Where we visit Galway City, Loughrea, and Portumna

Last time, we arrived at the Farmhouse in County Galway. Once settled, we decided to head for Galway City¹ for a day. We found parking right next to a beautiful church. We’ve seen a lot of old churches on our visit; this was a new church, built in the 20th century.

Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas, Galway City. Devilish Smile of My Husband.

We also stumbled upon another new-ish building.

The taste of Home

Galway is a medieval city. The Spanish Arch dates from the late-16th Century.

Spanish Arch, Galway City. Still in excellent condition. Nice job, Spanish arch-builders!

We wandered around Galway Bay and the docks

The Docks, Galway City

Kevin enjoyed some of the less scenic parts of our walk.

Yes, a trash heap at the Galway Bay docks. Yes, Kevin stopped and took a picture. Yes, he made me include it here. (Kevin: Hey—it was part of our Ireland experience!) (Shaindell: OK, we saw a trash heap, but it was a trash heap … In Ireland.)

before finding a place to have dinner in town. That turned out to be more challenging than we were expecting. It turned out to be the day students got their Leaving Exam results and so the whole area was packed with partiers - celebrating or drowning their sorrows, we couldn’t tell the difference. Eventually, though, we found a very Irish place and enjoyed the scenery while we ate.

These women were having FUN

The next day we visited Loughrea—another town near the Farmhouse (the Farmhouse sits roughly equidistant between Athenry and Loughrea). Loughrea’s origins date to the 6th Century, but the “modern” town was settled by the Normans in the 13th Century.

The eponymous Lough

Kevin ready to storm the Medieval Town Gate, Loughrea, County Galway

St Brendan's Cathedral, Loughrea

The interior of the church is spectacular. St Brendan's Cathedral, Loughrea

St.Mary’s Abbey, founded in the 13th Century. (Kevin: We found it also.) (Shaindell: sigh.)

We took a walk along the town moat, beginning at the Abbey.

The Walks, Loughrea, County Galway

Next stop was Portumna Castle, which dates from the early 17th century. The tour guide told us the house is more of a fortified manor than a castle. But they call it a castle anyway.

See! Portumna Castle

Entry Arch into the grounds. Portumna Castle, County Galway

Portumna Castle, County Galway. That yellow thing is the ubiquitous COVID-19 warning sign of the times. Somebody made a very good living out of creating COVID signs over here.

The Norman family that built and lived in the house were not popular people among the Irish. On an unrelated note, the house was gutted by fire in the early 19th century. The family decided the house was beyond repair; they built a new home not far from the site of this one. When they left that new house, the townspeople took it apart brick by brick. Nothing is left.

And… home for the day.

I am trying to SLEEP HERE

Next up… Connemara National Park!

1. A thing we’ve learned: When a County and a Town or City has the same name, like with Galway, then if you say “Galway,” you mean the County. “Galway City” is the town.