O’Connell’s - Eyre Square, Galway
O’Connell’s Bar, Galway, was my first experience of a typical Irish pub/bar, and a very good one it proved to be too. Located just off the main square in Galway, two minutes’ walk from the railway station, O’Connell’s has been serving customers since 1862, and is one of the very few genuine old pubs left in Galway.
O’Connell’s has a very traditional feel to it and other than the shiny chrome bar taps selling the latest brewery offerings and flat screen television at the end of the bar, it would be hard to notice anything else that would be out of place say fifty years ago. The walls, furnishings and floor look like they have been in situ for donkey’s years, which all adds to the wonderfully warm friendly and social atmosphere to be found in this great town pub.
Even on a Wednesday evening as we approached midnight at O’Connell’s, there were still drinkers arriving for a tipple, the Guinness flowed virtually non-stop all night and very good it was too at €3.90 a pint. Add to this Smithwick Ale, cider and seven draught lagers such as Coors, St Paulane, Staropramen and Heineken and there is a wonderful selection at O’Connell’s to choose from even if you are not a fan of the black stuff.
People always say the Guinness tastes better in Ireland and although the taste is very similar to the stuff brewed for the UK market, there can be no doubt that the Irish stuff is subtly smoother and does not have the sharp after-taste I have experienced before when drinking Guinness in the UK.
The bar staff at O’Connell’s were extremely friendly and the choice of music excellent for the venue. If you do ever find yourself in Galway as a tourist, O’Connell’s is one bar you should make a note of visiting for that authentic Irish bar experience.
This entry was posted on Wednesday August 26th, 2009 at 10:00 PM and is filed under Places to Visit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.
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