Exploring the city
While we are sure that the conference will be your highlight of the week, we encourage you to enjoy Galway city while you are here as well!
Galway is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city steeped in culture, rich in folklore and famous for its cobble-stoned streets, quaint shops and charming restaurants.
Home to the world renowned Druid Theatre Company, Macnas Street Theatre Company and An Taibhdhearc and with an array of vibrant festivals, there is much to do in this wonderful city.
In addition, the surrounding landscape leaves one breathless, from the prehistoric fort of Dun Aengus, the most westerly point in Europe, to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara and the Burren.
If you like shopping, Galway is home to several vintage, charity and second-hand shops to help you shop sustainably – particularly if you need to pick up some warmer or weatherproof clothes! Local options include:
- Charity Shops: St. Vincent de Paul’s, COPE Galway, Hospice, Vision Ireland, Galway Simon Community.
- Vintage: Public Romance, market vendors.
Nature in Galway
We encourage you to get out and enjoy nature!
University of Galway and the wider city has plenty of local nature trails that can be enjoyed at your leisure.
- University of Galway SDG Trail: Through our self-guided trail you can learn about the 17 SDGs and gain insights into the breadth of projects and initiatives taking place across the University that are progressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- University of Galway 5k Riverside Campus Walk: Walk or run along the banks of the River Corrib and around the university campus.
- Sensory and Wellbeing Map: We encourage you to step out of the conference while on campus and visit one of our many areas where you can immerse yourself in quiet contemplation.
- Make use of our Cycling Facilities on campus, including our public bicycle rental.
- Explore nature in the city. The ‘Places to Go’ webpage from Galway National Park City gives a fantastic overview of parks, trails and waters for you to explore.
- For a guided experience, you might like to try Green Escape Tours.
- Zoology and Marine Biology Museum: In Galway, a bit of rain is never a surprise. If you find yourself on-campus and wanting an indoor-option to learn more about our natural world, the Zoology and Marine Biology Museum has an impressive collection of over 500 specimens for you to peruse. The museum can be found on the ground floor of the Martin Ryan Institute, across from the Quadrangle.
A Walk on the Wild Side – University of Galway’s Biodiversity Trail
University of Galway Biodiversity Trail: Take a walk on the wild side with our signature biodiversity trail.
The self-guided tour will take you across nine different habitats of our university, all home to diverse flora and fauna:
- College Park: In front of the Quadrangle, the College Park boasts gorgeous mature ornamental trees, which many insects have made their home.
- Eglinton Canal: The canal offers a chance to enjoy the aquatic life we have on-campus. If you are lucky, you might see trout, the iconic kingfisher or otters!
- Herb Garden: The raised bed herb garden outside Moffetts Restaurant hosts a collection of edible herbs, as well as flowers. You have arrived at a great time to enjoy it too, bees and other pollinators are visiting the flowers all summer.
- The River Corrib: Walk along the river path of the Corrib. The area is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to the ecologically important species it hosts. Keep an eye out and you will see yellow iris, common spotted orchids, mute swans and grey heron.
- Engineering Lawn: The lawn in front of the Alice Perry Engineering building is managed in a biodiversity-friendly way, allowing you to see blackbirds and goldfinches, clover and buttercups in your visit to us.
- Deciduous Woodland: Sycamore and beech trees line the path between the Alice Perry Engineering building and Corrib Village. You can enjoy diverse pollinators and flora beneath their leaves during your visit.
- Reed Beds: Enjoy the common reed, meadowsweet, willow warbler and reed bunting across the flood plain. You may also be lucky and see some water birds on your trip.
- Alluvial Woodland: Take a restful moment in our alluvial woodland. Here it is home to ash and alder, moss and fern, alongside lots of avian friends.
- Menlo Castle and Sports Campus: The walk rounds off at Menlo Castle, which provide roosts for two important Irish species, the barn owl and the lesser horseshoe bat.
You can enjoy the tour using the Biodiversity Trail Map, or through the podcast (Soundcloud): Experience the Most Biodiverse Campus in Ireland by Sound.
The walk is always a favourite of those who try it, so we recommend you give it a go!
Things to see and do in Galway
Photos by Chaosheng Zhang
