Galway is a city, a county, and an experience to be savoured and remembered. The historic city of the tribes dances to a beat uniquely it’s own while the peripheral villages of Oranmore, Claregalway, Barna, Furbo and Spiddal offer a more rural experience if you want some peace and quiet while still being lclose to the city itself.

There is certain chemistry and vibrancy to this friendly University City, which many delight in, and few forget. Music, festivals, horse racing, pubs, restaurants, shops, theatres and most of all Galway people, combine to create this atmospheric medieval city. From this pulsating heart the rest of the county flows.

Galway City is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe and, with a population of approximately 71,983 as per the census of April 2006, it has become the third city in the Republic of Ireland after Dublin and Cork. It began as a small fishing village centred around the estuary of the River Corrib, a river traditionally called Abhainn na Gaillimhe (The Galway River) after Galvia, a mythological princess said to have drowned in its waters.

The city takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib) that formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe, or the fort at the mouth of the Gaillimhe. The word Gaillimh means "stony" as in "stony river". (Alternative, more mythical, derivations are given in History of Galway). The city also bears the nickname The City of the Tribes, because fourteen "Tribes" (merchant families) led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period. The term Tribes was originally a derogatory phrase from Cromwellian times. The merchants would have seen themselves as English nobility, and hence were loyal to the King. Their uncertain reaction to the siege of Galway by Cromwellian forces earned them this label, which they subsequently adopted in defiance.

Galway city is unique among Irish cities because of the strength of its Irish language, music, song and dancing traditions - it is often referred to as the 'Bilingual Capital of Ireland'. The city is well known for its ‘Irishness’, and mainly due to the fact that it has on its doorstep the Galway Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking area). The Irish language can be heard in use by locals and is visible on the city streets and in the outlying villages of Bearna (Barna), Na Forbacha (Furbo) and An Spideál (Spiddal) with bilingual signage on display on shops and road signs, and can be heard in use by locals. Irish theatre, TV production and Irish music are an integral part of Galway city life, with both An Taibhdhearc, the National Irish Language Theatre, and TG4 headquarters in Galway. This has brought an Irish-speaking young professional population to the city and county, and has generated a renewal of interest in the language and in language-related activities and social events.

The Aran Islands are easily accessible from Galway City by air or by ferry and all three are Gaeltacht regions. Inis Mór or Árainn is the largest and most developed of the three, criss-crossed by a maze of stone walls and rich in language, culture and heritage. The middle island, Inis Meáin, is considered the most tranquil of the three and perfect for walking with plenty of way-marked trails and quiet sandy beaches. The eastern island, Inis Oírr, is the smallest and regarded by many as the most beautiful with a barren and rugged landscape perfect for quiet contemplation and relaxed walks.

A vast array of festivals take place in Galway City each year - too many to mention here so be sure and click on the 'Festivals & Events' tab at the top of the page for a detailsed list! Among some of the events taking place in Galway City each year is the Cúirt International Festival of Literature (April), the Galway Early Music Festival (May), the Galway Sessions traditional Irish music festival, the Galway Film Fleadh (July), the Galway Arts Festival (July), Galway Races horse racing festival (start of August), Galway International Oyster Festival (September), the Baboró Galway International Arts Festival for Children (October) and the Tulca Visual Arts Festival (November) to name but a few.