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County Galway is synonimous with the Art's in Ireland. Due to its location Padraicins is just five minutes drive from the Spideal Craft Centre which makes some of the finest tradtional Arfts and Crafts in Ireland. In these these parts you will also find modern Art and the Woolly Aran Jumper can be purchased in most towns, as well as The Aran Islands.
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Galway city nightlife is vibrant and
exciting. There are always activities and goings on in the city.
Something of notable interest to visitors is the sheer amount of
tradtional Irish Music in the city centre. Most bars have live sessions
most nights of the week. Its impossible to avoid and most visitors love
this part of the Galway experience. The Bars which have some of the
more notable acts that are with wlaking distance are O'Connors Bar, The
Crane Bar, The Quays Bar, Cookes Bar.
Galway city has a handful
of good nightclubs and theatre is a very importatn part of the city.
There are plays on the townhall most nights of the week. Galway also
has more than its fair share of larger concerts.
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Situated at the gateway to Connemara on Furbo beach, Padraicins is the ideal bse for your exploration of the west of Ireland.
With lots of diverse and interesting activities within walking & driving distance, you are sure to find plenty to keep you occupied. From horse riding, fishing, golfing, walking through connemara, & with being only a 10 minute drive to the cultural capital of Ireland that is Galway city, theres lots to do & see...
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The Connemara National Park is one
of the most exhilarating activities to do in Connemara. It will most
certainly be one of the highlights of any trip to Ireland. Located just
ten minutes walk from the Lodge the park will present an eclectic array
of views and landscapes which unfold into better majestic panoramic
scenery as you venture up the hill. At top the whole of Connemara seems
to feel at your fingertips and one can sense the splendid diverse range
of rugged beauty that Connemara has a reputation for.
A recently built path of stone makes the journey more pleasant and
accessible to a wide range of walkers. Infact, the park is divided into
three different walks which suit the beginner to the more avid walker.
Because they cover different areas many people do different paths on
different days, so be warned The Connemara National Park could become
your second home.
From the start of the walk you are presented with the view of
Tully mountain and its adjacent winding bays of clear blue water. As
you go further up the view of Lettergesh and Renvyle Strand comes into
sight which is North West Connemara. Keeping going up and Cleggen and
Clifden will present themselves. At the top of the Mountain Kylemore
Lake will introduce itself alnong with Kylemore Abbey, the Inagh
Valley, and on a really clear Day Westport and Achill Island
You also may pass various animals and wildlife peculiar to Ireland.
Connemara Ponies, Rams, Deers, Insects, Birds, running around marble,
natural stones, Heather, rhododendrons and many more.
At this point you may see unusually contrasting views. The Irish
weather has its quickly changing moods as it could well be raining on
one side and very hot on the another. Clifden could be cloudy and Tully
Mountain may have all the sun. By the time you finish the walk it will
be vice versa.
Of more practical convenience the path is well signposted so it
would extremely difficult to get lost in the wilderness. If something
does happen one of a dozen extremely friendly Park rangers will be
there to help. We came across a man near the top of the mountain who
was searching for a wallet that a traveler had lost.
Once at the bottom of the National Park you can relax in front of
the pond area surrounded by large trees, or go for a coffee and browse
the Museum.
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The Aran Islands are one of Irelands
most popular tourist destinations and most people who visit Galway will
spend a day going to Inish Mor Island and cycling to the world Heritage
site Dun Aoghasa. This stands on 300ft cliffs and offers a breathtaking
scene of natural beautyof both the Islands, its Cliffs, and the
Atlantic. It set within and ancient stone fort.
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MARCH
St. Patrick's Day Parade
Parade through the streets of Galway.
Web: www.stpatricksgalway.com
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APRIL
Cúirt International Festival of Literature
Literary festival.
Web: www.galwayartscentre.ie
The Galway Early Music Festival
Featuring concerts, workshops, street performances of music, dance and historical re-enactment.
Web: www.galwayearlymusic.com
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MAY
Volvo Ocean Race
This year's stopover in Galway will be the biggest sporting event in Ireland and is free for everyone to attend.
Web: www.letsdoitgalway.com
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JUNE
Galway Sessions
Traditional music festival. Various venues
Web: www.galwaysessions.com
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JULY
Galway Film Fleadh
Film festival for feature films and shorts.
Web: www.galwayfilmfleadh.com
Galway Arts Festival
One
of Europe's most inventive, vibrant & colourful events. A truly
international celebration of the performing and visual arts which takes
place in and around Galway City each July.
Web: www.galwayartsfestival.ie
The Galway Races – Summer Festival Meeting.
Galway Racecourse, Ballybrit, Galway.
Ireland's premier horse racing festival.
Web: www.galwayraces.com
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AUGUST
Connemara Pony Show
Clifden, Co Galway. Premier show for Connemara Ponies in Ireland for breeders and owners from home and overseas.
Web: www.cpbs.ie
Roundstone Summer Festival
Roundstone, Co
Galway. A weekend where people can come and sample the beauty of the
village of Roundstone and the warmth and friendliness of its
inhabitants.
Web: www.roundstonesummerfest.com
Galway Races – Autumn Festival Meeting
Galway Racecourse, Ballybrit, Galway
Web: www.galwayraces.com
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SEPTEMBER
Clarenbridge Oyster Festival
Clarenbridge, Co. Galway
Great
food, great Guinness, great music and entertainment all in a splendid
marquee on the banks of the Claren River which flows through the
village of Clarenbridge on the edge of Galway Bay.
Web: www.clarenbridge.com
Clifden Arts Week
Clifden, Connemara, Co. Galway
Web: www.clifdenartsweek.ie
Galway International Oyster Festival
Galway City
Music, song, dance and food, and oysters, of course!
Web: www.galwayoysterfest.com
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SEPTEMBER
Baboró - International Arts Festival for Children
All
day at all the major venues in Galway City. National and International
theatre, puppetry, music, dance etc. for children. Including family
events and workshops.
Web: www.baboro.ie
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OCTOBER
Galway Races October Bank Holiday Weekend Meeting
Galway Racecourse, Ballybrit, Galway
Web: www.galwayraces.com
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Golf in Connemara & Galway |
Golf Clubs in County Galway
Athenry Golf Club ;
18 Hole Parkland Course, just fifteen minutes from Galway City. Green Fee 2008-2009
Mon, Wed & Thu €40.00 ~ Sat & Sun €50.00
Tue Open Day €20.00 ~ Society Rate €30.00pp - 16+ qualify for rate.
Tel : +353 (0)91 794466 Email:
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Tuam Golf Club ;
18 Hole Parkland Course, located twenty minutes from Galway City. Buggy for hire. Green Fees €25, (€15 with member).
Tel : +353 (0)93 28993 Email:
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Bearna Golf Club;
18 Hole Parkland Course, located ten minutes from Galway City. The Club's motto - Failte agus Ceol na Fuiseoige leat- meaning " Welcome, and may lark-song accompany you" is intended to signal the tranquility and reception which awaits the visitor on every fairway.
Connemara Golf Club;
27 Hole Links Course, located ten miles from Clifden. Galway's premier links course. Green Fees from €30 - seasonally adjusted.
Tel: +353 (0)95 23502
Cregmore Park Hotel & Golf Club ;
Cregmore, Co. Galway
18 Hole course, just 15 minutes from Galway City, set on 200 acres of parkland.
Galway Golf Club ;
Blackrock, Salthill, Galway City.
Challenging 18 Hole Championship course located in Salthill, with ultra modern facilities. A tight tree lined course. Some tiered greens make it very important to accurately place your drives and a good short game is necessary to score well. The course has excellent views of Galway Bay, the Burren and the Aran Islands. Par 70 : Length 5,816 Metres
Gort Golf Club ;
18 Hole Championship Golf Course, set in 160 acres of picturesque parkland on the edge of the world famous Burren and within 200 yards of the historic monastic settlement of Kilmacduagh. Green Fees €22, (Week-ends €26).
Tel : +353 (0)91 632244
Renvyle Golf Course ;
A challenging 9 Hole, with brilliant Connemara scenery, located on the grounds of Renvlye House - Green Fees €15 per day.
Ballinasloe Golf Club ;
18 Hole Parkland Course. One of Connaught's oldest Golf Clubs. A mature and testing parkland course playable all year round, Ballinasloe offers a challenging variety of superb golf holes and it is noted for it's excellent greens and dog legs of which there are eight.
Connemara Isles Golf Club ;
Scenic 9 hole course located near Carraroe.
This unique island course has some of the most beautifully scenic golf holes in the country. Joined to the mainland by a causeway at Bealadangan, the course is distractingly beautiful where ocean inlets and rocky outcrops provide natural hazards demanding steady nerves.
Curra West Golf Club ;
Short 18 Hole course, located near Loughrea.
Dunmore Demense Golf Club ;
9 Hole parkland course in old estate setting. Dunmore is a scenic course, with mature trees and scenic landscape being its main feature.
Galway Bay Golf Club; Oranmore, Co. Galway
i8 Hole course located in Oranmore. Christy O'Connor Jnr, Ryder & World cup player, designed this 18 hole course to highlight and preserve the ancient historic features of the Renville peninsula. Par 72 : Length 6,533 metres
Glenlo Abbey Golf Club; Bushypark, Galway City.
9 Hole course located in Galway City . The unique 9 hole double green golf course is a par 72 parkland golf course with rolling hills, lakes and fabulous views of Lough Corrib. Glenlo Abbey G.C. is the closest golf course to Galway City and is a favourite amongst locals.
Loughrea Golf Club ; 18 Hole Parkland course
This is a rolling parkland course extended to 18 holes under architect, Eddie Hackett, in 1992. Generous fairway layout is counter balanced by strategic tree plantations and fast greens. While short by today's standards, the test here is for considerable accuracy with approach shots to greens.
Mountbellew Golf Club ; Mountbellew, Co. Galway
A tough wooded parkland course, some tight fairways and tricky par 3's will test all your golfing skills, undulating fairways and natural hazards also play a part.
Oughterard Golf Club ; Gortreevagh, Oughterard, Co. Galway.
18 Hole Parkland course, situated in one Connemara's most delightful villages, it has a nice variety of holes to suit the better player and novice alike.
Portumna Golf Club ; 18 Hole Parkland course
18-hole course in an old estate setting. If you like getting close to the wildlife when you are out on the golf course, then Portumna could be the place for you. The course is surrounded by a national park and the deer graze on it.
Oldthort Golf Course ; Oldthort, Portumna, County Galway.
Nine hole golf course and 18 hole pitch & putt. Ideal for those who want a quiet game at a reasonable price.
Tel: +353 (0)90 9741123 Email:
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Galway is the Cultural Captial of Ireland and features numerous festivals, and cultural activites. It also retains a a pleasant old fashioned feeling with its cobble stoned main street filled with buskers and street side cafes.
Galway is where you will find modern art, theatre, performance and you are guranteeed to find traditional Irish music in some bars every night of the week.
Galway also features europes longest promenades which has long stretches of beach. |
Connemara is a maze of varied landscapes and is steeped in a variety of different types of stunning natural beauty. It has all the wilderness and charm that has charactorised Ireland as a whole and a visit to this area would be a highlight of any holiday. Here is a list of some of the must see attractions that you may well come accross on a drive through Connemara.
The Sky Road.
This is a road between Letterfrack and Clifden. It is a twenty mintue coastal drive.
The Connemara National Park.
The Connemara National Park has a very well laid out man made path of wood (so its really safe) that leads up the Diamond Mountain and affords stunning panoramic views of all of Conemara and varied landscapes. An afternoon here is highly reccomended.
Kylemore Abbey.
This is where authentic country Ireland meets majestic castle. Kylemore Abbey is one of the most photographed attractions in Ireland.
Roundstone Village.
Roundstone has been heralded as the most picturesque village in Ireland. It is still a working fishing village where you can feel part of the community. It also features Gurteen Bay which is very beautiful.
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