We traveled by train from Dublin to Galway. We found Galway be be a very easy city to navigate on foot, with everything from the river to the ferry terminal to the train station an easy walk to the center of town. We stayed 2 nights and I would have liked to stay longer.
We stayed at Corrib House B&B (Guest Accommodation and Tea Room). About a 10 minute walk from the train station, located right across the street from the Corrib River, very quiet and peaceful area. It’s a renovated old house with all the quirky bits, but our room (Salmon Weir) was spacious and comfortable with a window view of the river that was spectacular….especially as the sun was setting. The breakfasts were far and away the best we had anywhere on this trip…..or any other trips in recent memory. You order each evening for the following day and let them know what time you’d like to eat, so you are served quickly (but it never felt rushed). In addition to delicious entrees (scrambled eggs with goats cheese; Belgian waffles with seasonal fruit; traditional Irish breakfast; etc) they have delicious fresh baked goods. Really nice way to start the day. If you’re looking for all the modern updates this might not be for you, but we loved it and would definitely return. All the staff were lovely, too.
On our first day we explored the town and joined the Historical Walking Tour listed in Rick’s book. After dinner we walked to the Crane Bar for a great trad session. If you go, be sure to get there early because it gets very crowded. We got there about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled start time and were able to get a table. The music was excellent.
On our second day we took the ferry to Inis Mor. I was super concerned about the crossing, having seen videos of boats pitching on the wild Atlantic waves. Following tips from the forum, I took Bonine both the night before and the morning of the ride. I wore motion sickness wrist bands and had ginger chews in my pockets. AND…..the water was completely still and the crossing completely smooth! I decided if all that preparation was necessary to guarantee I wouldn’t need any of it that was fine by me!
We were originally scheduled to take the Aran Offroad Experience recommended in Rick’s book, but apparently the owner is a teacher and because the school year wasn’t over and he hadn’t found a substitute driver that excursion was canceled. We endured up taking Thomas Fahey’s trap and pony tour. Loved Thomas and his stories! He grew up on the island and shared fascinating information. We’d watched The Banshees of Inisherin ahead of our visit and it was really fun to hear Thomas’s stories about the filming— he is listed in the credits as the animal wrangler! We had ample time to hike to Dun Aengus and explore there.
It was cloudy when we left Galway and pouring when we arrived on the island. Thomas had the plastic side curtains secured in place and cozy blankets for everyone so we weren’t bothered by the weather. In the afternoon the sun came out and Thomas removed the curtains — being in the open air was so much nicer than being inside one of the taxi vans. Rick’s complaint about the trap tours is that the rate of speed means you can’t see everything, and I agree that is a downside. We loved the island so much that if we return we’ll definitely spend the night in order to see more.
We took the ferry that leaves from the Galway pier and returns via a scenic (2.5 hour) route along the base of the Cliffs of Moher. It was a fantastic way to see the cliffs (later in our trip we were able to hike the cliff top trail as well).
We spent our final morning in the city strolling downtown, doing a bit of shopping, and enjoying the street musicians before returning to the train station to ride to Ennis (next post).