Galway – the city of rain and self-aggrandisement?

partyguinness

Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »

Sorry for the delay in responding; I was at work and don't have the luxury of faffing about on the Internet waiting for 'going home time'.

I made quite a bit of money in late 2017 selling bitcoins as part of a group who had only paid a fraction of what we sold them for. I'm extremely well paid anyway, so decided I'd use the money to purchase a holiday home in Ireland. I had no hesitation in choosing Cork over Galway. The city has better transport links; the people are friendlier (even though I try to keep overly long conversations to a minimum as the accent does tend to irritate after a while), and the scenery is less desolate than Connemara or the Burren. There's also some decent golf courses in the area.


If I had had bought in Galway then I'd have had to deal with more rain, the locals going on about how remarkable it is to live in their parochial backwater of a city, and worst of all, the possibility of my brother calling out to my place on a Monday evening with a 'huge bag of cans and the makings of a few'.

As for my 10k time - it was 40:06. Thanks for asking.

Have to agree with all of that. Galway has never done it for me personally. Sure there is good vibe in the summer but I'd want somewhere that's good all year round. Galway in January & February is beyond grim.


I've always considered Galway a bit too uncivilised and too claustrophobic if I'm honest.

ToBeFrank123

ToBeFrank123 wrote: »

Race Week appears to be a bigger deal to non Galwegians than the locals who view it as an inconvenience at best.

Most Galwegians don't make that big a deal about raceweek and its usually hyped up by those coming from outside.

I don’t see where this opinion is coming from as a local (from the county) raceweek is pretty much the best week of the year for me and always has been. It is extremely popular with locals in my experience, I go racing most days and see a lot of people I know, people I know to see etc everyday.

It’s a fantastic week, great excitement at the course followed by the craic in town and on the streets after.

As for Galway in general, there isn’t another place in the world I’d rather live it’s an absolutely brilliant city and county.

kikilarue2

Heidi Lively Freshwater wrote: »

I don’t see where this opinion is coming from as a local (from the county) raceweek is pretty much the best week of the year for me and always has been. It is extremely popular with locals in my experience, I go racing most days and see a lot of people I know, people I know to see etc everyday.

It’s a fantastic week, great excitement at the course followed by the craic in town and on the streets after.

As for Galway in general, there isn’t another place in the world I’d rather live it’s an absolutely brilliant city and county.

When I was in my early 20s I loved race week. It is basically RAG Week for adults but with better clothes. An excuse to get dressed up and spend a whole week on the piss.

Now in my 30s, I wouldn't be caught dead at Ladies Day.

At a push, I'd go on the Monday or Tuesday, before the swarms arrive from the Capital. (Don't @ me, I live in Dublin and I love Dubliners, but the crowd that come down for race week tend to be the worst)

kikilarue2

Heidi Lively Freshwater wrote: »

As for Galway in general, there isn’t another place in the world I’d rather live it’s an absolutely brilliant city and county.

How many other cities have you lived in?

MattressRick

As a galwegian I've only heard non-galwegians praise Galway as a great place. Friends from Limerick, Dublin etc go on like it's something else, whereas when you're living here you just treat the nightlife as normal. It's a busy place day and night but I think there's undue criticism levelled at galwegians when it's people who come here for weekends, stags or hens who go home and rave about it. Nightlife here's no better then other cities, in fact the 2am closing time would wreck your head. I still love the place myself but that's cos it's home.

kikilarue2

kikilarue2 wrote: »

When I was in my early 20s I loved race week. It is basically RAG Week for adults but with better clothes. An excuse to get dressed up and spend a whole week on the piss.

Now in my 30s, I wouldn't be caught dead at Ladies Day.

At a push, I'd go on the Monday or Tuesday, before the swarms arrive from the Capital. (Don't @ me, I live in Dublin and I love Dubliners, but the crowd that come down for race week tend to be the worst)

In my mid 30’s too and it’s still the highlight of the year, its even more important now as an excuse to let loose than when younger and you have more events throughout the year. It’s just a bonus that I like backing horses too, so a week of drinking and backing horses is pretty sweet!

partyguinness

MattressRick wrote: »

As a galwegian I've only heard non-galwegians praise Galway as a great place. Friends from Limerick, Dublin etc go on like it's something else, whereas when you're living here you just treat the nightlife as normal. It's a busy place day and night but I think there's undue criticism levelled at galwegians when it's people who come here for weekends, stags or hens who go home and rave about it. Nightlife here's no better then other cities, in fact the 2am closing time would wreck your head. I still love the place myself but that's cos it's home.

TBH when you are from Limerick the bar is pretty much on the floor.

tototoe

partyguinness wrote: »

TBH when you are from Limerick the bar is pretty much on the floor.

I'd take limerick any day tbh. Warts and all its a great city.

Tell me how

tototoe wrote: »

I'd take limerick any day tbh. Warts and all its a great city.

Much more personality around City of Galway in my opinion.

Where is Limericks equivalent of Eyre Sq/Shop Street?

tototoe

Tell me how wrote: »

Much more personality around City of Galway in my opinion.

Where is Limericks equivalent of Eyre Sq/Shop Street?

Does it need one? Not sure eyre square or shop street or an equivalent make a city, certainly not Eyre square. But for a nice public space in Limerick, the peoples park is beautiful. King John's castle is a gem and works great for concerts and the like, as does the milk market. Another gem.

I really really have no gra for shop street tbh

. And I'd take the people in Limerick over Galway people but it's hard to generalise about people.more honest and friendly, but there are gob****es everywhere tbh. And Galway has its fair share.

Two very different places, but limerick has a lot to offer without the bull****. It's run down, for sure, but as a city limerick wins for me.

I live in Clare between the two, so it's good to have the choice.ive lived in both too, but Galway only for a short time.

Tell me how

tototoe wrote: »

Does it need one? Not sure eyre square or shop street or an equivalent make a city, certainly not Eyre square. But for a nice public space in Limerick, the peoples park is beautiful. King John's castle is a gem and works great for concerts and the like, as does the milk market. Another gem.

I really really have no gra for shop street tbh

. And I'd take the people in Limerick over Galway people but it's hard to generalise about people.more honest and friendly, but there are gob****es everywhere tbh. And Galway has its fair share.

Two very different places, but limerick has a lot to offer without the bull****

Maybe, I've lived in Limerick and do like it but I feel now you could walk from one end of it to the other and can't say there's any place that would entice you in like I think there is in Galway.

True, gobsh*tes everywhere at times.

Conor Bourke

Also lived in both Galway and Limerick. Would move back to Limerick tomorrow, wouldn’t live in Galway again for lotto money.

Mad_maxx

Milly33 wrote: »

incessant rain and damp, So true..

We moved here from well the great Sunny South and cannot believe the weather is so ****e up here...Used to think Cork was bad like but here is just wind and rain and also I am sorry but wtf is wrong with the people, so so cagey.

We used to visit for breaks and when it came time for a change I suggested moving here and now, dya know what Cork is actually a very friendly place to live with lost to do, Galway to live in comes across as a very mmmm poser place to live, great if you are airy fairy, or into your art (to a high annoying scale) but otherwise so not worth it..Very unfriendly people and jes some of the worst drivers I have ever come across

Galway city folk are unfriendly but the crowd in county Galway are even worse, unbelievably clannish.

kikilarue2

Limerick City people are very much the salt of the earth types - they’d go out of their way for you.

Mad_maxx

kikilarue2 wrote: »

Limerick City people are very much the salt of the earth types - they’d go out of their way for you.

Polar opposite to Galway.

Limerick isn't Pretensious enough.

Mad_maxx

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Polar opposite to Galway.

Limerick isn't Pretensious enough.

Blindboy is doing his best to even things up, but he's only one man against an entire city.

The Rape of Lucretia

AvB on the money there. I think its a consequence of its general remoteness from any proper point of reference. When you head out a road from Galway and encounter the likes of Gort, Ballinasloe, or Tuam, its easy to understand how a desire to turn back, and the idea that Galway is the bees knees in everything, could take hold.

Mad_maxx

Mad_maxx wrote: »

Polar opposite to Galway.

Limerick isn't Pretensious enough.

I've lived in both cities - there is a fickleness to Galway people whereas in Limerick a friendship made goes the distance.

Mad_maxx

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Blindboy is doing his best to even things up, but he's only one man against an entire city.

I like Limerick in spite of that tosser

Mad_maxx

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I've lived in both cities - there is a fickleness to Galway people whereas in Limerick a friendship made goes the distance.

Limerick folk are indeed very real.

cameramonkey

Westsidehappyout,,,

Phil.x

Ive just spent 520euro for two night's in galway this Sunday and the weather forecast is ****.

This is not! Good....its fcuking summer.

Seathrun66

kikilarue2 wrote: »

Galway is a great city to go to college in, and it's a lovely place to visit.

I didn't enjoy living there though, it's too small and there's not much to do outside of pubs.

Really? Three cinemas inclusing the new Palas. Connacht rugby, Galway hurling and football teams, Galway United (admittedly poor. An Taibhearc (national Gaelic theatre), The Druid, Black Gate, Black Box and Town Hall Theatres. Gigs in the Roisn Dubh, Seapoint, Monroes, The Crane and Leisureland. Two Michelin star restaurants and several Michelin Bib ones plus all varieties of global food. A decent museum and the biggest Arts Festival in the Country. The Cuirt literature festival, the two Oyster festivals. some good bookshops and one great one. Plenty to do there for those that can be bothered looking.

Seathrun66

tototoe wrote: »

The most over rated place in Ireland. One nightt on the piss is more than enough, because there is feic all to do there in general. I'd rather eat my own arm than go to the Galway races. Was in the city once arou d that time, and I hope I never have to be there again during the races. Arts festival more or less the same, just a different level of smugness for that one.

As a city for culture and arts and all that nobsense it seems to sell itself on what has Galway ever delivered in that space...the saw doctors and supermacs?

Five out of seventeen of the 2019 Irish Theatre Awards. Druid theatre - Garry Hynes the first woman to win a Tony award for direction.

Lisa McInerny, Mike McCormack, Ken Bruen all doing well.

Several resident or visiting trad and indie musicians.

Biggest Arts fest in the country and the most significant film festival given Screen Ireland/IFB is based in the city.

And yeah, the Spanish Arch is astonishingly bad.

kikilarue2

Seathrun66 wrote: »

kikilarue2 wrote: »

Galway is a great city to go to college in, and it's a lovely place to visit.

I didn't enjoy living there though, it's too small and there's not much to do outside of pubs.

Really? Three cinemas inclusing the new Palas. Connacht rugby, Galway hurling and football teams, Galway United (admittedly poor. An Taibhearc (national Gaelic theatre), The Druid, Black Gate, Black Box and Town Hall Theatres. Gigs in the Roisn Dubh, Seapoint, Monroes, The Crane and Leisureland. Two Michelin star restaurants and several Michelin Bib ones plus all varieties of global food. A decent museum and the biggest Arts Festival in the Country. The Cuirt literature festival, the two Oyster festivals. some good bookshops and one great one. Plenty to do there for those that can be bothered looking.

Once you remove sport (which is grand but I’m not something I’m personally interested in) and festivals/ events that only happen once a year, that list starts to look pretty thin.

Cinema is a pretty weak item on the list, but since you mention it there’s an omniplex, an independent cinema and an old-school vintage cinema type place within walking distance of my house.

Maybe you’re right and Galway has a lot to offer if you go looking, but in Dublin I don’t need to do that.

Seathrun66

kikilarue2 wrote: »

Once you remove sport (which is grand but I’m not something I’m personally interested in) and festivals/ events that only happen once a year, that list starts to look pretty thin.

Cinema is a pretty weak item on the list, but since you mention it there’s an omniplex, an independent cinema and an old-school vintage cinema type place within walking distance of my house.

Maybe you’re right and Galway has a lot to offer if you go looking, but in Dublin I don’t need to do that.

No need to search hard. It's all there. My post was in response to posters who said there was nothing to do in Galway bar pubs. Which is kinda absurd. I'm not drawing comparisons between various Irish cities. They've all got plenty on offer. I just think that Galway has been getting bashed recently due to all the good press it's got nationally and globally. With more to come in 2020.

And why would cinema be weak? The most prominent film festival in the country is very significant. The films funded by Screen Ireland/IFB based here are even more so.

In terms of festivals they're a near weekly occurrence.

I moved here from London two years ago and was a bit concerned about stuff to do. Hasn't been an issue at all. Gigs are my main thing and there's plenty here to see. Of course it doesn't compare to Dublin in that respect. But realistically, few European cities do.

Greyfox

Seathrun66 wrote: »

Of course it doesn't compare to Dublin in that respect. But realistically, few European cities do.

And that's the reality. Galway is lovely and although it doesn't have the choice that Dublin offers it's comparable to Dublin when it comes to having a good night, Cork is decent too but let's face facts lads.. Dublin is an amazing city to live in

ILoveYourVibes

Greyfox wrote: »

Dublin is an amazing city to live in

It is.

The others a lovely too though.

Andrew00

Best thing about Galway is all the drunk young wans that do be falling around eyre Square with hardly anything on and all the lads in cars staring at them

Jamsiek

It’s a nice place to visit but that’s all.
I lived there for about 5 years and was starting to get stuck in a rut. It’s not a place to be ambitious.
I eventually left and never regretted it as I travelled more and it made me see that there were better places to live.
I also found a lot of people there to be pretentious (not necessarily Galwegians) and it took moving away to see that more clearly.
I still like visiting occasionally though but I wouldn’t be interested in moving back full time