Historic Sites in Galway

"This 16th-century tower house is one of over 200 in Galway county, located in Oughterard on the banks of the Lough Corrib. Throughout most of medieval history, the land was controlled by the O’Flaherty clan. Around the time of its build, the castle was declared the legal property of the English crown and was taken from the rightful chief, Donal an Chogaidh, and given to Sir Murrough ne doe O’Flaherty."

"Aughnanure Castle is a well-preserved Irish tower house, probably built in 1256 by Walter de Burgos, first Earl of Ulster. Aughnanure means “field of yews” and there is an ancient yew tree nearby. The battlemented castle stands on a low cliff above the Drimneed River, once an essential source of fresh water with boat access for supplies."

"Built around 1500, this superbly preserved fortress signposted 4.2km east of Oughterard was home to the 'Fighting O'Flahertys', who controlled the region for hundreds of years after they fought off the Normans. The six-storey tower house stands on a rocky outcrop overlooking Lough Corrib and has been extensively restored."

"A ‘show mine’ that plays tribute to the days of mining in Connemara, West Galway, a trip to Glengowla brings you below ground to explore the dangerous extraction methods of 19th-century silver and lead mining. As well as the roughshod mining buildings and cave below, Glengowla is now home to an open farm, which is popular with local families. Glengowla Lodge, Glengowla East, Oughterard, Co."

"Claregalway Castle is a fully-restored 15th-century Norman tower house, situated on the banks of the River Clare. It was the chief fortress of the powerful Clanricarde de Burgos family, also known as the Burkes, who were descendants of the original 13th-century Anglo-Normans invaders. The castle has a long, bloody history, which you can learn all about on the regular tours at the castle!"

"A post shared by Veronica Bilotta (@veronicabilotta) on Aug 31, 2018 at 3:48pm PDT. The fully-restored castle will make you feel like a King or a Queen for night, as it has lodging options fit for royalty. The friendly welcoming hosts and the expert guides will help you learn more about the rich history of the castle."

"These two reserves, through their combination of deciduous woods, limestone reefs, lakes and turloughs, constitute one of the most interesting Irish vegetation and faunal complexes still in existence. The Coole-Garryland reserve contains a variety of floral habitats including well-formed high forest on deep pockets of soil, dwarf woodland on limestone pavement and a turlough complex in the Callows and Coole Lake. A large portion of this reserve was formerly owned by Lady Gregory, co-founder with W.B."

"One hour south of Galway City is a great place to take the kids for a day out in nature. Covering an area of approximately 400 hectares is the wetland and woodland nature reserve of Coole Park. The two reserves constitute woods, limestone reefs, lakes, and turloughs where you can see interesting Irish vegetation and fauna."

"James Lynch Fitzstephen was the mayor and magistrate of Galway in 1493. So the story goes, when his son was condemned for the murder of a romantic rival Spanish merchant sailor, Lynch Sr personally acted as..."

"Galway’s contemporary arts hub, the Galway Arts Centre is another revolving exhibition space that takes in an incredible array of local art and entertainment, including theatre and visual arts. The gallery is equally fluid, with a penchant for cartoony modern art and statement sculpture. There are classes, too, if you feel like getting your hands dirty."

"In an idyllic setting by a stream, this 16th-century Norman tower was the summer home of WB Yeats from 1921 to 1929 and was the inspiration for one of his best-known works, The Tower. It adjoins a whitewashed cottage with forest-green trim, which contains an exhibition on Yeats' life and work. From Gort, it's 7.2km northeast off the N66."

"Cong Abbey is a beautiful, ancient monastery ruin from the 13th century. Here you feel like you have been transported back a few centuries and can imagine how the monks …. translated by•View Original"

"Enjoy some authentic Italian food in the heart of Salthill after a walk on the Prom with a takeaway from Da Roberta’s on the Upper Salthill Road. Their menu of classic Italian Linguine, Tagliatelle, and Lasagne with meatballs, chicken and homemade sauces will take you back to sun-soaked afternoons in Italy. At the same time, there’s a taste of the west of Ireland here too; the Linguine with Tiger Prawns and cherry tomato sauce is a must-have!"

"Out in Salthill, combine a stop here with a walk along the prom and you're winning. It tastes better if you work for it. I'd even go so far as to class Da Roberta's as one of Galway's best Italian restaurants (don't let their sporadic social media presence fool you otherwise)."

"Situated in Salthill, Galway, this reasonably priced restaurant with super tasty pizza is the spot to go. The service here is unbeatable and personalised. This is something that really makes them stand out, not to mention their yummy pizzas, of course."

"Hotel of the Year 2018, The Twelve is an elegant retreat in Barna Village. It combines exquisite dining, luxurious rooms and some well-deserved relaxation therapy in Le Petit Spa. Escape the world for a time and immerse yourself in a Nourishing Marine Cocoon Wrap or get back to nature with a mineral-rich Seaweed Bath which is known to have amazing restorative healing properties."

"The hotel/gastropub is situated in Barna Village - a 10-minute drive from Galway. On the top floor, you'll find the fine dining restaurant with a wine list that has won multiple international awards. Our favourite spot is downstairs in The Pins Gastro Bar - the pizzas, stacked with local ingredients, are super."

"The Twelve Hotel is located in the idyllic seaside village of Barna, a short distance outside Galway city. Named after the twelve rolling peaks nearby, this hotel offers relaxation, luxury and escapism. After a busy day exploring the Irish thrills, you can indulge in this hotel’s unique charms."