There aren’t enough words in the English—or Irish—language to describe just how fantastic the city of Galway is.
I visited in March 2023, and spending St. Patrick’s Day in Galway turned into one of the highlights of my Ireland trip. Between the festivities, ridiculously good food, pub nights and day trips through western Ireland, Galway gave me plenty of reasons to fall in love with the city.
If colorful streets, traditional Irish music, cozy pubs, dramatic landscapes and friendly locals sound like your kind of vacation, Galway deserves a spot on your Ireland itinerary.
And if you happen to visit during St. Patrick’s Day? Even better.
Why Galway?
When most people plan their first trip to Ireland, Dublin naturally gets most of the attention. But Galway offers a completely different experience.
Located on Ireland’s west coast, Galway has that lively energy you’d expect from an Irish city while still feeling intimate enough to wander around without a strict itinerary. Spend some time walking through the city center, listen to street musicians, pop into a pub, grab something to eat and simply enjoy being there.
Sometimes the best travel memories come from the moments you didn’t schedule.
I stayed at Galway City Hostel in Eyre Square, and to this day, it’s the best hostel I’ve stayed in. The location also made it incredibly convenient for exploring the city.
St. Patrick’s Day in Galway
If you’re considering spending St. Patrick’s Day in Galway, I absolutely recommend it.
One of the things that surprised me most about the parade was how diverse it was. Before visiting, it would have been easy to picture an Irish St. Patrick’s Day celebration as a mostly white Irish crowd. Instead, I saw people of different races, ethnicities and nationalities participating in the festivities.
I loved seeing that! It made the celebration feel less like something being put on solely for tourists and more like an entire community coming together.
And don’t make the mistake of thinking St. Patrick’s Day is only about drinking. Being in Ireland for the holiday gave me a chance to experience Irish culture, music and community in a way I couldn’t have gotten from simply going out for green beer back home.
Of course, there was still plenty of pub time. I joined a pub crawl while I was there, with stops that included Darcy’s Bar and The King’s Head. Galway is exactly the kind of place where you can spend the day exploring and somehow find yourself in a pub listening to music later that evening.
Come to Galway Hungry
Now we need to discuss something equally important: the food.
My favorite restaurant in Galway, by far, was The Dough Bros on Middle Street. I ordered the Hey Pesto pizza, and magnificent is genuinely the word I would use to describe it.
I’m not saying you should plan your entire Galway itinerary around pizza. But I’m also not saying you shouldn’t.
And then there was Murphy’s Ice Cream, where I tried the Baileys Irish Cream ice cream. Ireland was apparently determined to make sure I consumed Irish cream in as many forms as possible, and I had no complaints.
What is Galway weather like in March?
March in Ireland can be chilly, wet and windy, so pack accordingly.
During my trip, though, the weather wasn’t nearly as bad as I had expected. It rained off and on and temperatures were definitely on the chilly side, but as long as I dressed warmly, it was completely manageable.
My advice? Keep a rain poncho orjacket handy.
I wouldn’t put too much faith in an umbrella. Galway can get windy enough that your umbrella may end up fighting for its own life instead of keeping you dry.
Layers and a poncho were much more practical for me.
Take a day trip through Connemara
One of my favorite experiences outside Galway was an organized day trip through Connemara, Cong and Kylemore Abbey.
Connemara is exactly the kind of scenery you imagine when you picture Ireland: mountains, lakes, winding roads and seemingly endless stretches of green countryside.
And somehow, we got lucky with the weather. For a March trip to western Ireland, I’ll take that win.
Visit Kylemore Abbey
Kylemore Abbey was absolutely stunning.
Surrounded by the Connemara landscape, the abbey looks like something straight out of a fairytale. It was every bit as picturesque as I had hoped, and this is definitely somewhere you want enough time to explore rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
The combination of the architecture and scenery makes it very easy to take far more pictures than you planned.
Explore Cong
Our day trip also stopped in Cong, a small village that was a nice contrast to Galway.
Film fans may recognize Cong as one of the filming locations associated with The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. Even if the movie isn’t on your watchlist, the village is still a charming place to walk around and take in the surroundings.
Sometimes you don’t need a massive list of attractions. You just need somewhere interesting to wander.
Don’t miss the Cliffs of Moher
And then there were the Cliffs of Moher.
They’re one of Ireland’s most famous attractions for a reason. On the way there, we had some drizzle. On the way back, we had some drizzle. But while I was actually at the cliffs? The rain stopped and the sun came out.
It was perfect!
Standing along Ireland’s Atlantic coast looking out over the water is one of those travel experiences photographs simply can’t reproduce. After worrying that Irish weather might obscure the whole experience, getting that little window of sunshine felt like hitting the travel jackpot.
That said, still bring your layers and rain gear.
This is Ireland, after all.
Give Galway more than one day
One mistake I’d avoid is treating Galway as nothing more than a quick stop between Dublin and the Cliffs of Moher. Stay awhile.
Use Galway as your base. Explore the city. Take a day trip into Connemara. Visit Kylemore Abbey and Cong. Head down toward the Cliffs of Moher.
And leave yourself some unscheduled time.
Walk around.
Listen to the music.
Have a drink.
Talk to people.
Order the pizza. 👀
That’s part of the fun.
Should you spend St. Patrick’s Day in Galway?
Absolutely.
If celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland has been sitting on your bucket list, don’t automatically assume you have to spend it in Dublin.
Galway gave me the celebration I was hoping for, but it also gave me great food, new friends, pub nights, beautiful scenery and easy access to some of western Ireland‘s most memorable places.
I went expecting to enjoy Galway. I didn’t expect to love it quite as much as I did. In fact, I loved it so much that I skipped my flight home and stayed an extra week!
Come for St. Patrick’s Day. Stay for Galway. And don’t be surprised if you leave already thinking about when you can come back.