Eyre Square in Galway

If Galway is on your itinerary, you will be passing through, around or by Eyre Square.

For the last six years or so, the square has been a construction zone. It opened earlier this year, much to the delight of the Galway community. The renovation managed to preserve the sweeping lawns and added a couple of scultures, LEDs in the walkways and a tourist office to the square’s amenities.

Eyre (pronounced somewhere between “air” and “ear”) Square is flanked by pubs, shops, banks, restaurants, hostels, a massive shopping centre and the Galway train and bus stations. (like I said, you will have some acquaintance with it if you visit Galway). Head west from the square into the shopping centre or down the northwest street corner to find Shop Street. The train and bus stations are located on its southern side. A taxi rank is on the north side.

The old doorway on the north side is called “Browne’s Door.” It’s almost 400 years old and was the front of one of the merchant rulers of Galway in the 17th century. The impressionist metal sculpture of a boat’s sails next to it is a tribute to the Galway Hooker class of boats (As of October 2006, Galway’s only microbrew carries the same name).