In the county of Galaway, western Ireland

 “Love is never defeated, and I could add, the history of Ireland proves it.”

-- Pope John Paul II
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(in western Ireland) Galway, the city, seaport, and seat of Ireland's County Galway is situated on the northern shore of Galway Bay. (Galway city is administratively independent of the county.) It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the 5th most populous city on the island of Ireland and the 4th most populous in the Republic of Ireland. Located near an earlier settlement, Galway grew around a fortification built by the King of Connacht in 1124. A municipal charter in 1484 allowed citizens of the by-then walled city to form a council and mayoralty. Controlled largely by a group of merchant families, the Tribes of Galway, the city grew into a trading port.

+ Today, Galway, also known as Gaillimh in Irish, is a key gateway to West Ireland. It has long been known as "The City of the Tribes," and considering the vitality of modern-day Galway, this moniker could not be more apt. The Galway Arts Festival and Galway Race Week are two of the major events held there, but there are many more, such as the Oyster Festival.

+ With its tangled lanes lined with colorful shopfronts curving around Galway Bay, Galway is one of Ireland's most attractive cities. Bolstered by an energetic student population, it is one of the island's most vibrant, with musicians striking up in its atmospheric pubs and busking on its streets, a seafood-driven culinary scene, a jam-packed calendar of events and a bohemian soul. July and August bring long days that are great for exploring, but the high season also brings higher accommodation prices. And while these may be the summer months, fun in the sun is never a guarantee in Ireland. The shoulder season months of April, May, September, and October are great times to visit, with fewer crowds. These months can even see stretches of exceptional weather ⁠-- sometimes warmer and sunnier than in summer in some years. As always in Ireland: prepare for rain and celebrate when the sun is out. The winter months can be cold, wet, and dreary. It is not the best time for visiting, but should you be in Galway in these months, don’t worry, but be prepared to spend a lot of your time enjoying the live music in local pubs.

+ Yet, Galway is festive any time of year but especially during its annual celebrations (when you'll need to book accommodation well ahead). Standouts include late April's poetry and prose-filled Cúirt International Festival of Literature; May’s Galway Theatre Festival, July's Galway Arts Festival and Ireland's leading film festival, the Galway Film Fleadh. Horse racing and high fashion at Galway Race Week starts the last Monday in July, and late September brings the long-running Galway Oyster & Seafood Festival. At Halloween, the spectacle theatre company Macnas hosts an exceptional parade that features elaborate floats and sculptures.