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My Student City: Galway, Ireland

12th May 2015 Posted by: Student World Online

WHY do people study abroad in Galway, Ireland? Maggie Bonsey, from the United States, is a NUI Galway graduate. Here we ask her what pros and cons there are to studying in Galway.

STUDENT WORLD ONLINE: What do you love about Galway?

MAGGIE: Honestly? Basically everything. It is a city, for all intents and purposes, but it is so small that you will always find a familiar face if you want one. There is also always something going on, from nightly music at one of any number of pubs, to theatre events, arts festivals, food festivals, literature festivals. The Irish love the arts, and they love the craic, and Galway does both really well. We are also right on Galway Bay, and it is really easy to get out of town to do more outdoorsy things if that’s your fancy.

SWO: Did you feel differently when you first arrived?

M: Not really; I came to Galway first a few years ago as a tourist and immediately fell in love with the city, and decided I would do anything I could to come back, and here I am!

SWO: Is there anything you don’t like about Galway?

M: The weather here is beyond unpredictable. People who haven’t experienced living in Ireland will look at me oddly when I tell them I make sure to have a thick coat on hand in July, but I have seen it go from lashing rain (and hail, and sleet) to gorgeous and sunny with about an hour’s break in between. You learn really quickly to either water-proof everything or just accept that you will be perpetually damp, especially in the winter.

Otherwise, the lack of cafés with outlets and internet was a bit of an adjustment after moving from California where you can’t move without running into them. (As an example, there is only one Starbucks in Galway City, and it is in the form of a kiosk in the university canteen.)

SWO: Is it easy to get around Galway?

M: Very! If you’re walking. The city centre itself is tiny; the maze-like layout of the medieval city is still intact as is much of the original architecture, so the city has closed off much of the middle of town to vehicular traffic. The resulting vehicular accessibility is a little odd and can result in a lot of driving in circles because you’re stuck on endless narrow one-way streets to nowhere.

There is a bus system, run by Bus Éireann, but catching them anywhere besides a terminus point can be a bit hit and miss, but it’s usually fine unless you’re in a hurry because Galway is just so small. If you are in a hurry though, the Hailo app is a life saver and you can get a cab to your exact location in about five minutes or less.

SWO: What is there to see and do in Galway?

M: Galway is very much an arts based city, so there are always performances or festivals on. Otherwise, it’s a very small city, and once you’ve taken a walking tour, which would take about two hours if you were really ambling, you’ve really seen it. Luckily, because Ireland is so small, it is so easy to get to some really incredible places from Galway—Connemara is right on your doorstep, if you want to go hiking or biking or just sightseeing, and if you don’t have a car, there are regular tours that service places like Kylemore Abbey or the Burren and Cliffs of Moher in Clare.

SWO: Good shops?

M: Decent ones, anyway. Galway isn’t a shopping paradise, especially if you’re used to US sized shopping centres, but you can get basically anything you need with relative ease. There is a fantastic bookshop called Charlie Byrne’s where I spend far too much time (and money)

SWO: Good places to eat?

M: There is so much amazing food in Galway, catering to all sorts of dietary restrictions. Everyone thinks that it would be impossible to find vegan or gluten-free food in Ireland, but that’s just not true anymore, though it’s not always the cheapest option. It is possible to find a place that will cater just about anyone for not too much money, if you are willing to look hard enough. Galway also has the best fish and chips in Ireland, so you can’t go wrong there.

SWO: Good places to drink?

M: This is Ireland, even the villages have three or four pubs! There are pubs that suit any fancy, though I tend to avoid the clubs and the places that primarily cater to the tourists because they are almost always packed and it’s impossible to hold a conversation there. There are a couple really well known places in Galway that are fun too, Tig Cóilí has sessions every night and there is always something happening at the Róisín Dubh. The trick though is to find the places that don’t just have the same five taps and decorations, like the old-man bar with the best Guinness in the city, and any of the Galway Bay Brewing establishments—they serve almost exclusively craft beer, and the atmosphere is always really laid back.

On sunny days, people grab cans and flock to the Spanish Arch to lounge on the grass by the quay.

SWO: Good places to relax and hang out?

M: Outside of the pubs, not really. There isn’t really space for large parks, and just being outside runs the risk of getting soaked at a second’s notice.

SWO: What’s the area like?

M: County Galway is absolutely gorgeous; the city a hub for some of the West of Ireland’s greatest sights. Like I said before, Galway in a perfect location to access some of Ireland’s most breath-taking scenery like the Cliffs and the Wild Atlantic Way. The city itself is also split by the River Corrib, so it’s the perfect area for outdoor activities, from kayaking to cycling to hiking (though, in some instance, mountain climbing is more appropriate!)

SWO: What’s the university like?

M: I have a bit of an odd experience with NUIG; I’m in a very small masters programme and we don’t have much contact with the rest of the university

SWO: Do you live on campus?

M: I don’t, but I am about a five minute walk from the outskirts, and another three in to the library. Galway doesn’t really have much by way of dorms, or student housing, but most students usually get a house together in one of the local neighbourhoods.

SWO: How much is monthly rent?

M: I pay €140 weekly, which is really high for Galway, most students get by with about €350 a month. But I am living alone and bins and gas heating is included in my rent.

SWO: How much is a cinema ticket, a two-mile cab ride, and a 1 kg bag of rice?

M: I’ve only been the cinema once, but if I recall correctly, it was about €10 for an evening ticket. A two-mile cab ride is usually about the same, especially late at night when there isn’t any traffic—but especially if you are small and female and get one of the older, local cabbies, they’re so glad you’re not walking home alone at night they will give you a bit of a discount. I don’t eat much rice, because I keep burning it, but prices in general can vary on where you shop. Rice at Marks and Spencer will be much more expensive than at Tesco, but if you’re on a budget, you can get a kilo of most dry goods at Aldi for under a euro.

If you've been inspired to study in Ireland, check out our essential guide to Irish culture, living costs and three of its best universities, including NUI Galway.


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