Galway History Walking tour with Local expert - Private Group

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Eyre Square

  Our accredited Guide will meet you at the FRONT entrance to the Hardiman Hotel in Eyre Square. He will accompany you to the main Square and give a brief overview of Galway's rich history. Various Points of Interest around the Square will be outlined including Iconic Buildings. Historical aspect will also be covered including the old Browne Doorway and the Tribes of Galway Banners, the John F Kennedy memorial, the Quin-centenary Fountain and the O'Connaire Statue.

  13 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 2
  Williamsgate Street

  We now emerge onto Williams-gate St. and encounter some landmark buildings including the elegant Browne Thomas building. We also pass by Jewellers shops who specialise in Galway's Claddagh ring. if time allows we stop at the Oscar Wilde statue, an Estonia gift to Ireland in 2004 !

  6 minutes • Admission ticket free
• Franciscan Church (Pass by)

  We now divert down Eglinton Street and pass by the Franciscan Friary church on the left. This old church has a little grave-yard at the rear which was a prominent place of burial in mid-17th and early 18th centuries.

  Admission ticket free
• 3
  Galway Courthouse

  We continue towards Courthouse Square, which used to have two iconic Courthouses - one for the county and one for the city. One remains today and the Town Hall Theatre is opposite.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 4
  Galway Cathedral

  Up ahead, from the newly-constructed pedestrian bridge over the River Corrib, our group will pause to view Europe's newest stone cathedral, the Galway Cathedral and the Franciscan Chapel.

  8 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 5
  Lynch's Castle

  The tour returns via Galway's popular River Walk to the main city artery. We arrive at a two-street intersection and the iconic Lynch's Castle building. This building is the finest surviving Town-Castle in Ireland. The powerful Lynch clan once owned it. Your Guide explains the history of the building, its crests and roundels.

  15 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 6
  Market Street

  The tour continues by turning right into Church Lane, once called 'Dead Man's Lane' where funerals passed on way into old graveyard. We talk about St. Nicholas church-yard and continue on through Market St.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 7
  The Lynch Memorial

  The Lynch Memorial window , erected in 1854 is full of legend. The mayor of Galway, Mayor Lynch is said to have hanged his own son at this location!

  8 minutes • Admission ticket free
• Bowling Green (Pass by)

  Our tour route passes close to Bowling Green. Here was the family home of Ms Nora Barnacle who was a prominent Galwegian in years gone by. She famously dated Irish Writer, James Joyce on 16th June 1904, thereafter known as Bloomsday!

  Admission ticket free
• 8
  Saint Nicholas' Collegiate Church

  We arrive at the of St Nicholas' Collegiate Church accompanied by your Guide. He explains the history of this largest Medieval church in continuous use in Ireland. It was originally built as a Catholic Church but, today, functions as a Protestant Church. In 1477, Christopher Columbus is said to have worshipped here prior to his epic voyage of discovery! There's also much to see within this ancient building and we offer discounts tickets to join their guided tours which operate Mon-Fri. 11am and 2pm and Wednesdays 12pm and 3pm.

  8 minutes • Admission ticket included
• 9
  Galway's Latin Quarter

  We arrive in High Street, a section of Galway's Latin Quarter and encounter the iconic King's Head Pub. Legend has it that this pub site was gifted by Oliver Cromwell as payment to executioner of King Charles I. Also on this street we pass by the famous Naughton House, once owned by 'Humanity' Dick Martyn, an Irish MP in British Parliament.

  12 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 10
  Spanish Parade

  The open-space area, known as the Spanish Parade formally contained the old Galway port until 1840. Old Galley ships arrived here from Spain with wines and spices for local merchant families. We also explain the significance of the Spanish Arch just adjacent to this area.

  10 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 11
  Hall of the Red Earl

  The tour now loops back towards the old Medieval site - The Hall of the Red Earl. This was once the castle residence of powerful Norman, Richard de Burgo. It was an important building up until the late 16th century. Its ruins had been lost for centuries till archaeologists discovered it in the late '90's.

  7 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 12
  Druid Theatre

  University graduates founded the now-famous Druid Theatre Company in 1975 in this city of culture. Druid has always maintained a vital relationship with writers, Tom Murphy and Martin McDonough. Many well-known Irish actors and directors have worked with the company down through the years.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 13
  An Taibhdhearc

  The final stages of our City tour take us up Middle Street, where we pass by An Taibhdhearc. This is Ireland's only Irish-language theatre. It was established as a large-scale cultural project in the early 1920, when Ireland became a Free State. Micheal MacLiamor, the first director / manager worked there from 1928.

  3 minutes • Admission ticket free
• St Augustine's Catholic Parish (Pass by)

  The guide will explain that the Augustinian Order arrived in Galway in 1500 and setup an Abbey in the Forthil. Oliver Cromwell's English army banished them for a period but they returned in 1760 and established this building.

  Admission ticket free
• 14
  Gothic and Tudor Revival-style former cathedral - Abbeygate Street Lower

  Our final stop will be the former Cathedral Building at Middle St. / Abbeygate St. Galway. This old building was in use for many centuries but was deemed inadequate by Galway bishop, Dr Michael Browne in 1957.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

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