Established in 1937, Garavan’s Bar is the perfect place to stop for an after dinner drink. It is time for another Irish coffee. I started to get addicted to these while traveling. Every establishment makes them slightly different. This bar was supposed to have a “World Famous” Irish coffee.
They served their coffee with a homemade piece of chocolate. There was a generous amount of cream on top. There was a rich flavor to the coffee in this version.
Check them out at garavans.ie/
Enjoy!
T
If you are looking for a great place for dinner in Galway, check out The King’s Head.
The inside was cool with tapestries all over the walls, huge wooden doors, and seats that looked like thrones.
I ordered Smithwick’s Red Ale. I really developed a love for this beer while in Ireland. It was cold and crisp, perfect for enjoying while looking over the menu.
We had really worked up an appetite with all the exploring we did, so we started with some appetizers. The homemade triple cooked chips (fries) came out first. They were piping hot. They were crispy and the potato was sweet.
The battered onion rings sounded delicious. The fresh sliced onions were sweet. The batter was crispy. There was a nice balance when paired with the soft onion.
Another great dish to share with the table is the tray of soda & sour dough bread to snack on. It comes with different spreads from olive oil, butter, and bruschetta.
For dinner the King Charles I Burger was ordered. The burger was made with homemade prime Irish angus beef. Hegartys cheese was melted on top of the patty. “Crow’s Farm” suckling pig (i.e. bacon), tomato, lettuce, cornichon (i.e. little pickles), and homemade red onion relish were stacked on top of a brioche bun. Plus more homemade chips came on the side. The burger was extremely juicy. The Irish beef is very tender and has a great flavor.
I was excited to get Beef & Guinness Stew. I finally found this stew. It took me several days but I found this classic dish. The tender pieces of beef were slow cooked in a stout with root vegetables and champ (a scoop of mashed potatoes).
The stew was deliciously savory. The beef fell apart in my mouth. The vegetables were tender and went well with the flavor of the stew broth. The mashed potatoes were a perfect way to scoop up the stew broth.
We ordered Boxty for the table to try. These are mashed potatoes that are seasoned and formed into a loaf, like a loaf of bread. Then the loaf is sliced and pan fried to get the sides crispy. It’s an Irish potato pancake. The texture was interesting because it is not as soft as you would think. The crispy texture was unique and made the potato taste wonderful.
The side dish of crispy smashed baby potatoes were a nice addition to any meal. The sweet flavor of the potatoes were seasoned perfectly.
The last dish that was ordered was the daily soup with soda bread. It was another pureed soup. It was root vegetables, so it had an earthy taste.
The King’s Head offered great comfort food. It is well worth the wait to have dinner there. Check out their complete menu at thekingshead.ie/
Enjoy!
T
We started our morning with a walking tour of Galway. We started in Eyre Square / John F. Kennedy Memorial Park. It was interesting to learn how important JFK was to the Irish people.
Walking along the street in the rain, it was a true Irish experience. We learned all about the history of Galway.
The city is beautiful. It was a port city back in history. The Vikings called this place home. The Portuguese and Spanish also settled here when they were fleeing their countries. That is one of the reasons for the name “Latin Corner”. You can see their influences throughout the area.
Oscar Wilde, the famous Irish writer, is from Galway. There is a bronze statue dedicated to him.
Another interesting learning was about the famous Irish Claddagh ring, it was created in Galway. This traditional Irish ring has a heart that represents love, a crown that represents loyalty, and two clasped hands representing friendship. There is actually a battle between two jewelry stores claiming to have made the original ring.
If you are into music, Galway has been the inspiration for two songs with the same name “Galway Girl”. Both Steve Earle and Ed Sheeran wrote popular songs. Outside the Quays Bar, on Forster Street, you will find a bronze statue of the Galway Girl. Stop by and take a picture.
There is a legend that ‘Santa Claus” is buried in a church in the Latin Quarter. Whether it really is St. Nicolas or not it makes for a fun story.
While walking around, it’s hard not to go shopping. There are amazing local stores that you should check out, especially if you are looking for a Irish sweater or had. There are so many options to choose from.
Enjoy!
T
A visit to Ireland needs to include a trip to the Cliffs of Moher (cliffsofmoher.ie/). The views are supposed to be spectacular and awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, on the day of our visit it was raining extremely hard. It was so windy it felt like a hurricane.
The rain was not going to hold us back. We walked to the top of the lookout where O’Brien’s Tower was located. It was built in 1835.
Though it was very foggy over the water and we could not see far, we were at least able to see part of the cliffs and the water below.
It was amazing how the winds were howling and pushing the water upward, instead of down.
There is a wonderful museum that guests can walk through and learn all about the cliffs.
There is a fun 4D movie that runs every 2 minutes. It takes a birds eye view of the cliffs and adds a few surprises as you watch. It is worth watching.
Enjoy!
T
We started this rainy morning heading to the west of Ireland. We were on our way to Adare. This small town is known for its thatched roof homes that look like something out of Lord of the Rings.
Make sure to visit their welcome center. They have great displays explaining the history of the area. It is also a great spot to grab a cup of coffee.
For golf fans, Adare is also home to Adare Manor, which will be hosting the Ryder Cup in 2027 (rydercup.com/the-2027-ryder-cup). It will be amazing to see how this small town will explode with visitors for the tournament.
After this short visit we were back on the road and starting our journey to the famous Cliffs of Moher.
Enjoy!
T
We were not ready to call it a night after we finished dinner. So we headed over to another local pub called J.R. O’Connors Bar.
It had been recently renovated but the original establishment has been around since 1863.
It was cozy inside, with low ceilings. We grabbed a seat by the fire again to warm up. We enjoyed a pint with the locals before heading back to the hotel.
www.facebook.com/p/JR-O-Connors-100064953101715/
Enjoy!
T
