Galway is the capital of the county of the same name. The city is located at the mouth of the River Corrib in the west of the country. It is the fifth-largest city in Ireland and a major port on the gulf.

Tours, Activities, and Attractions in Galway
Lynch’s Castle is one of the finest examples of Irish Gothic architecture.

Situated between Abbeygate Street and Shop Street, the castle once belonged to one of the most powerful and wealthy Irish families. Although the exact date of construction is unknown, scholars have determined that it was built in the late 15th to early 16th centuries based on several factors. In 1930, the Irish Bankers’ Association acquired the castle and restored it. The first floor of the castle is open to visitors.

The largest medieval church, St. Nicholas Church, located in the heart of the city, is still used for its original purpose. It was built in 1320 and significantly expanded over the next 200 years. Galway Cathedral, built of limestone and located on the west bank of the River Corrib, began construction in 1958 on the site of the old city prison. In 1965, Cardinal Richard Cushing consecrated the cathedral in honor of the Assumption of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas. The cathedral’s architecture blends several styles: the dome, columns, and arches are Renaissance in style, while the portico is Romanesque. The cathedral houses one of Ireland’s finest organs.

The original quadrangular building houses the University of Ireland, founded in 1849.

Tourists are also drawn to the Spanish Arch in the southwest of the city, originally built as an extension to the city wall. The city museum, which consists of two sections, features an exhibition on Galway’s heritage in “Fragments of the City,” and a collection of Irish artists from the second half of the 20th century in “Reflected.”