We are spending five nights and four full days in Galway, giving us plenty of time to explore the city and the areas to the north (Connemara) and the south (the Burrens). If the weather is in our favor, we will try to go out to the Aran Islands as well.
Lynch’s Window
Our B&B is actually in Salthill, a suburban resort community just across the River Corrib from Galway city center. It’s a twenty minute walk to the Latin Quarter where you will find the main shopping street, St. Nicholas Church and Lynch’s Window – interesting story about that.
In the late 15th century, the son of the Mayor of Galway, a lad named Walter, became upset with a Spanish visitor who he felt was behaving disrespectfully toward his father and murdered him. This was a heinous crime and he was sentenced to death. However, he was a popular lad and the people refused to execute him. His father, the mayor James Lynch, took justice into his own hands and performed the execution by hanging his son from the window. Thus, it is said, came to be the term “lynching.”
Quay Street becomes High Street becomes Shop Street becomes William Street which culminates at Eyre Square, the hub of the city. This walk can be done in about twenty minutes if you don’t pop into any of the many shops along the way or stop to enjoy the street performers.
Bridge Between Salthill and Galway City Center 
Galway’s Main Shopping Street 
Street Musicians Are Plentiful
Of course, this walk took us hours because we did stop many times. Our day in Galway was on and off rain. We found an art supply store where I bought a few sheets of colored paper so that I can start on another in my window series in color pencil. The store, Dunnes, looked like the place for reasonably priced clothing for the entire family. And the Aran Sweater Market not only had sweaters but had information and a video about how the wool and sweaters are made. Other shops also had Aran sweaters and prices were about the same everywhere.
The Story of Aran Patterns 
How To Choose?
No stroll through Galway would be complete without a pint. We enjoyed several. For lunch, we popped into Finnegans, the self-proclaimed oldest medieval building in Galway. Later we stopped into Quays, first for just a pint, but then decided to have dinner there as well. They are located near the bridge back to Salthill and had live music so made for a perfect end to our day in Galway. And, on a second foray into town, McDonough’s and thought back to our adventures with Dave’s sister and brother-in-law last time we were in Galway (see http://europeyourway.net/ireland).
Finnegans 
Quays 
Returning to the Scene of the Crime
Galway Weather
This saying sums up the weather in the area around Galway, “If you cannot see the mountains, it is raining. If you can see the mountains, it is about to rain.” Be prepared for rain. Fortunately, it doesn’t rain continuously. Even in days with a 100% chance of rain, you will have periods of brightness. Make the most of them!
Follow us on our journey to Connemara. http://europeyourway.net/connemara
