Galway Weekend-Ryan, Felix and Ellie
Galway Weekend –Ryan, Felix, Ellie
Ryan Mitchell
6/30/24
This Saturday I decided to walk around downtown Galway. I ended up walking around and visiting stores to see what they had for sale as souvenirs. I typically wait to buy souvenirs till the very end of a trip. I noticed a shop with many mugs and other souvenirs. Not wanting to buy anything I marked down on my phone the next time I am in the city to make a purchase of a few items.
That evening, I decided to watch a movie. That night I went to watch "Garfield The Movie." I never have laughed so hard in my life. I particularly find the scene where he gets a bath to be the most hysterical. After watching the movie, I headed back to my dorm and hung out with friends in the lobby.
Felix Mann
6/30/24
This Sunday afternoon, I traveled solo on the bus for the very first time from Corrib Village to Eyre Square to walk around the town of Galway.
First and foremost, I stopped at Tig Cóilí because Sara was already there to watch some live music. On top of that, I was asked to go check out the farmer’s market where I observed that there were more crafts than foods because it was a Sunday. Besides, they mainly have a produce section on Saturdays. Once I returned to Tig Cóilí, I asked Sara where there was a good grocery store with various fruits and vegetables.
As I tried to find my way there, I suddenly stumbled upon the Powell and Sons music shop where I spent much of my time there practicing on a bronze Brunswick acoustic guitar and the black and white Casio keyboards. I performed one of Oasis’s tunes, Wonderwall, on guitar and vocals in front of everybody in the whole entire store. Afterward, I played Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah on two pianos at once… Talk about multi-tasking.
When I left, I officially walked over to Dunne’s to search for all kinds of produce and seafood to photograph in loving memory of my grandfather. He worked in the produce business until the day he died because it brought him joy. However, he cooked the best seafood ever in my family's history.
As I departed from there, I walked back to the bus stop in the pouring rain. The first 404 bus that I thought was going to head back to Corrib Village did not actually go there according to the bus driver, so I stepped off and waited for as long as I possibly could for the next 404 to arrive. Since it didn’t come early enough, I decided to look for a quicker way to return to campus by taking a taxi back to campus by myself. It’s amazing to think that I took two modes of public transportation on my own in a foreign country.
Elinor Attrridge
June 30th Galway stuff.
After escaping the traffic of cars, I found myself on Shop Street in Galway. It connects and branches off to other walking streets that are dedicated to pedestrians or are not desired for vehicles to travel on for being so populated and narrow. Once you have been there long enough you will be able to find your way around. When I was wandering aimlessly, I kept taking photos of stuff that caught my attention.
The bustling crowds became more apparent between Galway Cathedral and Lynch Castle. I was crossing over the Corinth River to keep running into historical plaques that have important history to them, and I was clueless, yet some things made more sense than others. Lynch Castle, for example, is where the term” Lynching” was invented. It is a bit disturbing to think about, but now it is a bank that has a security guard overlooking the ATMs. It stands out as a good landmark due to the consistent British architecture of lions all over it, and its size as a stone structure.
When traveling down the middle-most path from the previous street, on the left is a stone plaque that is decorated with gold and bears the seal of a boar. It stood out to me among the historical figures, locations, tribes, and clans, as the famous O’ Maille Crest. This clan was known well for Grace O’ Maille, the pirate queen. Her clan became known for sailors who steered slave traders away from red-haired women in the Arabian markets for profit, and for pirating British vessels, and meeting with Queen Elizabeth the First. Grace O’Maille did not bow nor accept a title from the Queen since she told Elizabeth herself that she is a queen already with a title and she would not bow to an equal. She impressed Queen Elizabeth and gained her respect.
Soon the weather got to me, and I was satisfied with the spoils of the farmers' market and shops. I turned and walked back to campus, while my calf muscle on my left leg felt strange.
