We passed by a statue of Oscar Wilde sitting on bench, pausing to take awkward tourist photos. From there, we continued to the intersection of William Street with Abbeygate Street, where Lynch's Castle still stands, erected in the early sixteenth century. It served as home to some of Galway's most influential residents, the Lynch family. Various members of the family served as mayor and had other influential roles in the city. Today, the intact castle functions as an Allied Irish Bank building.
From Lynch's castle, we walked down Shop Street towards Lombard Street, passing a small outdoor market in front of St. Nicholas Church. The market had all manner of hand-made wares for sale, from hats and mittens to speciality soaps to baked goods. There was one stand which had pre-Euro Irish coins, which I found very interesting, but the shopkeeper wanted €7 for coins that were not in any particularly good condition. At this point, I had reached the end of the small market, and a saw a food truck selling Indian food. I saw a familiar face in the line for food, but wasn't sure, so I headed closer to investigate. Sure enough, Stephen, the backpacker who I had met on the ferry to Inis Oírr, was waiting in line to buy food. We had a brief chat, in which he explained that the nearby St. Nicholas had sculptures from the medieval period. The faces had been shaved off by Cromwell's forces, enforcing their iconoclast ideology These shaven-faced statues were still standing in the church today. I told him I would check it out and he got his food to head off and enjoy some people watching at a local cafe.
At this point, we visited St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church, known as the largest medieval parish church in Ireland still in use. It was built in 1320, and expanded througout the years. The church had a short guide available for visitors that boasted of the fact that Christopher Colombus, while he was in Galway in 1477, most likely worshipped at St. Nicholas'. I was hesitant to spend much time in the church, as there was a family having their baby baptised.
From there, we walked over the Quay Street, at the bottom of High Street, where the Thomas Dillon Claddagh Gold Shop, established 1750, was located. The makers are known for being the oldest crafters of the ring in question, and the only place able to stamp their rings with "Original" stamps approved by Dublin Castle. They feature a "museum" which is little more than one room with loads of posters and rings crammed into every nook and cranny. While cramped, it was informative, and something of a collection of interesting correspondance. The ringmakers produced a ring for the Royal Family, among other celebrities. Ring collectors in Boston have traded pieces for original Claddagh Rings. They even feature the world's smallest Claddagh Ring (you have to look through a provided magnifying glass to see it).
From there we walked down Quay Street to the River Corrib, running into the Christopher Colombus monument, marking his visit in 1477. He had stopped in Galway during a voyage to Iceland or the Faroe Islands. Just down the river and marking the beginning of The Long Walk, a long street of quays, stands the Spanish Arch. There are actually two arches, one being closed by a gate, containing a fireplace built in 1602 with the Lunch Coat of Arms, and the other open as a walkway. The Spanish Arch was built as an extension of the city's walls to protect the quays.
Behind the arch stood a cafe called Ard Bia at Nimmo's, housed in a building that appears at least as old as the arch itself. The building, made of similar stone, is built into The Long Walk, and serves as a wall, comprising a bank for the River Corrib. After coffee at the cafe, some of the female members of our party fancied themselves Claddagh rings, a desire which we obliged them.
As our trip to Galway was winding itself down to an end, we made a stop at a local grocery to buy sandwiches for dinner on the bus trip home. Allured by the vast beer selection, we all picked a bottle. Alex and I sampled Galway Hooker, a locally brewed pale ale named for the iconic boat. We caught the CityLink bus back to Cork, wrapping up a brilliant weekend.
Reading your blog after doing all these things makes me wonder if we were at the same place.... D= Thanks for all the historical explanations Professor Royal!
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