Address: Corner of Mainguard and Lombard streets

Hours: 9:00am- 7:00pm (closes at 5:00pm in Jan. and Feb.)

    One of the oldest parish churches in Ireland, St. Nicholas is center in the heart of the city. Appropriate for its location in a port city, this church gets its name from the patron saint of sailors (and also merchants, where his generosity led to his current name of Santa Claus).  The interior walls are adorned with plaques commemorating the dead, with inscriptions and poems about loved ones. The 14^th-century church also holds the Crusader’s Tomb in its Chapel of Christ, a 13^th-century tomb thought to have come from the Knights Templar.  St. Nicholas hosts many concerts each year, and their website contains information on performance dates. If you visit on a Saturday, check out the farmer’s market outside the church’s gates.

Address: Corner of Shop and Upper Abbeygate streets

    A superlative example of Irish Gothic style, this castle bears the arms of Henry VIII.  Of the 14 tribes that ruled Galway, the Lynch family was the most powerful between 1480 and 1650.  Today, the castle serves as a branch of the Allied Irish Bank (AIB), and you can enter during business hours to view a small museum inside.

Time: Mid-July

    A profusion of theatre, dance, music, literature, visual art, comedy, and children’s events, the Galway Arts Festival attracts about 100,000 people from around the world each year in July. The shows feature both local Irish bands, artists and writers, as well as international stars, with Blondie as the 2008 headliner. The festival began in 1978 by Ollie Jennings, a student of NUI Galway.  In  addition to the aforementioned performances, the arts festival is packed with parades and street performances.  For ticket prices, check out http://www.galwayartsfestival.com.

Address: 8 Bowling Green

Hours: Open only in the summer: Wed.- Fri. 10:00am- 1:00pm, 2:00pm- 5:30pm

Tickets: €2,50

    This home of Nora Barnacle, the wife of James Joyce, is now open as a private, small museum.  The small house--consisting of just two rooms and a backyard-- was originally built in the 1800s, and it attracts many visitors who wish to see the family photographs and personal objects of one of the greatest writers in history.

Address: 15 High Street

    The legend goes that Gunning, one of two Galway soldiers ordered to execute Kings Charles I, was bestowed this building, at 15 High Street, by parliament for his service.  The building has been in existence since the 13^th century and was previously owned by the powerful Lynch family.  After Oliver Cromwell’s army came to Galway, Lynch was ousted from both his position as mayor and from his home on High Street. The King’s Head restaurant serves up fresh seafood and traditional Irish stew, and a live stage hosts bands and DJs. On game days (especially rugby), visit this bar to get a first-hand experience of Irish sports fans.

Trains: The station is near Eyre Sq. and trains connect with Dublin.

Buses: Backpackers can hop onto buses near the same location as the trains to get to Belfast, Donegal, and Dublin.

Address: 2 Sea Road, close to St. Mary’s College

    One of the most well-known traditional music pubs in Galway, The Crane Bar offers two floors of music.  The upstairs, or “The Listeners Club” features more popular artists and musicians, as well as local bands.  In the downstairs, you can experience true “trad” music, traditional Irish music at its finest. And best of all, most live concerts are free.

Address: 2 Newcastle Rd.

    One of the oldest bars in Galway, Cookes has been around for hundreds of years, where patrons gather under its thatched roof.  Live trad music is plentiful on Wed.- Sun., and Mondays feature drink specials.  The atmosphere is very friendly and local, with very few tourists.