A Glorious Galway Sunday
October/12/2008 Ireland Journal
On each of our visits to Ireland, we have run out of time to visit Galway, the capital of the West of Ireland. It is a thriving modern city that dates back to the 13th century, when the medieval city grew up inside a great encircling wall. Since we only had a day to see the city, we decided to take a leisurely walking tour, beginning on Kirwin's Lane, which is full of shops and pubs. We were assured that this is where the action is on Sunday.
Action indeed! With no automotive traffic allowed, the lane was filled with people enjoying the mild fall weather . . .
. . . visiting the quaint shops . . .
. . . and enjoying entertainment for all ages . . .
. . . and just hanging out together.
Our next stop was the Spanish Arch area. The arch, built in 1519 at the south section of the town hall, was named for the frequent visits from Spanish ships that traded with Galway.
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Long Walk, from which we could see the famed Galway Bay, as well as photographing in other nearby streets and alleyways in the oldest section of the city.
The bay was a magnet to young people enjoying a day off . . .
. . . and I even caught a cat napping in the warm Sunday sun.
Finally, we stopped a while at the Fish Market, where women once peddled fish to the townspeople of Galway. Today it is a gathering place for those who want to enjoy the sights and sounds of a bustling city. Here's one of the most interesting encounters we spotted: dog vs. man on springing stilts. Both managed to survive.
Late in the day we had a special treat courtesy of Galway photographer Neil Warner, whom I met last year at the Athlone Irish PPA Convention, where he presented an excellent program on marketing. Neil and his wife, Mary, had kindly offered to take Jim and me on a walking trip, then treat us to a pint at one of the city's oldest pubs. Recently Neil was elected president of the European Federation of Professional Photography, and he holds a boatload of titles and awards, including European Commercial Photographer of the year in 2006 and Fellowships in the British Institute of Professional Photography, the Irish PPA, and the British Master Photographers Association. So we enjoyed discussing association issues, but mostly we loved hearing fascinating stories about Galway and enjoying Neil's witty observations.
Here are Mary, Neil and Jim walking along the Corrib River, where Neil explained how power was generated for the city's early linen mills through the ingenious use of a series of canals that were dug along side the river.
Through a system of locks on the canals, the water could be raised and lowered and made to increase the current of the river to drive power to the plants.
One of the most interesting stops on our walking trip (besides the pub), was at St. Nicholas's Church, which was completed around 1324 and is the oldest parish church still in use in the west of Ireland.
Among many of the fascinating facts about the church that Neil revealed is that one of the most famous visitors to the church was Christopher Columbus, who prayed there before journeying on to the New World. According to Neil, the first individual to set foot on the Americas was actually a dog that belonged to the ship's carpenter. Furthermore, the ship's carpenter hailed from Galway. Who knew?
Here Neil points to our location on a medieval map of the city.
One thing for sure . . . a day in Galway is not long enough, so we'll be back again next year to learn more about this fascinating city. And thanks to Neil and Mary for helping to bring history to life!
Action indeed! With no automotive traffic allowed, the lane was filled with people enjoying the mild fall weather . . .
. . . visiting the quaint shops . . .
. . . and enjoying entertainment for all ages . . .
. . . and just hanging out together.
Our next stop was the Spanish Arch area. The arch, built in 1519 at the south section of the town hall, was named for the frequent visits from Spanish ships that traded with Galway.
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the Long Walk, from which we could see the famed Galway Bay, as well as photographing in other nearby streets and alleyways in the oldest section of the city.
The bay was a magnet to young people enjoying a day off . . .
. . . and I even caught a cat napping in the warm Sunday sun.
Finally, we stopped a while at the Fish Market, where women once peddled fish to the townspeople of Galway. Today it is a gathering place for those who want to enjoy the sights and sounds of a bustling city. Here's one of the most interesting encounters we spotted: dog vs. man on springing stilts. Both managed to survive.
Late in the day we had a special treat courtesy of Galway photographer Neil Warner, whom I met last year at the Athlone Irish PPA Convention, where he presented an excellent program on marketing. Neil and his wife, Mary, had kindly offered to take Jim and me on a walking trip, then treat us to a pint at one of the city's oldest pubs. Recently Neil was elected president of the European Federation of Professional Photography, and he holds a boatload of titles and awards, including European Commercial Photographer of the year in 2006 and Fellowships in the British Institute of Professional Photography, the Irish PPA, and the British Master Photographers Association. So we enjoyed discussing association issues, but mostly we loved hearing fascinating stories about Galway and enjoying Neil's witty observations.
Here are Mary, Neil and Jim walking along the Corrib River, where Neil explained how power was generated for the city's early linen mills through the ingenious use of a series of canals that were dug along side the river.
Through a system of locks on the canals, the water could be raised and lowered and made to increase the current of the river to drive power to the plants.
One of the most interesting stops on our walking trip (besides the pub), was at St. Nicholas's Church, which was completed around 1324 and is the oldest parish church still in use in the west of Ireland.
Among many of the fascinating facts about the church that Neil revealed is that one of the most famous visitors to the church was Christopher Columbus, who prayed there before journeying on to the New World. According to Neil, the first individual to set foot on the Americas was actually a dog that belonged to the ship's carpenter. Furthermore, the ship's carpenter hailed from Galway. Who knew?
Here Neil points to our location on a medieval map of the city.
One thing for sure . . . a day in Galway is not long enough, so we'll be back again next year to learn more about this fascinating city. And thanks to Neil and Mary for helping to bring history to life!