Galway City nightlife for "over 30"?

WVIncarcerator

I've been planning my Galway trip for several months now. The information I have found on this board and others like it has be an ENORMOUS help. I have spent hours upon hours reading whatever I can get my eyes on.

I've read what people have to say about places to go/places to avoid/reviews on where to stay etc then actually looked up all those places and decided whether to add/delete them from my list

I think I've got a nice little itinerary, although I still have 7 months to fine tune it

I will be traveling with my 21 year old son and picked Galway for 2 different reasons.

First... I want to see more rural/authentic Ireland than I think I'd be able to see visiting Dublin.

Second ... A lot of what I read leads me to believe my son will have a wonderful time as Galway seems to have a younger crowd and nightlife

However, that second reason leaves me wondering what in the world I will do in the evenings. I love to kick back, drink a few, listen to live music and dance as much as anyone else, but I don't necessarily want everyone to be my son's age

Any advice?

ErnieBert

I guess it really means how far "over 30" you are?

If you are mid to late 30's. I suggest the Cottage in Salthill (which is over a mile from city centre) of the Quays (pronounced K-E-Y-S) on Quay Street for dancing and live music.

If you are mid to late 40's, the Spanish Arch could be the place for you. It's also on Quay Street. I haven't been there for a few years so perhaps it has changed.

WVIncarcerator

Thank you very much for your answer...

As for the "over 30" I'm actually 41

I'll take a look in to these two places

jcro

Hi there. There is Traditional Irish music twice a day in Ti Coli and Taffes. evening and nite. They are in the city centre.

leninbenjamin

jcro wrote: »

Hi there. There is Traditional Irish music twice a day in Ti Coli and Taffes. evening and nite. They are in the city centre.

and the Crane on sea road, which also has something on nearly everyday of the week. also recommended by most as having the best Guinness in the city.

Mrs OBumble

ErnieBert wrote: »

If you are mid to late 40's, the Spanish Arch Hotel could be the place for you. It's also on Quay Street. I haven't been there for a few years so perhaps it has changed.

Just added a key word to that sentence.

Watching the Spanish Arch itself is entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons.

Are you planning to visit the Aran Islands? I'd strongly recommend spending the night, there's a whole different feel after the boatloads of tourists have gone for the evening.

ErnieBert

JustMary wrote: »

Watching the Spanish Arch itself is entertaining, but for all the wrong reasons.

.

Did I miss something?

biko

Take your son to a pint in Neachtains, one of Galway’s oldest and best-known pubs. Full of character – and characters.

WVIncarcerator

Thanks for the replies and the picture!

I will be sure to mark these places down in my notes and take a look. I can't even begin to express how excited I am for this trip.

Just Mary - yes, my itinerary includes a trip to the Islands ...I was looking in to The Man of Aran Cottage bed and breakfast

So far, my itinerary goes something like this ... I'm still working on it everytime someone mentions something, and it changes daily lol

Day 1 - Saturday August 8

Arrive at Shannon Airport
Bus to Galway
walk around the town - get a feel for things

Day 2 - Sunday
The market at St. Nicholas Church
Lynch Memorial

Day 3 - Monday
Blarney Castle

Day 4 - Tuesday
Aran Islands
Maybe stay over one night at
The Man of Aran Cottage

Day 5 - Wednesday
The Burren, Doolin and Cliffs

Day 6 - Thursday
Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet

Day 7 - Friday
Fly home and be sad about it

ErnieBert

WVIncarcerator wrote: »

Day 3 - Monday
Blarney Castle

Blarney is around three and a half hours away. You could spend your valuable time doing more interesting things than driving to the south coast to kiss a bit of concrete.

The Freeman

market is on saturday friend not sunday, there is only a few stalls on sunday and you'd be dissapointed, thtere is alot 5 traditional pubs that are no more that 100 yards from the top end of the market also:)

hope you enjoy your trip in giallimh its a great city

WVIncarcerator wrote: »

Thanks for the replies and the picture!

I will be sure to mark these places down in my notes and take a look. I can't even begin to express how excited I am for this trip.

Just Mary - yes, my itinerary includes a trip to the Islands ...I was looking in to The Man of Aran Cottage bed and breakfast

So far, my itinerary goes something like this ... I'm still working on it everytime someone mentions something, and it changes daily lol

Day 1 - Saturday August 8

Arrive at Shannon Airport
Bus to Galway
walk around the town - get a feel for things

Day 2 - Sunday
The market at St. Nicholas Church
Lynch Memorial

Day 3 - Monday
Blarney Castle

Day 4 - Tuesday
Aran Islands
Maybe stay over one night at
The Man of Aran Cottage

Day 5 - Wednesday
The Burren, Doolin and Cliffs

Day 6 - Thursday
Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet

Day 7 - Friday
Fly home and be sad about it

ukgalwaymcguire

bunratty and blarney, you could do in one day there both a bit yawn.. lol

being as your coming in august, check out any of galway bays beaches there truly amazing, oh take a portable bbq if it rains you can head into the caves.. theres any number of beaches going towards spiddal

i moved here from london in august and im still discovering things
but i think apart from the beauty of galway the best thing is the way the old and the new have become one without ireland loosing culture

oh and august theres bound too be a festival or two in town lol
hope you enjoy!!! im sure you will

leninbenjamin

feck Blarney, take a day to do a coastal drive, just drive don't make much fuss over planning stops or that, just go where takes your fancy. Donegal down and around through Galway to Clare has often appeared on them 'worlds greatest drive' listings you see in travel magazines here and there.

also, the market and lynch's memorial won't keep you occupied for a a full day, i'd probably head off for a drive out Connemara, then maybe Kylemore Abbey and maybe through Leenane up into Mayo. some stunning scenery in that part of the country.

another afternoon could be headin' up along the bank of the corrib, through all the smaller towns like Oughterard, Cong and the like.

WVIncarcerator

Thank you for all the suggestions..I'm definitely keeping notes

The Freeman -- One of the sites I visited said the Market was open Saturday and Sunday..BUT ..this is the exact reason I wanted to come talk to people who actually live there / have been there.. so, thanks for that tip!!

ErnieBert -- Yep, that seems like a long way ... so, perhaps another adjustment...


ukgalwaymcguire -- BBQ in the Caves in Ireland at the Beach..sounds like a heck of a way to spend the day..thanks

leninbenjamin -- scenery is exactly one of the things I want to do...

From all these tips, definitely looks like I'm gonna have to rent a car

Thanks so much everyone!

leninbenjamin

WVIncarcerator wrote: »

From all these tips, definitely looks like I'm gonna have to rent a car

definitly, for what you are planning to do. best to buy a good map aswell, as signage in this country is pretty damn awful. oh, and best to rent one with decent suspension if possible, the roads are pretty awful here.

Mrs OBumble

WVIncarcerator wrote: »

From all these tips, definitely looks like I'm gonna have to rent a car

Two things;

Firstly, do you know that we drive on the left over here? (Not kidding folks, I've worked with well educated Americans before who didn't ... got quite a surprise at Shannon airport!)

And you'll see a LOT more if you use organised tours and let someone else do the driving and telling you' what you're seeing. I'd recommend car rental for someone staying a month who can cope with spending an extra hour or two getting lost and so missing out on whatever event today, because they can go back tomorrow. You don't have this luxury. And when you look at the cost of rental plus petrol plus insurance,the tours don't seem so expensive.

Secondly, your itinerary seems to have you two nights in Galway, then going away and coming back again to go to the islands. Now Galway's a great place to live, but on the scale of a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Ireland, you only want a night here (ok, maybe two if you get in late on the first day). Have made a suggestion below.

I'd say do go to Blarney: the stone itself is kinda kitsch (but very "irish" ), but the gardens are lovely, and Cork is a great city to visit - very different feel to Galway. I also think you should do one of the city walking tours while in Galway: it's small and walkable, lots of interestings things to see IF you have a guide who can tell you about 'em. (I took a visiting friend thru town a few weeks ago, she ran out of time/oomph before I ran out of things to see.)




Day 1 - Saturday August 8 Arrive at Shannon Airport Bus to Galway - walk around the town - get a feel for things - The market at St. Nicholas Church

Day 2 - Sunday - walking tour, - Lynch Memorial

Day 3 - Galway to the Aran Islands, stay overnight

Day 4 - Travel back from the island. Perhaps investigate travelling back to Doolin rather than galway - is there a tour etc that will pick up up from there. See The Burren, Doolin and Cliffs Overnight somewhere rural. (Suggest not Doolin, it's just a tourist trap!)

Day 5 - travel to Cork - do a city tour, the one that ends at Blarney and let's you catch the scheduled city bus back to town using the same ticket. Overnight in Cork.

Day 6 - Thursday day to explore, evening Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet, stay somewhere near.

Day 7 - fly home

cL0h

JustMary wrote: »

Two things;
Perhaps investigate travelling back to Doolin rather than galway

That's a good idea. Driving on the other side of the road is stressful and tiring so if you forego the car you could do this!
Just to illustrate the 'A' on this map is Doolin.





Check these ferry companies for the 2nd leg.
www.doolinferries.com
www.aran-island-ferry.com

Watch out for which island each ferry departs from.