To The Pub

One of Galway's greatest attributes: the pubs. Big pubs little pubs music pubs foody pubs trad pubs quirky pubs sports pubs old-man pubs student pubs and pub pubs.. It's got them all, and in no short supply.

Considering which pubs you may like depends on your personal requirements, whether that be a sheltered smoking area, decent prices, good guinness, hot bar staff, reliable wi-fi, full length bathroom mirror or good pub grub.  Deciding on where to spend your hard earned euro can be tricky sometimes! Having frequented more than a few, I hope you find this pub guide useful. If all else fails and you still can't decide, I recommend you do a pub crawl.


For simplicity, I've divided the pubs under three headings: The West End, The Latin Quarter and East Side. The Latin Quarter and the West End are two specific areas where local businesses have joined forces to promote themselves as destination spots. They both run mini weekend festivals and different events throughout the year.
The third heading 'East Side' encompasses the pubs which are on the east end of the city, in or around the Eyre Square and the Docks. There is no official name for this part of town, so I'm going to call it 'East Side', you saw it here first!




The West End 


This area stretches from William St. and Henry St., along upper and lower Dominick St.

Bierhaus, Blue Note, The Crane, E Brun, Massimo, Monroes, Roisin Dubh, Salthouse,


Map:   http://g.co/maps/3tdkb


The Latin Quarter


The Latin Quarter extends along Quay St. up High St., left around the corner near the Kings head and down Maingaurd St., and across Cross St.


Bunch of Grapes, Busker Brownes, Dáil Bar, Dew Drop Inn, Druid Lane, Freeneys, The Front Door, Kellys, The Kings Head, Murphys, Neachtains, Taaffes, Tig Coilí, Townhouse, The Quays


Map:   http://g.co/maps/skss8


East Side


The East Side runs along Foster St. up around the Eyre Square, down towards Dock Road. One or two from the list veer slightly from this route, but are easy to find.


The Cellar, De Burgo's, Eight Bar, Fagan's, Fibber McGee's, Fox's Porterhouse, Garvey's, Kennedy's, McGinn's, McSwiggan's, Morgan's Bar, O'Connell's, An Pucán, Richardson's, The Skeffington Arms.


Map:   http://g.co/maps/55jg6

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Kelly's

Located on Bridge St., Kelly’s is a modernised old-style bar with cosy snugs and a mellow daytime atmosphere. Formerly called The Living Room, Kelly’s opened in 2009 featuring a new intimate venue upstairs, showcasing live music and regular club nights. The venue which can accommodate an audience of 300 has hosted acclaimed musicians and comedians such as Duke Special, Tommy Tiernan, P J Gallagher and Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip.
The Tux Spuds from the food menu make a tasty daytime snack with a pint of lager and for the hungrier patron a burger and pint does little damage, costing €8.95. Smokers are accommodated with a heated and seated 'smoking room' and the reliable wi fi connection is a bonus.
Late bar at the weekend, with djs playing electro, hip hop, indie and pop music to an eclectic crowd.

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Tigh Neachtain

This small pub is located in the heart of the city's Latin Quarter, on the corner of Cross St. and Quay St. It is loved by locals and visitors alike, attracting Guinness connoisseurs far and wide . The interior captures the spirit of a traditional Irish pub with intimate snugs and low ceilings. On a cold day, find yourself a spot by the open fire and look around at the various Galway Art's Festival posters on the surrounding walls. On a dry day, the seats outside offer great people watching potential where you can watch the world go by.

There are frequent live music sessions and Neachtain’s has a strong affiliation with Galway’s arts and musical communities. There are plenty draft lagers, various wines by the glass (if you like red, go with the Rioja) and bottled ales- including their own brewed guest ale which changes regularly.  Last orders are usually around 10:30pm.
When you’re standing outside look up towards the corner of the building where you'll see an original medieval window, dating from the 15th century! 

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O'Connells 

This locally adorned gem is located centrally on the East side of Eyre Square. The front of the bar has been preserved in it's original decor- tiled flooring, stained glass windows, antique lamp shades and a speckling of old photographs along the walls.

Out the back is one of the city’s best beer gardens. Tall heaters surround the long picnic tables on wooden decks. During the summer, the mock street-front adds a street party vibe to the regular BBQs held here. Patrons of the rain sheltered area are serviced by an outdoor bar from 7pm at weekends. The staff are always friendly and there’s usually good banter to be had.
Supporters of the regional Connacht rugby team regularly meet here to watch the games, while midweek O'Connells is a popular spot for the after-work crowd.

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An Pucán

Tucked around the corner from Eyre Square on Forster St, An Pucán is an award winning Irish speaking pub. They're best known for their live traditional music, Irish dancing, full Irish breakfast and private Hooker!

The pub takes its name from a Galway Hooker (this is a type of local fishing boat, behave!) which has been restored to its optimal glory. She now provides seating inside the pub, albeit slightly awkward, to those fancy something a little bit different. The selection of food on offer is hearty and traditional- stews, bacon and cabbage, pan fried salmon. Evening prices range between €7 and €15, more for a steak. There is live music entertainment most evenings, last orders around 12am.


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Monroes

Located across the bridge from the Claddagh on Dominic St., Monroe’s Tavern is renowned for its free live music seven nights a week, friendly staff and award winning pizzas. Midweek expect anything from set dancing and trad to folk and rock covers.

The rustic wooden flooring and open plan of the bar amplify the music and add to the tavern charm. At the weekends 'Monroe’s Live', the new live music venue on the second floor, hosts a mixture of cover and original Irish bands. Open for breakfast at 9:30am, their legendary full Irish will leave you feeling full for days.

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Massimos

Massimo's on William St. is a stylish and eclectic downtown bar on the edge of the city's West End. The cushy leather sofas and artistic decor attract a mid 20's-mid 30's crowd. On weekends the dance floor fills up with merry punters dancing to a mix of electro, pop and soul. Open until 2am Friday and Saturday, it gets busy later on in the night, attracting late comers from the surrounding pubs. 

Lunch from the recently launched 'gourmet-gastro-pub menu, EAT' is served from 12pm daily, with brunch and live jazz every Sunday from 1pm.

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**More pub descriptions / write ups to follow!**



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