Places To Visit

Westport House was built in 1730, on the ruins of one of legendary Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley’s 16th Century castles built by The Browne Family. It is approx 1 hour 15 mins from Galway city and situated in a superb Parkland setting with lake, terraces and gardens overlooking Clew Bay, The Atlantic Ocean and Clare Island to the West. To the South Croagh Patrick sits on the horizon and to the front of the house the Carrowbeg River runs into the lake and down to the quay.

Complete with original antiques, dungeons, wax work displays and two comprehensive educational exhibitons , it is home to Grace O’Malley’s direct descendants: The 11th Marquess of Sligo and his family. Stunning scenery, architectural magnificence, beautifully manicured gardens and a Pirate Adventure Park combine with a remarkable history, that encompasses Ireland’s notorious Pirate Queen, rebellions, slavery and famine - to provide a memorable, fun and educational experience for all age groups. There are endless activities for young and old such as pitch and putt, table tennis, tennis, white swan boats, cannonball run, playgrounds, bouncy castle and much more.

Experience the beauty and heritage of Galway city with one of Galway's best loved characters, Liam Silke, leading you through the winding streets to discover a bustling modern city filled with Olde Worlde Medieval charm. Walking Tours in Galway with Liam Silke offers an adventure spanning centuries in the passing of an afternoon. Perfect for an educational Family Day Out in Galway, Liam offers more than the average tour guide – local knowledge and charm and a custom tour of Galway like no other.

Liam is a Certified Tour Guide by Failte Ireland, and not only has a wealth of knowledge about the heritage and history of Galway but can also give "insider information" about the best places to eat, drink and be merry in Galway City. Perfect for both visitors to Galway who would like to get more out of their stay, and even for natives of Galway who would like to discover more about this wonderful city. Liam is happy to accommodate various groups and leads all of his tours in English. Liam can provide guided walking tours of old galway on a daily basis, morning or afternoon. The tour is approximately 90 minutes in duration.

The university is located near the city centre and stretches along the River Corrib. The oldest part of the university, the Quadrangle, designed by John Benjamin Keane, is a replica of Christ Church, one of the colleges at the University of Oxford. Well worth a look if visiting Galway.

Turoe Pet Farm, with a reputation for excellent 'value for money' first class customer service offers a unique farm experience for family, group and individual outings. Apart from its popularity for school tours Turoe Farm is also an ideal facility for Birthday, First Communion and Confirmation Parties.

The tower or castle that Yeats bought was a sixteeneth century norman castle built by the family de Burgo, or Burke. It consisted of four floors with one room on each, connected by a spiral stone stairway built into the seven-foot thickness of the massive outer wall. Each floor had a window overlooking the river which flowed alongside. At the top here was a flat roof reached by a final steep flight of steps from the floor below. There is a great view of the surrounding country including Coole's Seven Woods, from its parapets. There were two attached cottages, one of which was in ruins. A walled garden is joined to the cottages and across the road a grove of trees. The Cloon river winds through this low-lying, rolling countryside, dropping over a thirty foot waterfall before it flows past Thoor Ballylee and afterwards disappearing into a underground passage on its way to enter the Atlantic Ocean.

A visit to Galway is never complete without spending some time exploring The Latin Quarter. It is a magical place. Starting at St Nicholas' Church, the Latin Quarter runs through the city's Saturday market and onto O'Brien's Bridge. From there it follows the River Corrib down to the Spanish Arch where the Galway City Museum is located and then swings back up along Middle Street and turns up Buttermilk Lane where it joins the starting point. From day-time to late into the night it is buzzing with people who are enjoying all that is on offer. The vast majority of the shops are locally owned and it boasts some of some of Galway's best loved pubs and restaurants.

Situated in the heart of Galway and established in 1940 the Kenny Gallery represents some 200 artists and has nearly 2,000 artworks in stock on its database at any one time. The gallery hosts some 16 solo exhibitions per annum, with an everchanging collection.

To Begin to discover the secrets of the Burren, a walk through the Burren Centre Exhibition is essential. Beautifully presented, with atmospheric lighting and sounds, the story of the Burren unfolds before your eyes, revealing the history of man and animals and how they co-existed.

The Biddy Early Brewery is Ireland's first pub brewery. We hope our site will impart a little of our passion for our beers. When we started to brew in 1995, we revived the tradition of craft brewing in Ireland and our small brewery continues to produce fine beers using only natural ingredients. Since we opened our brewery in 1995 we have had many visitors. While obviously content with a pint or two of our beers, we found that they also wanted to know more about the brewery itself. To provide this we have converted part of the pub into a visitor centre. Here visitors can watch an audio-visual presentation on the legend of Biddy Early and the brewing process and how the two are inter-linked. This is followed by a guided tour of the brewery and beer tasting. Finally, visitors have the opportunity to purchase souvenir merchandise.

Stronach Gallery, run by Nicola Stronach and Jean-Pierre Maire, has an interesting collection of contemporary art for sale online and at our charming Victorian country house in Connemara, Ireland. We represent prominent artists from the ex-Soviet Union, including Alina Maksimenko, Edward Belsky, Serhiy Savchenko, Borys Buryak, Irakli Sutidze and Merab Abramishvili, whose art works are also to be found in the national galleries of their respective countries. Closer to home, we are privileged to work with talented Irish artists, Declan O'Connor, Rosemary Carr, Selma McCormack and Rosie McGurran who are all living and working locally in Connemara. This is not a typical gallery, but an intriguing place that houses a unique collection of art from many different countries, including Ireland, in a beautiful remote location.

Signpost Tours are West of Ireland Tour specialists. Using the local knowledge of our guides and drivers, we craft tours that are above and beyond the ordinary. Browse through our Tours and allow us to do the work for you! We specialise in small to medium-sized group tours for golf, outdoor adventure and cultural living holidays. Our focus is on experiencing local historic and living culture.

The Sheep & Wool Museum was founded in 1992 with a view to displaying and conserving different items which were used in the wool industry locally. You are invited to enjoy the exhibits and demonstrations indoors, or take a stroll among the friendly sheep outdoors. Shop at your leisure for gifts and souvenirs, or choose from the delicious home-made fare from our own kitchen. Visitors to the museum obtain a great insight into the history and importance of wool in Ireland and come away more conscious of the need to protect our heritage and our culture. We hope that you enjoy your visit to Leenane, and that you will come visit us while you are here.

Segway adventure will take you through the heart of this lively, bustling and historic Gateway to the West....Galway City. Eyre Square, Spanish Arch, Corrib River, The Docks, Shop Street and Galway Bay are among the places you will discover. You will also visit the less travelled paths for a unique experience of this beautiful city. Meeting Point is at Unit 9, Kiltartan House, Forster Street, Galway. Tours depart at 10am, 12pm, 2pm & 4pm (weather permitting). The Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing electric scooter and great fun.

Paddywagon Tours specialise in guided tours of Ireland. All tour drivers are all 100% Irish and are committed to giving their passengers a 100% Irish holiday experience. You can choose from a number of exciting and fun-filled day tours, 4-day tours of the south west of Ireland, New Years tours, and even backpacker guided tours.

Paddywagon offer Free Dublin Airport Bus Transfers for all our guests who book a tour or stay in their downtown luxury hostel. If you are on a budget and interested in adventure and fun and want to see all the different and diverse sides of Ireland, then you will love our 1,3,6 & 10 Day action packed tours of Ireland.

The legendary Paddywagons (a luxury sparkling Green Mercedes Midi-coach, driven by highly intelligent, experienced and traned Irish guides) travel North or South; 3 days, one week or two, all year round. They don’t hibernate for winter like most other tour companies.

Experience the majestic splendour of the cliffs of Moher to magic and the Giants Causeway, the lonely silence of the Burren, the beat off the bodhrán; from relaxing in a hot seaweed bath to swimming with dolphins, not to mention the Guinness Brewery, Belfast, Galway! All in one unbeatable, all-inclusive price. Accommodation in the best genuine Irish hostels, breakfast, all entry fees and all travel is included. The independent traveller wins again!

O'Neachtain Tours runs daily trips to the Burren, Cliffs of Moher and Kylemore Abbey and most of Connemara. From the comfort of O'Neachtain tour bus you can see some of the most beautiful areas in Ireland, and with many stops to explore and experience you can truly get a feel for the countryside. Operates seven days a week, all year, departing from both Salthill and Galway Tourist Offices.