The way my itinerary is coming together, I may be in Galway during the final weekend of the Galway Races (8/1-8/2). Has anyone been to Galway during this time that can offer some advice as to whether: (1) Galway is still worth visiting during this time; or (2) during the races, Galway should be avoided at all costs?
I am not adverse to going to the Races, but want to get an idea of the impact on Galway. Thanks!
In summer 2008, I took a short tour with Back-roads Touring Company, UK, to visit Galway and surrounding areas. My real purpose was to attend the 20th anniversary concerts put on by the Saw Doctors. These overlapped with the end of the Galway Arts Festival and the beginning of the races (end of July that year). We stayed in a very nice hotel in the center of Galway for three nights. One night, race attendees (as identified by hotel staff) literally trashed the hotel. In the room above me, furniture was being thrown. In the morning, all public areas were littered with glasses of beer and other detritus. I am glad we left after that night.
I was surprised by the rather violent bonhomie as the previous nights when I was at the Saw Docs concerts, I experienced no such rowdiness coming or going. Now, maybe the key was the centrally located hotel. Perhaps in a quieter neighborhood, this would not have occurred. Avoid at all costs? Well, I would go for another SD anniversary, but I would plan to stay somewhere less central.
As a local person I'm going to be biased and advise you to stay outside the city centre, you can enjoy much of Galway and its environs but the city goes crazy for Race Week with hordes of drunks all over town. I'm not a fan of it to be honest.
