Dispatch from Galway

I grew up in Donegal, but I live in and love Galway because it demands so little. It is super laid back with lots going on—it’s got a lovely kinetic energy. It is alive with visitors in the summer, but in the winter, it migrates back to a sleepy town punctuated with a few festivals. Its geographical location—south of the iconic Connemara and north of the magical Burren region and east of the three Aran Islands—makes it perfectly positioned to be the best place to stay for exploring the region.

I live and work here, mainly in my restaurant Ard Bia, which next year is turning 25. We serve brunch, lunch and dinner in an iconic building sitting on the river Corrib and overlooking the Atlantic. It’s a special place with rotating exhibitions and a commitment to the way food should be—local, seasonal and made with feeling. I also work on my ethical fashion brand, The Tweed Project, with my friend and business partner Triona Lillis. We create once-off pieces with our indigenous Irish fabrics—tweed, linen and arans (knitted wool sweaters from the Aran islands)—subverting tradition with a contemporary twist.

Eat/Drink

Ard Bia, of course. It’s the locals’ gathering spot.

Sheridans – Love a cheese board and a glass of natural wine—it’s above the famous cheesemongers.

Universal – For simple but perfectly pitched small plates and buttered spuds and a great cocktail or natural wine.

Kai – For a fresh uber-seasonal lunch of local crab and a blueberry juice 

Magpie Bakery – For morning bakes, then grab an expertly made coffee at Coffeewerk + Press and sit on their top floors and read design books and listen to the Monocle radio there.

Bierhaus – For easy street food with a great vibe and late-night tunes if you’re lucky, and a sit in the sun if the sun is shining 

Saturday Market – A great convivial morning—pop into Danny Doughnut for New York-style ones. The Juice Jeanie for juices and goodness shots. Wonderful fish and organic veg stalls 

Coffee and an açai bowl at Black Rock Cottage and Black Rock Diving Boards after a swim and a walk—perfect. Black Rock Diving Boards are iconic 1950s diving boards that everyone jumps off—they’re very special, very Wes Anderson.

I’m not much of a pub-goer, but the Crane Bar has traditional Irish music, and then Tigh Neachtain has been open since 1894—it’s great to sit outside in sunny weather.

Shopping 

Our Tweed Project studio at 12 Henry Street is lovely to visit—we have once-off and smaller pieces like hot water bottles, cushions and scarves.

Coffeewerk + Press have a wonderful print studio and shop with lovely Scandi-style home purchases, functional objects and Gestalten books.

Charlie Byrnes is an iconic old bookshop … you can spend hours here browsing and reading.

Kindfolk is our only really cool shop—great people, great coffee, and great labels like Carhartt and Edmmond.

Ernie’s grocery shop for organic veg and all things good for you…  run by Ernie Jr. and Sr. Both play great music. 

To do

Rent a bike at the shop beside Monroes and cycle out past the 6 beaches and head onto Silver Strand, which has wild energy.

Fly to the Aran Islands with Aer Arran, an 8-minute flight for about 40 Euros that you won’t forget. Very few people know they can fly (vs the ferry) and it’s fabulous. Spend a day on Inisheer, my favorite and the smallest island, and get lunch at Teach an Tea, a beautiful tea house with salads and soups (only open in summer).

Try the Driftwood Sauna in Spiddal—recently voted the best sauna in all of Ireland and the UK. They’ll walk you through the ritual bath and sauna.

Places to stay 

This can be very difficult in Galway. The best stay is The Stop B&B – a contemporary art-filled spot with beautiful design and breakfasts 

For a quirky stay, there’s a classic Dutch cargo ship that’s been beautifully renovated and sitting on the sea on the long walk stunning location

Editor’s note: Our friend Tim Marvin just stayed at this Airbnb in Spiddal and says—”One of the best I’ve ever stayed at—perfect in its imperfections and charm. Not an ikea-d out guest house. A converted Protestant church owned by Sheila and Redmond. Perfectly appointed with Irish antiques, books, and art along with modernity where you need it. Ripped from the pages of World of Interiors.”