Galway
© Federico ScarchilliEuropean Capital of Culture 2020
Galway is one of that city which has been able to kept its ancient roots still alive. When travelling around this county one of the frst thing you notice is the Gaelic language, those areas are often referred as “Gaeltacht”, an Irish-language word for any primarily Irish-speaking region. Galway represents 47% of Gaeltacth population, but just 4.5% of the whole population can speak it.
Other tracks of a forgotten past can be notice thanks to its castles and churches which usually have been build in between 12 and 15 century. Some of them are still perfectly preserved, like Dunguaire Castle, while others are more ruined, but still easy to evoke a Celtic charm.
One of the most famous thing in Ireland is defnitely nature, something really wild and huge. For example The Burren (Boireann, meaning “great rock”) is a glaciated karst landscape. Which basically is a lunar landscape made of white stones. Another famous wild part is Connemara, referred to as a “savage beauty” by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. This area is famous for its lakes, mountains and abbeys.
Talking about Ireland is not possible not to mention The Cliffs of Moher, the most visited site of the whole country. This Cliffs are 14 kilometres run above the Atlantic Ocean, with maximum height of 214 metres. This spot got even more famous when movie Harry Potter and the Half- Blood Prince was shoot there.
But the meaning of Ireland can not be seen only in landscape. Pubs are a sort of institution for experimenting a traditional Irish way of living. The most famous pub of Galway is The King’s Head, a medieval pub with 800 years of history. The name ‘The Kings Head’ refers to King Charles I of England, ruler of England, Scotland and Ireland, who was beheaded for treason in 1649. Legend says that executioner was Colonel Peter Stubbers, who, after the death of the king, laid siege to Galway.
Ireland has breathtaking vistas in each part of the day, especially when sun goes through clouds it can create some scenario which seems coming directly from The Lord of Rings. It is easy to understand why Galway is a Capital of Culture; in this area history, legends and nature lives all together revealing the magnifcence of an epic country where tribes, kings and druids made it immortal.
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