October 9-14, 2023
“In Ireland, every place you visit and every person you meet has a story. And they love to tell you their stories. Everyone is interested in everything; in a land of storytellers, you will never be bored.” – Maeve Binchy
During our Europe travels we decided to road trip around Ireland. We had 5 days to take in this exquisite country and that wasn’t nearly enough time.
Galway
The road to Galway was long but lovely!
We rented a car and hit the road. It took a minute to get used to driving on the other side of the car and road but we managed just fine. We set out for Seans Bar, first built in 900AD, Irelands oldest pub, recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Really cool place in Athlone. It’s about half way on our trip across to the other side of Ireland. (Dublin to Galway is approx. 2.5 Hours) This a vibrant town located on the River Shannon. Historically, Athlone was geographically important as it was the only crossing point of the River Shannon into Connacht during the Jacobite-Williamite war in Ireland. It is also the site of an unrecorded Early Christian monastery.
We stopped in garbed an pint and chatted with other travelers and the sweetest most welcoming bartender, Timmy. He has been there for years and shared some stories with us and gave us great advise for our journey ahead. Fun Fact: Seans (and Timmy) is where the first responder/police badge on the wall originated after a conference in Ireland. Now you will see them all over pubs in Ireland. We got some local food and looked around town quickly and then back to the open road.
We arrived at Galway late afternoon. Found our way to Shop Street and wandered around, through book stores and jewelry stores, past pubs and restaurants. Its a charming busy little area. In summary, Galway is a city that embodies the spirit of Ireland’s west coast, offering a unique blend of culture, history, and natural beauty. It’s a city that lives and breathes music, tradition, and festivity, making it an irresistible destination for visitors.
Originally, our plan was to drive down to Dingle (another 3 hours) and spend the night. However, after traveling and driving we were tired and preferred to call it a night early and rest. So we found a place we could spend the night and went to get dinner. We ate at the most amazing little Italian place, Basilico. It was fabulous and I highly recommend if you are in Galway.
