I Landed in Ireland (Part 4): Gallivanting in Galway!

- June 29, 2026, Tuesday.

- I only had less than a day to explore Galway. It was doable, with some more hours to spare. Galway's city center is very compact, making it easy to go around on foot. It was so compact that I finished all places I had wanted to visit mid-morning!

- One of the first things that come to mind when I think of Galway are the colorful houses along the Long Walk. The area was built in the 18th century as an extension of the docks to manage the waves coming from the sea. The walk extends beyond the Spanish Arch, built in the 16th century as part of the city wall, and were eventually called "Spanish" because of the Spanish traders who docked or eventually resided in Galway.

The "Seated Figure" by artist Sean Henry was placed near the Long Walk as part of an international art festival this year. Yes this big statue startled me so early in the morning. 

With the colorful houses behind me.

The clouds were too gray huhu.

Eglinton Canal Sea Lock; this mechanism controls the flow of water between the river and the bay.

Colorful houses.

Spanish arch from afar.

And up close. The city museum is actually just beside the Spanish Arch but since it was a Monday, the museum was closed. I guess visiting the museum was the only "major" thing I didn't get to do in Galway.

- I later found my way to the city's Latin Quarter, which was only called as such in the past decade or two. It is said that the city center was unofficially called as such in earlier years because of the Latin School in the area; yet despite its name, it is also said that this city center is one of the most "Irish" places in Ireland. The quarter retains its old medieval look, like photos from the pages of a history book.

Latin Quarter.

I passed by the Hall of the Red Earl. It was the oldest building found in Ireland, built in the 13th century, and used to be a municipal building. 

- I visited St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church and the Lynch Memorial Window just outside the church. The memorial window was built in the 1800s as a reminder of the legend of Mayor James Lynch fitz Stephen. It was said that in the 1400s, James Lynch had a son named Walter who murdered a Spanish merchant. As no one would dare lay their hands on Walter, James had to perform his duty and execute his son by hanging from their own home. The window serves as a lesson on duty and justice.

Lynch Memorial Window.

- The St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, built in the 14th century. Found in the heart of the Latin Quarter, this church has been the site of many historical events and ceremonies. 

A "collegiate church" means that it's lead by a community of clergymen rather than one priest.

Celtic cross.

Medieval Galway clothes.

Plenty of nice windows.

Church exterior.

- Later, I passed by Galway Cathedral. It is the main Catholic church of Galway, yet it was only completed in the 1960s. This is also the reason why the St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church saw most of the city's highs and lows throughout history, despite it appearing smaller and more hidden than the Galway Cathedral. 

Galway Cathedral.

Cathedral interior.

The cathedral has a lot of mosaic artworks.

It also has a lot of floral stained-glass windows.

Mosaic of the Holy Family.

- With much time to spare, I decided to head towards Galway University. The university, established in the 1840s, is one of the top educational institutions in Ireland. Apart from appreciating the university's old buildings, I also dropped by the annual conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) to interact with media researcher friends and colleagues especially from the Philippines.

Entrance to the school's Quadrangle.

The buildings at the quadrangle are filled with vines.

Friends and colleagues from the Philippines. We're all more or less in the same field.

I just realized how much my shirt matches the vines at the back.

- I spent the rest of the afternoon going around the Latin Quarter. It was nice to just soak in the energy of the people, from the tourists to the street performers.

Lynch's Castle. Built in the 15th or 16th centuries by the Lynch family.

The castle is now occupied by the Allied Irish Banks.

Latin Quarter.

It is not what you think; see below.

McDonagh's is a fish-and-chips place.

Fish, chips, and mushy peas. The triangle thing at the right side is stingray. They all....tasted the same.

HE LOOKS LIKE HIS PUPPET OMG HAHA.

- Eventually, I had to go to the train station and catch my train back to Dublin. My stay in Galway was but a blink of an eye, but I loved every second that I was there. But there was still much to be seen and done in Dublin, so I was equally happy to be going back to the capital!