Galway On Foot Sightseeing Tour

An incredibly enlightening walking tour of Galway

Meet your guide, Seán Leonard near the Spanish Arch, and he will lead you through the city’s stunning medieval city center, as well as more than a thousand years of incredible tales and intriguing history, on an interesting and enjoyable excursion.

Hear how, 800 years ago, Norman invaders brutally seized these territories from the local Gaelic rulers while fortifying their fledgling settlement with walls to stave off the vicious “Wild Irish.” How the city expanded over the following three centuries to become a wildly prosperous (and morally problematic) Renaissance city-state, dominated by the oligarchs of the 14 merchant families that came to be known as the fabled “Tribes of Galway.”

Prepare yourself for the exciting story of how the famed Claddagh Ring came to be in the 17th century as you look over the River Corrib to the historic fishing village of Claddagh: expect galleons, pirates, slave markets, a tantalizing test of devotion… and a tale of true love that wouldn’t give up.

Learn all about Galway’s medieval past

Stroll through a medieval streetscape that hasn’t changed much in eight centuries as you enter the old city, which is now bustling with lively bars, cafés, shops, and restaurants. Find out from Seán where you should eat, drink, and shop, as well as where you should avoid doing so.

Visit the stunning, 700-year-old Church of St. Nicholas, who is the patron saint of sailors (and some other, less honorable occupations). Say hi to some surprisingly amiable gargoyles and perhaps you’ll get some advice on where to find Galway’s best wine and cheese bar. Hear the story of the city’s violent surrender to Cromwell’s troops, which marked the beginning of the “New English” and the end of the “Tribes” and its heyday.

The Lynch Memorial Window, with its carved skull and crossbones, is located right outside the church railings. It’s a great spot to display a moving account of a 15th-century mayor’s “stern and unbending justice”: Meet his murderous son Walter, the unfortunate and somewhat too attractive Spaniard Gomez, and learn how the capricious whims of the medieval populace prompted the development of what may be Ireland’s oldest tourist trap.

Get ready for some more entertaining stories by traveling with Seán to Lynch’s Castle, the best Anglo-Norman castle townhouse in Ireland. Lynch’s Castle is home to a special carving that serves as the inspiration for a tale of a blazing inferno, a menagerie of unusual critters, a newborn in danger, and an improbable rescue.

As your tour comes to a finish, take it easy as you stroll down the busy High St. and Shop St. before making your final stop at the Tigh Neachtáin bar. The edifice that is now home to one of Galway’s best bars once served as the townhouse of “Humanity Dick” Martin, Galway’s most undervalued celebrity and the subject of a stage production that Seán wrote and performed.

Learn about Martin, who at various times held the titles of “King of Connemara,” “the most famous duellist in the land,” the “father of animal protection in the London Parliament,” and “the trailblazer of triumph and tragedy” through the public life of Ireland and Britain. He was also one of the most notorious cuckolds of his day, in addition to being a habitual bankrupt and an outlawed fugitive from justice.

As you wrap up your tour, get more suggestions for what to do during the remainder of your time in Galway and the surrounding area. possibly followed by a toast in Tigh Neachtáin to Humanity Dick and our great small city.