Galway: The College View

With a cast-iron reputation as one of Ireland’s most bustling student haunts, Galway has a diverse range of options for any and every student. It is, in many respects, a city that never sleeps.

“This is a party town,” says Jonathan. “There’s no two ways about it! You will find some of the best late night venues that operate anywhere in Ireland right here, seven nights a week. From an NUI Galway point of view, the biggest spot is our own college bar. It caters for events of all sizes – we’ve had the likes of The Original Rudeboys and Mundy play already this year. Ryan Sheridan, This Club and The Kanyu Tree have played in recent years. Musically, we like to concentrate on Irish acts. Do we go down the Vengaboys route? We have in the past! But we find that students are more interested in seeing emerging Irish artists as opposed to novelty acts.”
With such a large student population in Galway, the taste is quite wide, and the city manages to cater for as many people as it possibly can. But what of its much-vaunted bohemian vibe?
“It’s quite a creative and arty place”, Jonathan nods. “‘Bohemian’ is a fair way of putting it. There’s a range of related activities to be found both in and out of college, like drama workshops or exciting new theatre productions. There’s a proud tradition here, a huge culture of the arts and that’s seen in things like the Galway Arts Festival, Macnas and the Druid Theatre.
“Original music in Galway still gets huge support. You can’t go wrong with the Roisin Dubh, the Townhouse Bar, the King’s Head, Kelly’s and O’Connell’s Bar on Eyre Square, all of which offer great live music on a regular basis. That last spot is a bit of an unknown quantity but if you want a taste of real Galway and good Guinness, that’s one of the best places to go. I’m actually really excited by some of the new young and exciting acts that have sprung up in the past year or so. The quality is phenomenal. I’d keep my eye on Rofi James, Boyfights, Zero Era, RudyTrixX and Supersaiyan.”
But there’s got to be more to Galway than excellent arts and hip hangouts. Is there an outlet for those who prefer their leisure activites to be a little more intense?
“Absolutely,” says Jonathan. “I’m currently on a bit of a fitness buzz and I’m training with Pat Divilly Fitness in Barna. There’s a fantastic restaurant called 37 West, located quite close to the college campus, which offers lots of healthy eating options. In terms of sport, it’s packed. Galway is the home of Connaught Rugby. You also have Galwegians, Corinthians and Our Lady’s Boys Club. It’s also the home of Galway United, Salthill Devon and Mervue United, not to mention the various gaelic games teams in the surrounding area.
“There is a wealth of sporting options for people to join and teams to go and see. Sport is huge here. Today on campus, there was about 60 people playing ultimate frisbee! From martial arts to team sports to athletics, it’s a hive of sports and fitness at the moment. You name it, it’s happening in Galway!”