 – 6 March 1988) was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). She was shot dead by the British Army in Gibraltar on 6 March 1988.Pg 30 ...(Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...). From Mervue. Former city councillor.President of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can ...Michael D. Higgins was TD for the Galway West parliamentary constituency, of which Galway City is a part, from 1981 to 1982 and from 1987 to 2011. He was also Mayor of Galway for two terms, 1981–82 and 1990–91.
Courts
Galway's District Court is the main court of summary jurisdiction and hears minor cases without a jury. It is responsible for hearing small civil claims, and certain family law cases, administers the liquor licensing laws and is responsible for indicting the accused and sending them forward for trial at the Circuit Court and theCentral Criminal Court A Central Criminal Court refers to major legal court responsible for trying crimes within a given jurisdiction. Such courts include: *The name by which the Crown Court is known when it sits in the City of London *Central Criminal Court of England .... The Circuit Court in Galway tries all indictable offences (those cases triable by a judge and jury), except murder, rape, treason, piracy and genocide, which are reserved to the Central Criminal Court. It can also hear appeals from the District Court. Its decisions can be appealed to theCourt of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t .... Civilly, the court is limited to compensation claims of not more than €75,000. Both parties may waive this amount and grant the court unlimited jurisdiction. Divorce, Judicial Separation and probate cases can be heard provided they are within the financial parameters of the court's jurisdiction. Decisions in civil cases can be appealed to the High Court. The High Court sits four times a year in Galway to hear original actions (actions that are not appeals from lower courts). It also sits twice a year in Galway to hear appeals from the Circuit Court in civil and family law cases. Its decisions can be appealed to theCourt of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ..., or in some instances, to theSupreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ..., which sits in Dublin.
Culture
Galway is known as ''Ireland's Cultural Heart'' (''Croí Cultúrtha na hÉireann'') and hosts numerous festivals, celebrations and events. Every November, Galway hosts the Tulca Festival of Visual Arts as well as numerous festivals. On 1 December 2014, the Director General of UNESCO announced the official designation of Galway as a UNESCO City of Film. In 2004, there were three dance organisations, ten festival companies, two film organisations, two Irish language organisations, 23 musical organisations, twelve theatre companies, two visual arts groups, and four writers' groups based in the city. Furthermore, there were 51 venues for events, most of which were specialised for a certain field (e.g. concert venues or visual arts galleries), though ten were described as being 'multiple event' venues. The main squares in the city are Eyre Square (containing John F. Kennedy Park) in the centre of the city, and ''Spanish Parade'' next to the Spanish Arch. In 2007, Galway was named as one of the eight ''"sexiest cities"'' in the world. A 2008 poll ranked Galway as the 42nd best tourist destination in the world, or 14th in Europe and 2nd in Ireland (behind Dingle). It was ranked ahead of all European capitals except
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ..., and many traditional tourist destinations (such asVenice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...).The New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspapers ...listed Galway as one of 'five great cities to visit in 2014'.
The arts
Literature
Among the poets currently writing in Galway are Fred Johnston,Patrick Deeley Patrick Deeley (born 1953) is an Irish poet. Patrick Deeley was born in Loughrea, County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_cap ...,Rita Ann Higgins Rita Ann Higgins (born 1955) is an Irish poet and playwright. Early life A native of Ballybrit, Galway, Higgins was one of thirteen children in a working-class household. She went to Briarhill National School, and Sisters of Mercy Convent, Galw ..., Mary O'Malley,Moya Cannon Moya Cannon (born 1956) is an Irish writer and poet with seven published collections, the most recent being ''Collected Poems'' (Carcanet Press, Manchester, 2021). Life Born in Dunfanaghy, County Donegal, Ireland, Moya Cannon studied history ...,Eva Bourke Eva Bourke (born 1946) is a German-born Irish poet. Biography Bourke was born in Germany but has lived for much of her life in Galway, Ireland. She studied German Literature and History of Art at the University of Munich. Towards the end of the ..., Kevin Higgins, Ndrek Gjini, andElaine Feeney Elaine Feeney is an Irish poet, novelist, and playwright. Her writing focuses on "the central themes of history, national identity, and state institutions, and she examines how these forces structure the everyday lives of Irish women". A former ....Walter Macken Walter Macken (3 May 1915 – 22 April 1967) (Irish Uaitéar Ó Maicín), was born in Galway, Ireland. He was a writer of short stories, novels and plays. Biography Walter Macken was originally an actor, principally with the Taibhdhearc (where h ...,Eilís Dillon Eilís Dillon FRSL (7 March 1920 – 19 July 1994) was an Irish author of 50 books. Her work has been translated into 14 languages.,Máirtín Ó Direáin Máirtín Ó Direáin (; 29 November 1910 – 19 March 1988) was an Irish poet from the Aran Islands Gaeltacht. Along with Seán Ó Ríordáin and Máire Mhac an tSaoi, Ó Direáin was, in the words of Louis de Paor, "one of a trinity of poets ...,Máirtín Ó Cadhain Máirtín Ó Cadhain (; 1906 – 18 October 1970) was one of the most prominent Irish language writers of the twentieth century. Perhaps best known for his 1949 novel ''Cré na Cille'', Ó Cadhain played a key role in reintroducing literary mod ...,Liam O'Flaherty Liam O'Flaherty ( ; 28 August 1896 – 7 September 1984) was an Irish novelist and short-story writer, and one of the foremost socialist writers in the first part of the 20th century, writing about the common people's experience and from their ..., Pádraic Ó Conaire andKen Bruen Ken Bruen (born 1951) is an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction. Biography Education and teaching career Born in Galway, he was educated at Gormanston College, County Meath and later at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a ...are well-known writers in both English and Irish with a connection to Galway. The writer and publisherFrank Harris Frank Harris (14 February 1855 – 26 August 1931) was an Irish-American editor, novelist, short story writer, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day. Born in Ireland, he emigrated to the United State ...was born in Galway. TheJames Hardiman James Hardiman (1782–1855), also known as Séamus Ó hArgadáin, was a librarian at Queen's College, Galway. Hardiman is best remembered for his '' History of the Town and County of Galway'' (1820) and '' Irish Minstrelsy'' (1831), one of the f ...Library at the University of Galway houses around 350 archived and/or digitised collections including theThomas Kilroy Thomas F. Kilroy (born 23 September 1934) is an Irish playwright and novelist. He was born in Green Street, Callan, County Kilkenny. He attended St Kieran's College and played hurling for the school team, captaining the senior team in 1952. He ...Collection, the Brendan Duddy Papers on the Northern Ireland conflict, the John McGahern archive and the manuscript Minutes of Galway City Council from the 15th to mid-19th centuries. Among the literary magazines published in Galway are ''The Galway Review'', which is Galway's leading literary magazine, ''Crannóg Magazine'', which describes itself as 'Ireland's premier independent fiction and poetry magazine since 2002' and ''ROPES'', an annual literary journal published by students of the MA in Literature and Publishing at the University of Galway. Galway also hasCharlie Byrne's Bookshop Charlie Byrne's is a bookshop located in the Cornstore Mall on Middle Street in Galway, close to Shop Street and the Augustinian Church. Considered a "cultural reference point" for Galwegians and visitors alike, it houses more than 100,000 new an .... Gretta Conroy, in James Joyce's short story ''The Dead The Dead may refer to: * The dead, those who have experienced death Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''The Dead'' (Higson novel), 2010 novel by Charlie Higson * ''The Dead'' (Kracht novel), 2016 novel by Christian Kracht * "The Dead ...'', remembers her lover Michael Furey throwing stones against the window of her grandmother's house on Nun's Island, in the city. The poem, ''She Weeps Over Rahoon'' byJames Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of ..., tells of the grief of Joyce's wife,Nora Barnacle Nora Barnacle (21 March 1884 – 10 April 1951) was the muse and wife of Irish author James Joyce. Barnacle and Joyce had their first romantic assignation in 1904 on a date celebrated worldwide as the "Bloomsday" of his modernist novel '' ..., over the death of her onetime boyfriend Michael Bodkin. Both Bodkin and Nora were from Galway and Bodkin is buried in Rahoon Cemetery in the western suburbs of the city.Walter Macken Walter Macken (3 May 1915 – 22 April 1967) (Irish Uaitéar Ó Maicín), was born in Galway, Ireland. He was a writer of short stories, novels and plays. Biography Walter Macken was originally an actor, principally with the Taibhdhearc (where h ...'s novel ''Rain on the Wind'' is set in the city, as are the "Jack Taylor" crime novels ofKen Bruen Ken Bruen (born 1951) is an Irish writer of hard-boiled and noir crime fiction. Biography Education and teaching career Born in Galway, he was educated at Gormanston College, County Meath and later at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a ....
Film
Galway has four cinema complexes within or near the city centre: the 11-screen IMC cinema, the 9-screen EYE cinema, the 10-screen Omniplex in Salthill and the 3-screen arthouse cinema Pálás. On 1 December 2014, Galway was granted designation as aUnesco The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ..."City of Film".Busan, Galway, Sofia Get UNESCO "City of Film" Designation
1 December 2014. Galway is home to the Galway Film Fleadh, Ireland's foremost film festival, which takes place over six days each July. The Galway Film Fleadh is a platform for international cinema in Ireland and an advocate for Irish national cinema, for which the festival's identity has become synonymous. The Galway Film Fleadh is an industry festival, with many industry events taking place under the name of the Galway Film Fair. In 2014, a MovieMaker magazine panel of U.S. filmmakers, critics and industry executives included the Galway Film Fleadh on its list of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World".
Theatre
Galway has a permanentIrish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...theatre located in the city centre,Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe An Taibhdhearc is the national Irish language theatre of Ireland. It was founded in 1928. The word ''taibhdhearc'' appears as a gloss for the Latin ''teatrum'' (theatre) in an old Irish document, derived from roots meaning "dream" and "glance ..., which was established in 1928 and has produced some of Ireland's most celebrated actors. The Druid Theatre Company has won international acclaim for its cutting-edge production and direction. There are many theatres in the city, including Nun's Island Theatre, The Bank of Ireland Theatre, The Druid Lane Theatre, The Black Box Theatre, and The Town Hall Theatre (a modern art theatre established in 1995 with two performance spaces and a 52-week program covering all aspects of the performing arts including ballets, musicals and operas). It has been the venue for many Irish film premieres, during th
Galway Film Fleadh
Two of the most celebrated Irish actors of the 20th century, Siobhán McKenna andPeter O'Toole Peter Seamus O'Toole (; 2 August 1932 – 14 December 2013) was a British stage and film actor. He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and began working in the theatre, gaining recognition as a Shakespearean actor at the Bristol Old Vic ..., have strong family connections with Galway. Other well-known actors includeMick Lally Mick is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Michael. Because of its popularity in Ireland, it is often used in England as a derogatory term for an Irish person or a person of Irish descent. In Australia the meaning broaden ...,Seán McGinley Seán McGinley (born c. 1956) is an Irish actor. He has appeared in about 80 films and television series. Early life McGinley was born in Pettigo, County Donegal, in Ulster, Ireland, where his father was a customs officer, and raised in near ...andMarie Mullen Marie Mullen (born 1953) is an Irish actress. She is known for co-founding the Druid Theatre Company, located in Galway, Ireland. She is also known for her performance in the 1998 production of ''The Beauty Queen of Leenane'', for which she rec ..., all three of whom were founders of theDruid Theatre The Druid Theatre Company, referred to as Druid, is an Irish theatre company, based in Galway, Ireland. As well as touring extensively across Ireland, the company's productions have played internationally to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the ...Company. Other actors with strong Galway connections are Pauline McLynn, ('' Shameless'' and ''Father Ted ''Father Ted'' is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews (writer), Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. It aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until ...''),Nora Jane Noone Nora-Jane Noone (born 8 March 1984) is an Irish actress. In 2020, ''The Irish Times'' ranked her 47th on its list of the greatest Irish film actors of all time. She made her screen debut in the drama film ''The Magdalene Sisters'' (2002) and h ..., andAoife Mulholland Aoife Mulholland ( , ; born 29 May 1978) is an Irish actress and musical theatre performer from Salthill, Galway. Aoife is a successful leading lady in London's West End. She has starred as Roxie Hart (twice) in ''Chicago'', at the Cambridge .... Garry Hynes, the first artistic director of Druid Theatre, was the first woman ever to win aTony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...for direction.
Music
Galway has a vibrant and varied musical scene. As in most Irish cities, traditional music is played in pubs and by street performers. Galway Early Music Festival presents European music from the 12th to the 18th century. It encourages not only music but also dance and costumes. The festival involves both professional and amateur musicians. Galway Cathedral Recitals is an international series of concerts of classical music which has taken place in
Galway Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas (Irish language: ''Ard-Eaglais Mhaighdean na Deastógála agus Naomh Nioclás''), commonly known as Galway Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, Ireland, and one of the ...each July and August since 1994. A number of notable choirs are based in the city. They include Tribal Chamber Choir (founded in 2009) directed by Mark Keane; the Galway Baroque Singers (founded in 1983) directed by Audrey Corbett; Cois Cladaigh Chamber Choir (founded in 1982) directed by Brendan O'Connor, which sang at the inauguration of President Michael D. Higgins inSt Patrick's Hall This is a list of halls of residence at the University of Reading. The university's halls are managed in the following groups: Lakeside, comprising Bridges, Bulmershe and Wessex; Northcourt, comprising Sibly, Sherfield, Benyon and St Patrick's ...,Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the se ..., on 11 November 2011; Galway Gospel Choir (founded in 2001) directed By Michel Durham Brandt; and Galway Choral Association (founded in 1998) directed by Norman Duffy.Galway Cathedral The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas (Irish language: ''Ard-Eaglais Mhaighdean na Deastógála agus Naomh Nioclás''), commonly known as Galway Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Galway, Ireland, and one of the ...is home to Galway Cathedral Choir (founded in 1965), which sings every Sunday and at all the major ceremonies in the cathedral. In addition to its parish choir the Collegiate Church of St Nicholas is home to two other choral groups, the Choral Scholars (adult) and the Schola Cantorum (juvenile). TheGalway Arts Festival The Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF), founded in 1978, is a cultural organization that produces an annual arts festival in Galway, Ireland. It also produces new work that tours nationally and internationally, in addition to presenting ...(''Féile Ealaíon na Gaillimhe'') takes place in July. It was first held in 1978 and since then has grown into one of the biggest arts festivals in Ireland. It attracts international artists as well as provides a platform for local and national performers. The festival features parades, street performances and plays, musical concerts and comedy acts. Highlights of the festival tend to be performances by Macnas and Druid Theatre Company, two local performance groups. TheGalway Youth Orchestra The Galway Youth Orchestra is the longest established youth orchestra in the West of Ireland and is also amongst the longest running orchestras in the country. It was first formed in 1982. The idea of creating an ensemble which would perform under ...was formed in 1982. The folk and traditional singerDolores Keane Dolores Keane (born 26 September 1953) is an Irish folk singer and occasional actress. She was a founding member of the group De Dannan and has since embarked on a solo career. Background Keane was born in a small village called Sylane (near ...lives in Galway.
Traditional Irish music
Galway city is a major centre for traditional Irish music. The traditional group
De Dannan De Dannan (originally ''Dé Danann'') is an Irish folk music group. It was formed 1975 by Frankie Gavin ( fiddle), Alec Finn (guitar, bouzouki), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh (bodhrán) and Charlie Piggott ( banjo) as a result of sessions in Hughe ...were based in Galway. Musicians such as Mickey Finn, Frankie Gavin, Johnny (Ringo) McDonagh, Alec Finn,Máirtín O'Connor Máirtín O'Connor is an Irish button accordionist from Galway, Ireland, who began playing at the age of nine, and whose career has seen him as a member of many traditional music groups that include Skylark, Midnight Well, De Dannan, and T ...and Gerry Hanley were born or came to prominence in Galway.Carl Hession Carl Hession is an Irish composer, arranger and pianist. His background includes many elements of his education in both traditional and modern (including jazz) and classical music. Originally from Galway, Ireland, he participated in competitions ..., an Irish composer, arranger and traditional musician, also hails from Galway city. Comhaltas branches operate in several parts of the city, teaching Irish traditional music to children. Dusty Banjos runs classes and sessions in the city for adults switching from other musical traditions to Irish traditional music, and for adult beginners and improvers who are not at a level where they could participate in general sessions.
Popular and live music
Traditional and contemporary music can be heard at numerous locations around the city. Among the more notable locations are The Crane Bar on Sea Road, Tigh Neachtáin Quay Street andRóisín Dubh Róisín, sometimes anglicized as Roisin or Rosheen, is an Irish female given name, meaning "little rose". The English equivalent is Rose, Rosaleen or Rosie. People *Roisin Conaty, English comedian * Roisin Dunne, guitarist in the group 7 Year ...on Lr Dominic Street. Galway and its people are mentioned in several songs, including '' Galway Girl (2000)'' (bySteve Earle Stephen Fain Earle (; born January 17, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, author, and actor. Earle began his career as a songwriter in Nashville and released his first EP in 1982. Initially working in the country music g ...) and '' Galway Girl (2017)'' (by Ed Sheeran).
Irish language
Galway City has a reputation among Irish cities for being associated with theIrish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...,music Music is generally defined as the art of arranging sound to create some combination of form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise expressive content. Exact definitions of music vary considerably around the world, though it is an aspect ..., song and dancing traditions. It is sometimes referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland', although like elsewhere in Ireland, inhabitants converse mostly in English. The city is well known for its "Irishness", mainly because it has on its doorstep the GalwayGaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog .... Irish theatre,television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...andradio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...production and Irish music form a component of Galway city life, with bothAn Taibhdhearc An Taibhdhearc is the national Irish language theatre of Ireland. It was founded in 1928. The word ''taibhdhearc'' appears as a gloss for the Latin ''teatrum'' (theatre) in an old Irish document, derived from roots meaning "dream" and "glance ..., the National Irish Language Theatre, in Galway city itself, whileTG4 TG4 ( ga, TG Ceathair, ) is an Irish free-to-air public service television network. The channel launched on 31 October 1996 and is available online and through its on demand service TG4 Player in Ireland and beyond. TG4 was formerly known ...andRTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta (; "Radio of the Gaeltacht"), abbreviated RnaG, is an Irish language radio station owned and operated by Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Intern ...headquarters are in the Connemara Gaeltacht elsewhere in County Galway. Four electoral divisions, or neighbourhoods (out of twenty-two), are designated asGaeltachtaí ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog .... the University of Galway also holds the archive of spoken material for theCeltic languages The Celtic languages ( usually , but sometimes ) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic. They form a branch of the Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edward ....
Events and festivals
Many sporting, music, arts and other events take place in the city. The largest of these annual events begins with the Galway Film Fleadh and the
Galway Arts Festival The Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF), founded in 1978, is a cultural organization that produces an annual arts festival in Galway, Ireland. It also produces new work that tours nationally and internationally, in addition to presenting ...in July, theGalway Races The Galway Races (Irish: ''Rásaí na Gaillimhe'') is an Irish horse-racing festival that starts on the last Monday of July every year. Held at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway, Ireland over seven days, it is one of the longest of all the race m ...in August, and theGalway International Oyster Festival The Galway International Oyster Festival is a food festival held annually in Galway on the west coast of Ireland on the last weekend of September, the first month of the oyster season. Inaugurated in 1954, it was the brainchild of the Great South ...in September. Other events include the Fleadh Imboilg, the Baboró International Children's Festival, the Cúirt International Festival of Literature, the Galway Early Music Festival,Seachtain na Gaeilge Seachtain na Gaeilge (English: ''Irish language week''), known for sponsorship purposes as Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia, is an annual international festival promoting the Irish language and culture, both in Ireland and all around the world. ...(March), Salthill Air Show (June), the Colours Fringe Festival, Little Havana Festival, the Galway Sessions, Galway Garden Festival, Galway Comedy Festival, Baffle Poetry Festival, Galway Aboo Halloween Festival, Tulca Festival of Visual Arts, Irish Fly Fair and Angling Show, Galway Science and Technology Festival, Spirit of Voice Festival, Galway Christmas Market,Galway African Film Festival Galway African Film Festival (GAFF) is an annual African film festival taking place in Galway on the west coast of Ireland in late May / early June to coincide with Africa Day an annual commemoration on 25 May of the 1963 founding of the Organiza ...and Galway Pride Festival.In June 2010, the Super8 Shots film festival was launched in Galway, the first Super film festival to occur in Ireland.The first Super 8 picture show
, ''Irish Times ''The Irish Times'' is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper and online digital publication. It launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Ruadhán Mac Cormaic. It is published every day except Sundays. ''The Irish Times'' is considered a newspaper ...'', 19 June 2010
Religion
The patron saint of the city since the 14th century has beenSt Nicholas of Myra Saint Nicholas of Myra, ; la, Sanctus Nicolaus (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greek descent from the maritime city of Myra in Asia Minor (; modern-day Demre .... The Roman Catholicdiocese of Galway The Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora ( ga, Deoise na Gaillimhe, Chill Mhic Duaich agus Chill Fhionnúrach) is a Roman Catholic diocese in the west of Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Tuam and is subject ...was created in 1831 following the abolition by theHoly See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...of the Wardenship of Galway. It was united with the diocese ofKilmacduagh Kilmacduagh () is a small village in south County Galway, near Gort, in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the site of Kilmacduagh monastery, seat of the Diocese of that name. The diocese is now part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galway, Ki ...(est. 1152) and given the administratorship of the diocese of Kilfenora (est. 1152) in 1883. Its full name is the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administratorship of Kilfenora (in Irish – Deoise na Gaillimhe, Chill Mac Duach agus Riarachán Aspalda Cill Fhionnúrach, in Latin – Diocesis Galviensis, Duacensis ac Administratio Apostolica Finaborensis). The diocese is under the patronage of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas (Galway),Saint Fachanan Saint Fachanan (also known as Fachtna), about whom very little is known with certainty, is linked by a strong early tradition with Kilfenora, where he founded a church or monastery in the sixth century. He is venerated as the first Bishop of Kilf ...(Kilmacduagh) andSt Colman Colmán or Colman is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Medieval Irish people * Colmán Bec (died ''c''. 585), Irish dynast * Colmán mac Cobthaig (died ''c''. 622), Irish king * Colmán mac Lénéni (died ''c'' ...(Kilfenora). As the diocese of Kilfenora is in the Ecclesiastical MetropolitanProvince of Cashel The Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly ( ga, Ard-Deoise Chaisil agus Imligh) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in mid-western Ireland and the metropolis ...the Bishop of Galway is its Apostolic Administrator rather than its bishop. The dioceses of Galway and Kilmacduagh are in the Ecclesiastical MetropolitanProvince of Tuam The Archbishopric of Tuam existed from the mid twelfth century until 1839, with its seat at Tuam. St Jarlath (''c.'' 445–540) is considered to have founded Tuam as the seat of a bishop in about 501, and he stands first in the list of bishops .... The current bishop is Most Rev. Martin Drennan, installed 3 July 2005. Of the 38 parishes in the RC diocese, 14 are situated in the city and are divided into two deaneries – the deanery of Galway City West and that of Galway City East. In each deanery, a Vicar Forane exercises limited jurisdiction on behalf of the bishop. In theChurch of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ..., Galway is a parish of the UnitedDiocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry The Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry (also known as the United Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry) is a former diocese in the Church of Ireland located in Connacht; the western province of Ireland. It was in the ecclesiastical province of .... The principal church of the parish is theSt. Nicholas' Collegiate Church The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas is a medieval church building in Galway, Ireland. It is a collegiate church and the parish church of St. Nicholas Church of Ireland parish, which covers Galway city. It was founded in 1320 and dedicated to ...(founded 1320). Russian, Romanian, Coptic, and Mar Thoma Syrian Orthodox Churches use the facilities of St Nicholas Collegiate Church for their services. The Ahmadiyya-runGalway Mosque Maryam Mosque, or the Mary Mosque (), also known as the Galway Mosque () is an Ahmadi Muslim mosque, named in honour of Mary, mother of Jesus. The mosque is located in Galway, Connacht, Ireland. Opened in 2014 by Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the fifth c ..., opened in 2014, is the only purpose-built mosque in Galway.
Sport
Galway has a diverse sporting heritage, with a history in sports ranging from horse racing,Gaelic games Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ..., soccer and rugby to rowing, basketball, motorsport, greyhound racing and others. TheGalway Races The Galway Races (Irish: ''Rásaí na Gaillimhe'') is an Irish horse-racing festival that starts on the last Monday of July every year. Held at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway, Ireland over seven days, it is one of the longest of all the race m ...are known worldwide and are the highlight of the Irish horse racing calendar. Over the years it has grown into an annual festival lasting seven days.
Gaelic games
Bothhurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...andfootball Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...are strong in Galway city.Pearse Stadium Pearse Stadium ( ga, Páirc an Phiarsaigh) is the principal GAA stadium in Galway, Ireland. The Galway GAA Gaelic football and hurling teams use the stadium for their home games. The stadium, amongst others in the province of Connacht, is also ...in Salthill is the home toGalway GAA The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ( ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae na Gaillimhe) or Galway GAA are one of the 32 county boards in Ireland; they are responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway, and f ..., the county'sGaelic games Gaelic games ( ga, Cluichí Gaelacha) are a set of sports played worldwide, though they are particularly popular in Ireland, where they originated. They include Gaelic football, hurling, Gaelic handball and rounders. Football and hurling, the ...body. The Galway hurlers compete annually in theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship, known simply as the All-Ireland Championship, is an annual inter-county hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county hurling competition i ...for the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Despite having won the cup only five times in their history, Galway is considered one of the top teams in the Championship. Galway reached the 2012 All-Ireland final only to draw withKilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...to force a replay, the first since 1959, which they eventually lost. In 2017 Galway lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup for the first time in 29 years beating Waterford by 0-26 to 2-17. The footballers compete annually in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship for the Sam Maguire Cup. The Gaelic footballers have won the cup nine times with the most recent being in2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ....
Association football
Galway United FC is based in the city and plays in the
League of Ireland Premier Division The League of Ireland Premier Division ( ga, Príomhroinn Sraith na hÉireann), also known as the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division for sponsorship reasons, is the top level division in both the League of Ireland and the Republic of Ireland f .... The team plays its home games atEamonn Deacy Park Eamonn Deacy Park, formerly known as Terryland Park, is an association football stadium in the Republic of Ireland based in the Terryland district of Galway. It is owned by the Galway Football Association and is the home ground of both Galway .... The club was formed in 2013 and first competed in the 2014 season. The previous tenants of Eamonn Deacy Park, also calledGalway United Galway United Football Club (Irish language, Irish: ''Cumann Peile Ghaillimh Aontaithe'') is an List of association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland, Irish association football club based in Galway. They play in the League of Ireland Fi ..., first competed in the League of Ireland in 1977, then known as ''Galway Rovers''. Michael D. Higgins, later electedPresident of Ireland The president of Ireland ( ga, Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of Republic of Ireland, Ireland and the supreme commander of the Defence Forces (Ireland), Irish Defence Forces. The president holds office for seven years, and can ...in 2011, served as the president of the club in a ceremonial capacity. Following struggles with debts, the club became defunct at the end of the 2011 season. The Galway United Supporters Trust (GUST) had been servicing many debts of the company and was able to keep the club afloat for the 2011 season, with it having been effectively abandoned by its directors. GUST withdrew their support for the team and applied to join the2012 League of Ireland The 2012 League of Ireland Premier Division was the 28th season of the League of Ireland Premier Division. The division featured 12 teams. Sligo Rovers were champions, winning their first top league title since 1976–77. Drogheda United finis ...as a community enterprise, rather than as a private company, which the old club had been. This application was not successful, however. Galway F.C. was formed the following year from a merger of GUST withMervue United Mervue United A.F.C. is an Irish association football club based in Mervue, Galway. Their senior men's team currently plays in the Galway & District League. The club has previously fielded teams in the Connacht Senior League, the League of Ir ...andSalthill Devon Salthill Devon Football Club is an Irish association football club originally based in Salthill, Galway. Their senior team currently plays in the Galway & District League. They have previously played in the Connacht Senior League, the A Champi ..., two other clubs in the city, who had competed in the First Division since 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Rugby
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=Professional
= The professional team for the province,Connacht Rugby Connacht Rugby ( ga, Rugbaí Connachta) is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Con ..., is based in the city. The team play their home matches at the Galway Sportsgrounds which is the current provincial Rugby Stadium. The team participate in the Pro14 League competition, and in season 2015–2016 won their first ever Championship by defeating reigning ChampionsGlasgow Warriors Glasgow Warriors are a professional rugby union side from Scotland. The team plays in the United Rugby Championship league and in the European Professional Club Rugby tournaments. In the 2014–15 season they won the Pro12 title and became t ...in the Semi-final and then beating four times championsLeinster Rugby Leinster Rugby ( ga, Rugbaí Laighean) is one of the four professional provincial rugby union teams from the island of Ireland and the most successful Irish team domestically. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby ...in theGrand Final Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final (sometimes colloquially abbreviated to "grannie") is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Sy ...on 28 May 2016 played atMurrayfield Stadium Murrayfield Stadium (known as BT Murrayfield Stadium for sponsorship reasons, or popularly as Murrayfield) is a Rugby stadium located in the Murrayfield area of Edinburgh, Scotland. It has a seating capacity of 67,144 making it the largest sta .... The team participated in European Rugby Champions Cup 2016/2017.
=Club (amateur)
= There are two senior amateurrugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...teams in Galway,Galwegians RFC Galwegians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club in Galway, Ireland. The Galwegians senior side plays in Division 2B of the All-Ireland League, the Irish domestic club competition. Galwegians field over 16 teams including Senior, Junior (S ...and Galway Corinthians RFC, who play in the All-Ireland League. There are also two junior clubs, OLBC RFC & NUIG RFC who both participate in the Connacht Junior League. "Barna Knocknacarra Rugby Club" (or Na Bairneachaí), established in 2007, offers "mini rugby" for children at levels U8 to U12. Inrugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ..., the Galway Tribesmen have been All-Ireland champions and in January 2022 entered the2022 Challenge Cup The 2022 Challenge Cup, known for sponsorship reasons as the 2022 Betfred Challenge Cup, was the 121st edition of the Challenge Cup, the main rugby league knockout cup tournament in British rugby league run by the Rugby Football League (RFL). It s ....
Swimming
Nearby Salthill has a 25m competitive swimming pool in the Leisureland complex and three competitive swimming clubs (i) Shark Swimming Club, (ii) Laser Swimming Club and (iii) Galway Swimming Club train there. There is also ahandball Handball (also known as team handball, European handball or Olympic handball) is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each (six outcourt players and a goalkeeper) pass a ball using their hands with the aim of throwing it into the g ...and racketball club while there are several martial arts clubs throughout the city. There is a 25m pool at NUI, Galway as well as one at Renmore's KingFisher Club.
Sailing and rowing
Sailing is common and rowing on the River Corrib is undertaken by seven rowing clubs. These provide related facilities and organise rowing competitions. These clubs include Gráinne Mhaol Rowing Club, Tribesmen Rowing Club, Galway Rowing Club,Coláiste Iognáid Coláiste Iognáid SJ ( en, link=yes, Ignatius College), a bilingual secondary school, is located on Sea Road in Galway, Ireland. It was founded in 1645 and has had numerous locations over the years before its current home. The college is a co- ...('The Jes') Rowing Club,St. Joseph's Patrician College St. Joseph's Patrician College, often known as "The Bish", is a secondary school in the West Ireland city of Galway. Founded by the Patrician Brothers, a religious order, it has approximately 800 students on roll and, in recent years, has ha ...('The Bish') Rowing Club, NUIG Boat Club and Cumann Rámhaiochta Choláiste na Coiribe. In 2009 Galway hosted a stopover on the Volvo Ocean Race and the city was the finishing point of the round-the-world competition in July 2012.
Greyhound racing
Near the city centre, on College Road, the Sportsground has greyhound races every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. It was refurbished by the Irish Greyhound Board,Bord na gCon Greyhound Racing Ireland ( ga, Rásaíocht Con Éireann, formerly ga, Bord na gCon) is an Irish semi-state body charged with regulating and promoting Greyhound racing in Ireland. The organisation has been active in developing the sport in Irela ..., and the facility is shared with the Connacht rugby team.
Economy and infrastructure
Galway City is the capital of
Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn .... Galway has a strong local economy with complementary business sectors, including manufacturing industry, tourism, retail and distribution, education, healthcare and services that include financial, construction, cultural, and professional. Most (47%) of the people employed in Galway work in either the commerce or professional sector, with a large number (17%) also employed in manufacturing. Most industry and manufacturing in Galway, like the rest of Ireland, is hi-tech (e.g.ICT ICT may refer to: Sciences and technology * Information and communications technology * Image Constraint Token, in video processing * Immunochromatographic test, a rapid immunoassay used to detect diseases such as anthrax * In-circuit test, in ...,medical equipment A medical device is any device intended to be used for medical purposes. Significant potential for hazards are inherent when using a device for medical purposes and thus medical devices must be proved safe and effective with reasonable assura ...,electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ..., chemicals, etc.), due to the Celtic Tiger economic boom. Companies such as Boston Scientific,Medtronic Medtronic plc is an American medical device company. The company's operational and executive headquarters are in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and its legal headquarters are in Ireland due to its acquisition of Irish-based Covidien in 2015. While it ..., EA Games,Cisco Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, ...and SAP AG have their regional offices or other offices in Galway City and environs. Tourism is also of major importance to the city, which had over 2.1 million visitors in 2000, and produced revenue of over €400 million. The head office ofSmyths Smyths Toys Superstores is an Irish multinational chain provider of children's toys and entertainment products with over 200 shops throughout Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France. The business is owned by the Smy ..., a toy shop company, is in Galway.
Media
Radio
There are two radio stations based in the city –Galway Bay FM Galway Bay FM is an Irish independent local radio station and operates under a licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. Established in 1989, the station broadcasts from studios in Galway, serving the city and County Galway. Programmi ...(''95.8 FM'') broadcasts from the city to the whole county;Flirt FM Flirt FM is a licensed student radio station located at the University of Galway.Rosemary Day. Community Radio in Ireland. In: The Encyclopaedia of Social Movement Media, edited by J. Downing. Thousand Oaks: Sagpreprint/ref> It broadcasts at 101. ...(''101.3 FM'') is the student radio station for the University of Galway.
Galway City Tribune The ''Connacht Tribune'' (''An Curadh Connachtach'') is a newspaper circulating chiefly in County Galway, Ireland. The main regional newspaper for the county, the Tribune Group prints two titles every week - the ''Connacht Tribune'' on Thursday ...'' on Friday. As of January 2007, The Tribune has a weekly readership of over 150,000. Another Galway-based newspaper is the '' Galway Advertiser'', a free paper printed every Thursday with an average of 160 pages and a circulation of 70,000 copies. It is the main paper of the ''Advertiser Newspaper Group'' which distributes 200,000 newspapers per and more week to a variety of other Irish cities and towns.
Transport
Air
Galway Airport Galway Airport ( gle, Aerphort na Gaillimhe), , is located at Carnmore, east of Galway City, County Galway, Ireland and is managed by ''Corrib Airport Limited''. It has not serviced any scheduled passenger traffic since 31 October 2011, when ..., located east of the city at Carnmore, ceased to have scheduled passenger flights on 31 October 2011. Because the runway is too short to take modern passenger jet aircraft, it is only capable of limited operations. ''Aerfort na Minna Connemara Airport ( ga, Aerphort Chonamara) or Connemara Regional Airport (''Aerfort Réigiúnach Chonamara'') is located at Inverin in the Connemara region of Ireland, west of the city of Galway. It is also known as Spiddal Airport, Inverin A ...'' ( west of the city) operates regular flights to each of the Aran Islands ''(Oileáin Árann)''. Shannon Airport (90 km) and Ireland West Airport Knock (86 km) are the nearest international airports, both of which have flights around Ireland and to Britain, Continental Europe and North America (from Shannon).
Bus
Buses are the main form of public transport in the city and county. Routes operated byBus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidia ...include routes 401 (Salthill/Parkmore), 402 (Seacrest/Merlin Park), 404 (Newcastle/Oranmore), 405 (Rahoon/Ballybane), 407 (Bóthar an Chóiste) and 409 (Parkmore Industrial). Routes operated by City Direct include routes 410 (Salthill), 411 (Knocknacarra - Cappagh Rd), 412 (Knocknacarra Express), and 414 (Barna). Various bus companies also provide links throughout County Galway and nationwide. These operate from a number of locations: * The main bus and rail station in the city is Ceannt Station. * Galway Coach Station, located at Fairgreen, is also a coach transport hub. Scheduled direct and commuter services operate between the Coach Station, Dublin and Dublin Airport, as well as services to Limerick, Cork and Clifden. These are operated by Aircoach, Citylink and Gobus. * Other regional bus operators use various bus stops around the city centre, and many serve the NUIG and GMIT campuses as well.
Rail
Galway's main railway station is Ceannt Station (''Stáisiún Cheannt''), which opened in 1851, and was renamed in honour ofÉamonn Ceannt Éamonn Ceannt (21 September 1881 – 8 May 1916), born Edward Thomas Kent, was an Irish republican, mostly known for his role in the Easter Rising of 1916. Background Ceannt was born in the little village of Ballymoe, overlooking the River Su ...in 1966. The Midland Great Western Railway reached Galway in 1851, giving the city a direct main line to itsBroadstone Station Broadstone railway station ( ga, Stáisiún An Clocháin Leathan) was the Dublin terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR), located in the Dublin suburb of Broadstone. The site also contained the MGWR railway works and a steam ...terminus in Dublin. As the 19th century progressed the rail network inConnacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...was expanded, making Galway an importantrailhead In the UK, railheading refers to the practice of travelling further than necessary to reach a rail service, typically by car. The phenomenon is common among commuters seeking a more convenient journey. Reasons for railheading include, but are .... The nearby town of Athenry became a railway junction, giving Galway links toEnnis Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ...,Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...and the south in 1869 andSligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...and the north in 1894. In 1895 the MGW opened a branch line between Galway and Clifden. The 20th century brought increasing road competition, and this led theGreat Southern Railways The Great Southern Railways Company (often Great Southern Railways, or GSR) was an Irish company that from 1925 until 1945 owned and operated all railways that lay wholly within the Irish Free State (the present-day Republic of Ireland). The p ...to close the Clifden branch in 1935. In the 1970s the state railway authority Córas Iompair Éireann closed theSligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...-Athenry-Ennis line to passenger services. It later closed to freight as well.Iarnród Éireann Iarnród Éireann () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal InterCity, Commuter, DART and fr ..., Ireland's national rail operator, currently runs six return passenger services each day between Galway and Dublin Heuston, also serving intermediate stations. Travel time is just under 3 hours. Services on the Galway–Limerick line have now resumed, with around 5–6 trains each way per day. From Galway railway services along the Western Rail Corridor link the city withEnnis Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ..., andLimerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...where trains run toCork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...via Limerick Junction (forTipperary Tipperary is the name of: Places *County Tipperary, a county in Ireland **North Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Nenagh **South Tipperary, a former administrative county based in Clonmel *Tipperary (town), County Tipperary's na ...,Clonmel Clonmel () is the county town and largest settlement of County Tipperary, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The town is noted in Irish history for its resistance to the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, Cromwellian army which sacked the towns of Dro ...andWaterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...) and Mallow (for Killarney and Tralee).
Road
Four national primary roads serve the city: the M6 motorway running east–west (Athlone Athlone (; ) is a town on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree. It is the second most populous town in the Midlands Region with a population of ..., Dublin), the M17 motorway running north from the M6 to Tuam, the N63, formerly the N17, connecting Galway with the Northwest ( Tuam,Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ..., Donegal Town,Letterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R ...andDerry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. The ...), and theM18 motorway This is a list of roads designated M18. Road entries are sorted in the countries alphabetical order. * M-18 road (Bosnia and Herzegovina) a road connecting Sarajevo, Trnovo, Foča and Trebinje * M18 motorway (Great Britain), a road connecting Ro ...linking Galway to southern towns and cities Gort,Ennis Ennis () is the county town of County Clare, in the mid-west of Ireland. The town lies on the River Fergus, north of where the river widens and enters the Shannon Estuary. Ennis is the largest town in County Clare, with a population of 25,27 ...,Shannon Town Shannon () or Shannon Town (), named after the river near which it stands, is a town in County Clare, Ireland. It was given town status on 1 January 1982. The town is located just off the N19 road, a spur of the N18/M18 road between Limeric ...,Limerick Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...andCork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...joining up with The Wild Atlantic Way. In addition, there are plans for a semi-ring road A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...of the city, the Galway City Outer Bypass. There is also an ''Inner City Ring'' (''Cuar Inmheánach'') route that encircles the city centre, most of which is pedestrianised. Galway is considered the gateway to Connemara and theGaeltacht ( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home. The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog ..., including Mám, An Teach Dóite, Cor na Móna, Ros Muc, Bearna and An Cheathrú Rua. The N59 along the western shore ofLough Corrib Lough Corrib ( ; ) is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway River connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the largest lake within the Republic of Ireland and the second largest on the island of Ireland (after Lough Nea ...and the R337 along the northern shore of Galway Bay both lead to this largely rural and highly scenic region.
Waterways
The River Corrib is by far the most important waterway in Galway and a number of canals and channels were built above and through the city. The purposes of these to divert and control the water from the river, to harness its power and to provide a navigable route to the sea. Of these, there were two major schemes – one between 1848 and 1858 and the other during the 1950s. The canals provided a power source for Galway and were the location of the first industries in the mid-19th century. The Eglinton Canal provided a navigation from the sea (at the Claddagh Basin) to the navigable part of the river (above the Salmon Weir Bridge). Most of the mills are still used today for various purposes; for instance, the University of Galway still uses awater turbine A water turbine is a rotary machine that converts kinetic energy and potential energy of water into mechanical work. Water turbines were developed in the 19th century and were widely used for industrial power prior to electrical grids. Now, t ...for electricity generation for their building on Nun's Island. Currently, there are four bridges across the Corrib. Following the southward flow of the river these are, from the north: theQuincentennial Bridge The River Corrib (Irish: ''Abhainn na Gaillimhe'') in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river is among the shortest in Europe, with only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic. I ..., theSalmon Weir Bridge The River Corrib (Irish: ''Abhainn na Gaillimhe'') in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river is among the shortest in Europe, with only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic. It ..., theWilliam O'Brien Bridge The River Corrib (Irish: ''Abhainn na Gaillimhe'') in the west of Ireland flows from Lough Corrib through Galway to Galway Bay. The river is among the shortest in Europe, with only a length of six kilometres from the lough to the Atlantic. I ...and the Wolfe Tone Bridge. There are plans for a fifth bridge as part of the Galway City Outer Bypass project. The Clare River flows from the North of the County Galway, through Tuam,Claregalway Baile Chláir or Baile Chláir na Gaillimhe (anglicized Claregalway) is a Gaeltacht village about 10 km north of Galway city in County Galway, Ireland. Claregalway was founded on the banks of the River Clare, hence the derivation of its ...intoLough Corrib Lough Corrib ( ; ) is a lake in the west of Ireland. The River Corrib or Galway River connects the lake to the sea at Galway. It is the largest lake within the Republic of Ireland and the second largest on the island of Ireland (after Lough Nea ....
Harbour
Galway is the most central port on the West Coast of Ireland in the sheltered eastern corner of Galway Bay. The harbour can be used by vessels up to and the inner dock can accommodate up to 9 vessels at any one time. Regular passenger ferry and freight services operate between Galway and the tourist destination of the Aran Islands which is home to
World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...Dún Aonghasa. The islands also have regular links with the towns ofRossaveal Rossaveal or Rossaveel ( or ''Ros a' Mhíl'') is a Gaeltacht village and townland in the Connemara area of County Galway, Ireland. It is the main ferry port for the Aran Islands in Galway Bay. It is about from Galway city. The Irish name ''Ros ...and Doolin, which are physically closer but far smaller. Commuter ferry services have been proposed to the tourism town ofKinvara Kinvara or Kinvarra () is a sea port village in the southwest of County Galway, Ireland. It is located in the Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish of Kinvarradoorus in the north of the Barony (Ireland), barony of Kiltartan. Kinvarra is also ..., on the opposite side of Galway Bay. Major work in the harbour area was carried out in 2009 to accommodate the stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race. This was one of the biggest events ever to visit Galway. The event returned with the finale of the race in June 2012.
Walking
The city is planned as the start of theE2 European long-distance path The E2 European long distance path or E2 path is a 4850 km (3010-mile) series of long-distance footpaths that is intended to run from Galway in Republic of Ireland, Ireland to France's Mediterranean coast and currently runs through Northern I ..., running for to Nice, though (as of 2012) the Irish section was incomplete.
Industry
Galway Textile Printers, located on Sandy Road, was the first major industry to come to Galway and quickly became one of the biggest employers in the west of Ireland. Some of those who worked there were specialists who were brought in to help set the factory up, but most employees were local. The Mills eventually went out of business in the early 1980s and its former site now hosts various small business establishments.Celtrak Celtrak Ltd. is an Irish IT and electronic engineering company based in Galway which designs, manufactures, and provides operations management services for industry and public authorities across Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Histor ...is an IT and Electronic Engineering company, founded in 2000.
Education
Primary and secondary education
As of 2002, there were 27 primary schools and 11 secondary schools in Galway.
Third level
There are two university campuses located in the city, University of Galway and the Atlantic Technological University. The University of Galway was founded in 1845 as Queen's College, Galway, before becoming known as University College, Galway (U.C.G.) and then as the National University of Ireland, Galway. It was renamed "Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway" in September 2022. The university is divided into several colleges, including the College of Arts, Social Science and Celtic Studies, the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, the College of Business, Public Policy and Law, the College of Science and the College of Engineering and Informatics. The university had an enrollment of 16,000 in 2010. The Biomedical Research Building was opened in 2014. It houses the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI). Also opened in 2014 were the Hardiman Building and a School of Psychology. The National Institute for Prevention and Cardiovascular Health (NIPC) is an affiliate of the University of Galway.The Atlantic Technological University (also known as ATU or Atlantic TU; ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh; OTA) was established in 2022 through the merger of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT),
Sligo Institute of Technology The Institute of Technology, Sligo (ITS; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta, Sligeach) was an institute of technology, located in Sligo, Ireland. In April 2022, it was formally dissolved, and its functions became part of Atlantic Technological U ...and Letterkenny Institute of Technology. Its administrative headquarters are in Galway. It also has campuses inCastlebar Castlebar () is the county town of County Mayo, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Developing around a 13th century castle of the de Barry family, de Barry family, from which the town got its name, the town now acts as a social and economic focal poi ..., Letterfrack,Mountbellew Mountbellew or Mountbellew Bridge (historically ''Creggaun'', from ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies mostly within the townland of Treanrevagh (''Trian Riabhach'') on the N63 national primary road. The town has a population of ap ...,Sligo Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...andLetterkenny Letterkenny ( ga, Leitir Ceanainn , meaning 'hillside of the O'Cannons'), nicknamed 'the Cathedral Town', is the largest and most populous town in County Donegal, a county in Ulster, the northern province in Ireland. Letterkenny lies on the R .... Its Galway campus is based on the Dublin Road in Galway city, overlooking Galway Bay. Four schools of study are located there: theSchool of Business A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in business administration or management. A business school may also be referred to as school of management, management school, school of business administration, o ..., theSchool of Engineering Engineering education is the activity of teaching knowledge and principles to the professional practice of engineering. It includes an initial education (bachelor's and/or master's degree), and any advanced education and specializations that ..., the School of Science & Computing, and the College of Tourism & Arts. The Central Applications Office (CAO), the organisation which oversees applications to colleges and universities in Ireland, is also headquartered in the city. A related organisation, thePostgraduate Applications Centre {{primary sources, date=May 2008 Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC) is an organisation that processes applications for large number of postgraduate courses in the Republic of Ireland. Institutions which currently accept applications through P ..., processes some taught postgraduate courses.
Health
Publicly funded health care and social services are provided in Galway by the HSE (West) division of the Health Services Executive. The main city hospital,University Hospital Galway University Hospital Galway ( ga, Ospidéal na hOllscoile, Gaillimh) is a major acute hospital in Galway, Ireland. It is managed by Saolta University Health Care Group. History The hospital has its origins in the Galway Central Hospital which was ..., is located on two campuses — Galway University Hospital and Merlin Park University Hospital. Two private hospitals – TheGalway Clinic The Galway Clinic ( ga, Clinic na Gaillimhe) is a private hospital in Galway, Ireland. History The hospital was founded by surgeons Joseph Sheehan and Jimmy Sheehan, who had established the Blackrock Clinic in Dublin. It was built at a cost of ...and theBon Secours Hospital, Galway The Bon Secours Hospital, Galway is a private hospital in County Galway, Ireland. The hospital is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health. This includes sister hospitals in Cork, Dublin, Limerick and Tralee. The hospital sees over 18,000 patients per an ...– also operate in the city. Galway Hospice provides palliative care for the people of Galway City and County on a homecare, inpatient and daycare basis.
Notable people
See also
*List of twin towns and sister cities in the Republic of Ireland This is a list of places in Republic of Ireland which have standing links to local communities in other countries known as "town twinning" (usually in Europe) or "sister cities" (usually in the rest of the world). In the Republic of Ireland, thi ...
References
External links
*
Galway City Council (local authority)
{{Authority control Cities in the Republic of Ireland Connacht County towns in the Republic of Ireland Local government areas of the Republic of Ireland Populated coastal places in the Republic of Ireland Port cities and towns in the Republic of Ireland Populated places established in the 12th century