Straight
ahead is Wolfe Tone Bridge with Galway Cathedral in the background.
Jury's Inn Hotel is on the right. The river in view is the Corrib,
which is a wildlife habitat for salmon.
Moving
further right we see the Spanish Parade. Quay Street (1)
ends here.
This
area used to be the old fish market, where the catches from the
Claddagh fishermen were sold.
The
Columbus sculpture (2) is situated
in front of Wolfe Tone Bridge on the left. It was erected to commemorate
the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America.
Read the full inscription by magnifying the picture.
The
Spanish Arch (3) dates back
to AD 1610 or earlier. It is one of Galway's most historic landmarks
and speaks of Galway's close trading links with Spain in the Middle
Ages. The white building on the left houses the Galway City Museum.
Passing
through the Spanish Arch we enter Long Walk. Along this street Galway's
gentry used to go for strolls. These young Irish Colleens here are
seen sitting in front of Nimmo's Pier restaurant, which serves excellent
sea food in a pleasant surroundings.
Irish
Bed & Breakfast accommodation is possibly the most immediate
way for the casual visitor to glimpse Irish hospitality. The Irish
breakfast consists of tea or coffee, toast, eggs (fried, scrambled
or cooked), bacon rashers, black and white pudding, a fried tomato
and sausages.
The
stretch of Long Walk seen on the right is occasionally used for
docking by boats and small ferries. The River Corrib flows into
the Atlantic Ocean from here.
We are now in the area of the Claddagh, a traditional fishing village.
Hence you'll see a great number of fishing boats of all descriptions.
Here is a skipper at work repairing a Galway hooker. Thirsty work
apparently, since the barrel of Guinness isn't far...
This
picture was taken on a day when St. Peter couldn't quite decide
whether he should schedule rain or sunshine. The weather on Ireland's
West Coast is very unpredictable, and it's not uncommon to cycle
through four seasons in a single day.
Next
we'll visit the Claddagh village. Meet the King of the Claddagh, the
Liam Mellows Pipe band, and many more... |