Medieval Galway Tour

The Medieval Galway Tour offers a captivating journey through the city’s rich history. Start your tour at the Browne Doorway in Eyre Square, where you see the remains of the city walls hidden in the Eyre Square Shopping Centre and learn about their significance to Galway’s residents. Next, visit Lynch’s Castle, now an AIB bank and the oldest commercial building in Ireland. Here, you will hear about the Lynch family, one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway, and the legend of James Lynch Fitzstephen, who tragically hanged his own son. The tour continues to St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, a landmark in Galway for over 700 years. You will discover stories about Jane Eyre and James Kearney, and how Cromwell’s soldiers once used the church as a stable. You will then explore The King’s Head Pub, which has a historical connection to the beheading of King Charles I of England. Following this, visit Thomas Dillon’s Jewellers on Quay Street, the original makers of the famous Claddagh ring since 1750, and hear the fascinating story behind this iconic piece of jewellery. The tour also includes a visit to the Hall of the Red Earl, an important archaeological site managed by the Galway Civic Trust look at the remains of walls, columns and buttresses. As you walk through Kirwan’s Lane, you will see remnants of medieval Galway, with buildings dating back to that period. The lane is named after the Kirwan family, another of the fourteen Tribes. At the end of Quay Street, see Blake’s Castle, owned by the Blake family. You will learn about the life of criminals in the jail and the castle’s restoration in the 1980s. The tour concludes at the Spanish Arch, one of Galway City’s most iconic attractions. Here, you will learn about the Claddagh across the river and the tsunami that destroyed two of the arches. The tour starts at 2pm, meeting at the Browne Doorway in Eyre Square. Be sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure a timely start. Booking in advance is essential. Enjoy your exploration of Galway’s medieval past.

attractions