Summer in Galway means festivals, and I managed to get along to SeaFest a few weeks ago and also, to attend a couple of events during the Galway International Arts Festival, which has just finished. SeaFest is Ireland's national maritime festival and a celebration of all things sea; everything was free and the weather was overcast but dry, and there was such a happy atmosphere, and I have to say I really enjoyed the afternoon! I wasn't too enthused when I first heard about it (although I love visiting the seaside and have a terribly romantic notion of the seafaring life, I am not generally a fan of things that are found in the ocean - I'm terrified of fish, seaweed, etc) and was somewhat half-hearted about joining the festivities, but it was just lovely.
Summer in Galway means festivals, and I managed to get along to SeaFest a few weeks ago and also, to attend a couple of events during the Galway International Arts Festival, which has just finished. SeaFest is Ireland's national maritime festival and a celebration of all things sea; everything was free and the weather was overcast but dry, and there was such a happy atmosphere, and I have to say I really enjoyed the afternoon! I wasn't too enthused when I first heard about it (although I love visiting the seaside and have a terribly romantic notion of the seafaring life, I am not generally a fan of things that are found in the ocean - I'm terrified of fish, seaweed, etc) and was somewhat half-hearted about joining the festivities, but it was just lovely.
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After all the beautiful sunshine we've been having recently, I picked one of the cloudiest, greyest days to take some Galway photographs last week... this city really comes to life when the weather is good and the streets are hopping, but these shots are probably more representative of what it's like when we're NOT basking in a not-at-all-typical-for-the-West-of-Ireland Proper Summer. I had planned on maybe revisiting my photographs today but the Galway International Arts Festival is currently in full swing, and town is WEDGED - there was no chance of even retrieving my camera from my bag with the crowds on the streets (it's elbows to the ready and every man for himself out there at the moment), let alone parking up to use it. Anyways! We'll make do with what we have... Galway was originally home to a thriving sea trade, way back in the day, and it still retains a working port and docks. The Claddagh, one of the most picturesque and historically significant areas in the city, where the River Corrib enters Galway Bay, was once a poor fishing village located outside the city walls with its own King of Claddagh. I love this part of the city, and the walk through the noise and colour of the heavily touristed, buzzy High Street and Quay Street, down towards the Spanish Arch to the wide, open river on its way to the sea, is like entering a different space entirely. As soon as I hear the roar of the water (someone told me that the Corrib is the fastest river in Europe but I'm not sure how true this is - I looked it up and it's all a bit vague. It is extremely fast though, particularly after heavy rain, so caution is advised), and the calls of the seagulls, and the wind hits my face, I feel almost like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It's all quite sedate these days, with this nice weather, but heading down to the Claddagh normally encompasses more of a sensory overload that is completely exhilarating. It's gorgeous down here, and there are some great walks out along the sea, towards Salthill. For me, this is Galway. |
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Really, it contains a little bit of everything, from a celebration of science and the English language to the joys of travel and the Shipping Forecast. The title ('Meanderings') is a fairly accurate description of its content: I write about different things as the mood takes me, but hopefully there's something in here for everyone... Categories
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