Galway City pubs and little else

CarlosHarpic · 08-03-2018 11:26AM #1

After my second visit to the city on the tribes, and after really wanting to like the place, I realized I hate it. For all the hype about it being a great place there is nothing to do there except pubs.

Now do not give me this "has a theatre" and "race week" as that's not enough and the latter is all about boozing. I would hate to live there.

Where are the museums, interesting locations and urban mystery that makes a city interesting? It's all getting ****faced while listening to ididly reel and jigs and you can get that anywhere.

For all it's alleged coolness, it's offers nothing else to tourist apart from pubs. People slag off Limerick, but that has way more going for it now.

Galway city is rubbish.

Caliden · 08-03-2018 11:29AM

Have you tried going for a hot whiskey to chill out a bit?

Neyite · 08-03-2018 11:30AM

Bloke goes only to pubs and complains that all he saw was pubs.

SEPT 23 1989 · 08-03-2018 11:33AM

dont be telling people how great Limerick is because that will be spoiled as well

donegaLroad · 08-03-2018 11:39AM

Galway is an obstacle course for alcoholics. I have also heard it described as the graveyard of ambition.

I have always liked it though.

Red_Wake · 08-03-2018 11:40AM

There's a museum down by the Spanish Arch. A few art galleries about the place showcasing local artists as well.

A number of landmarks[the quad in NUIG, the Cathedral, the market, Spanish Arch, the fountain in Eyre Square, the old city wall,etc].

Arts Festival every year - loads of stuff going on and very family friendly.

The Galway Races are massively overhyped tbf, but the trouble comes mostly from people who are bad drunks.

splinter65 · 08-03-2018 11:44AM

I lived in Galway for 2 years and hated it. If your not a slave to sitting in dark wood pubs listening to Fiachra and Aoibheann spewing out the diddly music then you have nothing to do and nowhere to go.
Biggest con ever.

Neyite · 08-03-2018 11:44AM

Spanish Arch
Galway City Museum
Galway Fisheries Museum
National Aquarium
Salthill Prom
Diving at Blackrock tower
Award winning Restaurants
Theatre in the Town hall, Black Box Theatre, and Palais
Coral Beach
Connemara
Art Galleries
Kylemore Abbey
Corrib Cruises
Kayacking
Fishing
Hiking
Camping
Biking
Horseriding
Greyhound Stadium
Football and Rugby matches
Concerts in Pearse Stadium
Live music in most pubs
Medieval City walks
River walks
Merlin Woods
Oranmore Castle
Comedy Clubs
Shopping
GoKarting
Golf
Axe Throwing Gallery
Casino
Lapdancing clubs

That's what I got with 5 mins worth of googling.

_Puma_ · 08-03-2018 11:47AM

If you have visited Galway twice and the only things you have ended up doing is going to pubs then I suspect that is more a general reflection on you rather than the City itself.

In fairness its an easy trap to fall into. Being Irish it seems everything revolves around going to the pub, but Galway has a wealth of options if you broaden your horizons a little.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 08-03-2018 11:48AM

You're right, it's some spot for a sesh.

splinter65 · 08-03-2018 11:52AM

Neyite wrote: »

Spanish Arch
Galway City Museum
Galway Fisheries Museum
National Aquarium
Salthill Prom
Diving at Blackrock tower
Award winning Restaurants
Theatre in the Town hall, Black Box Theatre, and Palais
Coral Beach
Connemara
Art Galleries
Kylemore Abbey
Corrib Cruises
Kayacking
Fishing
Hiking
Camping
Biking
Horseriding
Greyhound Stadium
Football and Rugby matches
Concerts in Pearse Stadium
Live music in most pubs
Medieval City walks
River walks
Merlin Woods
Oranmore Castle
Comedy Clubs
Shopping
GoKarting
Golf
Axe Throwing Gallery
Casino
Lapdancing clubs

That's what I got with 5 mins worth of googling.

Most of these things are in most cities in Europe. Why would I trail off to Galway to do them in the never ending rain while being ripped off in every hospitality place and be shoved out by drunks on the street?

pleas advice · 08-03-2018 11:57AM

Neyite wrote:

Kayacking
Fishing
Hiking
Camping
Horseriding
...

Axe Throwing Gallery
Casino.

Good to see they kept some of thier colonial heritage

Neyite · 08-03-2018 12:00PM

splinter65 wrote: »

Most of these things are in most cities in Europe. Why would I trail off to Galway to do them in the never ending rain while being ripped off in every hospitality place and be shoved out by drunks on the street?

You don't have to. Hop on a plane to those places if you like. Don't choose to go to Galway and moan that you went to Galway.

The OP is like one of those people who will go to a foreign country and complain about the foreign food, foreign money, foreign language, foreign pubs and it being so crowded with foreigners that it was an awful kip.

biko · 08-03-2018 12:04PM

Don't come to Galway! It's full now!

evil_seed · 08-03-2018 12:06PM

CarlosHarpic wrote: »

After my second visit to the city on the tribes, and after really wanting to like the place, I realized I hate it. For all the hype about it being a great place there is nothing to do there except pubs.

Now do not give me this "has a theatre" and "race week" as that's not enough and the latter is all about boozing. I would hate to live there.

Where are the museums, interesting locations and urban mystery that makes a city interesting? It's all getting ****faced while listening to ididly reel and jigs and you can get that anywhere.

For all it's alleged coolness, it's offers nothing else to tourist apart from pubs. People slag off Limerick, but that has way more going for it now.

Galway city is rubbish.

56 posts, joined in January. This is not trolling :rolleyes:

_Dara_ · 08-03-2018 12:24PM

Neyite wrote: »

Spanish Arch
Galway City Museum
Galway Fisheries Museum
National Aquarium
Salthill Prom
Diving at Blackrock tower
Award winning Restaurants
Theatre in the Town hall, Black Box Theatre, and Palais
Coral Beach
Connemara
Art Galleries
Kylemore Abbey
Corrib Cruises
Kayacking
Fishing
Hiking
Camping
Biking
Horseriding
Greyhound Stadium
Football and Rugby matches
Concerts in Pearse Stadium
Live music in most pubs
Medieval City walks
River walks
Merlin Woods
Oranmore Castle
Comedy Clubs
Shopping
GoKarting
Golf
Axe Throwing Gallery
Casino
Lapdancing clubs

That's what I got with 5 mins worth of googling.

The first thing on your list is very underwhelming. Not a great way to start. Kylemore Abbey is in the depths of Connemara.

9or10 · 08-03-2018 12:31PM

_Dara_ wrote: »

The first thing on your list is very underwhelming. Not a great way to start. Kylemore Abbey is in the depths of Connemara.

Yeah but Neyite left off the best thing - we keep that for ourselves.

Oyster Festival

JohnnyFlash · 08-03-2018 12:32PM

Not a bad old spot, but some of the locals can be right sickeners. You’d think by the way they go on that they live in some world capital of art and culture, and not some rainy backwater with a few decent pubs, a big racetrack, and a small theatre.

Mrs OBumble · 08-03-2018 12:45PM

CarlosHarpic wrote: »

After my second visit to the city on the tribes, and after really wanting to like the place, I realized I hate it. For all the hype about it being a great place there is nothing to do there except pubs.

Yeah right ... http://www.galwaycafeguide.com/p/things-to-do-in-galway-city.html

And that's just the city. It's also s great base for exploring Connemara and even Clare.

banie01 · 08-03-2018 12:51PM

Neyite wrote: »

Axe Throwing Gallery
Casino
Lapdancing clubs
.

I have found my favoirite sequence of events ever!!!
Can I take the strippers to the Axe throwing gallery and bet I dont hit them?

P.S
Do you think it would cost extra to see the gash?
From any axe related injuries of course I mean

Zaph · 08-03-2018 12:53PM

Tbh it's worth the trip just for the pizza in Dough Bros.

It's a small city on the western tip of Europe. I'm not really sure what the OP was expecting to find there, the Guggenheim?

Red_Wake · 08-03-2018 12:59PM

Zaph wrote: »

Tbh it's worth the trip just for the pizza in Dough Bros.

It's a small city on the western tip of Europe. I'm not really sure what the OP was expecting to find there, the Guggenheim?

As overrated as the Races imo.

topper75 · 08-03-2018 01:01PM

JohnnyFlash wrote: »

Not a bad old spot, but some of the locals can be right sickeners. You’d think by the way they go on that they live in some world capital of art and culture, and not some rainy backwater with a few decent pubs, a big racetrack, and a small theatre.

They are not locals. They are outsiders seeking to justify why they moved there.

The locals, if you can find those haystack needles, are actually A1.

Galway is grand. I'll never forget the first time I saw the Spanish Arch. I must have marvelled at it in the drizzle for a solid hour. Then again, I was pissed drunk.. because of, you know, those pubs.

wakka12 · 08-03-2018 01:01PM

Galway has plenty to do for its size. I think you have to remember its a tiny city, you wouldn't go on holidays to a city of 70,000 people in france or uk or italy and expect loads of tourist attractions would you?

Assetbacked · 08-03-2018 01:08PM

Galway city is a day-trip city; it's outside of the city where the best things to see and do are located in Galway.

Chrongen · 08-03-2018 01:08PM

Neyite wrote: »

Spanish Arch
Galway City Museum
Galway Fisheries Museum
National Aquarium
Salthill Prom
Diving at Blackrock tower
Award winning Restaurants
Theatre in the Town hall, Black Box Theatre, and Palais
Coral Beach
Connemara
Art Galleries
Kylemore Abbey
Corrib Cruises
Kayacking
Fishing
Hiking
Camping
Biking
Horseriding
Greyhound Stadium
Football and Rugby matches
Concerts in Pearse Stadium
Live music in most pubs
Medieval City walks
River walks
Merlin Woods
Oranmore Castle
Comedy Clubs
Shopping
GoKarting
Golf
Axe Throwing Gallery
Casino
Lapdancing clubs

That's what I got with 5 mins worth of googling.

Well Spanish Arch is what exactly? A bit of a ruined wall the size of a small cottage. How much time can you kill gawking at that before you go to the pub?

Don't get me wrong Galway is fun but in reality there's not much to do outside of pub crawling around Shop St / Quay St. I don't mind. I work during the week so on the weekend I'm not much in the mood for trekking off into the widerness or going horseback riding or playing golf. I'm happy to do some chores and then go to the pub for a match or to do the crossword or read a book/newspaper.

Galway is a student and tourist town so you're going to get basically pubs, jiggedy-jig music and bollocks gift shops like claddagh and aran jumper joints. The sea air is really good though. I lived there for about a year and it was amazing how thick and curly my hair and beard (when I had one) got from that salty sea air. Had fun but I'm glad I'm out of the place. It's too small for me.

The oysters in the Quays are very good and there's a pretty decent pool hall there too. The little market by the Cathedral is decent for getting street grub and the cheese shop (Sheridan's) there is good too. I had an apartment overlooking the harbour on Dock road so sitting on my balcony watching boats come and go with my bottle of beer and my radio was many a Saturday spent. Can't stand horse racing so that's out for me. There's also something particularly depressing about seaside towns so Salthill to me is a kip. Ice cream parlours and amusement arcades........gimme the pub any day over that. Took the short flight to the Aran Island a few times which is nice.

But in reality what else is there to do in any small city at night if the weather is crap. Say you're in Antwerp or Heidelberg or Basel and you've seen the cathedral or castle or whatever attraction they have a handful of times. Go for a meal and go to the pub or stay home and watch TV. Are you going to go to the theatre EVERY night?

_Dara_ · 08-03-2018 01:09PM

Zaph wrote: »

Tbh it's worth the trip just for the pizza in Dough Bros.

It's a small city on the western tip of Europe. I'm not really sure what the OP was expecting to find there, the Guggenheim?

Well, the Guggenheim is in a small industrial city on the Atlantic coast of Spain so...

Pixel Eater · 08-03-2018 01:14PM

splinter65 wrote: »

I lived in Galway for 2 years and hated it. If your not a slave to sitting in dark wood pubs listening to Fiachra and Aoibheann spewing out the diddly music then you have nothing to do and nowhere to go.
Biggest con ever.

A fine bit of culture cringe there. Galway is a centre of traditional Irish music after all. It's like going to New Orleans and complaining about all the Jazz.

RicketyCricket · 08-03-2018 01:17PM

CarlosHarpic wrote: »

People slag off Limerick, but that has way more going for it now.

Like what?

Pixel Eater · 08-03-2018 01:18PM

_Dara_ wrote: »

Well, the Guggenheim is in a small industrial city on the Atlantic coast of Spain so...

Small is relative. Bilbao has a population of almost 350,000; Galway 75,000.

Sam Quentin · 08-03-2018 01:19PM

Pub owners in Galway are being made into millionaires. That's thanks to tourists from abroad but even more by Irish visitors and general student population and our ridiculous infatuation with getting drunk!?
Stay away from alcohol, you will be a much happier person.

Galway City pubs and little else

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