The Heart of Galway: Street Music and Caesar Salads

Hello everyone! This past weekend, a group of us studying in Dublin took the train to Galway for the weekend. Galway is located on the west side of Ireland, roughly 2 hours from Dublin, and lies on the River Corrib. With the average age of Galway’s population being under 40, this city is full of liveliness and night-time craic (or fun).

The streets of Galway

The heart of Galway lies in the Latin Quarter, and so do the pubs. When the sun goes down, Galway’s nightlife comes alive. You don’t have to look too hard to find live music and buskers overtaking the streets to perform. After dinner, my plan was to walk the streets and enjoy the music. Granted, some buskers are better than others: the musician performing spoken word whilst wearing fabric butterfly wings was not my cup of tea.

The streets were filled with a variety of different music styles, instruments, and genres which is what makes the city so intriguing. One moment you’ll hear Uilleann pipes (or armpit bagpipes as I call them) play a traditional Irish gig, and the next you’ll hear a balding man sing “Galway Girl” on acoustic guitar. The key, when you find yourself nodding your head along or tapping your foot, is to stop and feel the music. If you continue to move and groove—toss a euro or two into the busker’s guitar case, hat, or used cereal bowl. Supporting Galway’s local musicians is a must!

A band of buskers playing traditional Irish tunes

Most of my gluten-free finds are brought to you by my Celiac Guardian angel, FindMeGlutenFree. FindMeGlutenFree is an app that every person with Celiac disease needs to have when traveling. The app rates restaurants in terms of food safety, variety, and taste. I was surprised by how many results on FindMeGlutenFree (not sponsored) were in Galway. After an unsuccessful first dinner in Galway, I was determined to follow the app for my next meal, and it did not disappoint.

Just outside Eyre Square, the city centre, is the refined gastropub McGettigan’s Galway. They have a mix of Irish cuisine and pub staples that can all be made gluten-free. After telling the waitress that I have Celiac disease, she didn’t hesitate to inform me that they have separate fryers, which means I can have fries! I ordered the chicken Caesar salad with gluten-free croutons and a side of fries. Not the most traditional Irish dinner, but I was craving my American favorites. I don’t know if it’s because I had been living off PB&Js, but I have never been more satisfied by a gluten-free meal before. Thank you, Galway.