What I Did With 3 Days in Galway between Christmas & New Years, 2022

Dan and I spent a few days between Christmas and New Year’s in Galway, Ireland. This was our third trip to Galway, and we had a lovely time, despite it being winter. This article shares information on what we did and some tips for visiting Galway between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Galway on December 27th!

WHAT WE DID IN GALWAY BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S 2023!

Galway is decorated beautifully for Christmas and Christmas decorations, with the exception of the small Christmas market on Eyre Square, stay up through New Year’s, possibly longer. As such, this is a great time to just stroll around Galway, take in the decorations, and simply enjoy the town.  And that is just what we did. We didn’t have too much planned for our three days in Galway, but we ended up doing some shopping, some pubbing, some sightseeing and a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher.

Galway decorated for Christmas – with blue skies!

Sailboats with Christmas lights in the River Corrib.

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In Honor of St. Patrick’s Day, Here Are 3 Fabulous Pubs in Kilkenny, Ireland!

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, my second favorite holiday (after my Birthday), I am sharing three really lovely pubs that I visited in December in Kilkenny, Ireland. This was my second visit to Kilkenny, Ireland, and Kilkenny is home to many great pubs and restaurants. As such, there are certainly other great pubs in Kilkenny, but I enjoyed these three a lot!

Kilkenny Castle.

TYNAN’S BRIDGE HOUSE BAR

Tynan’s Bridge House Bar was, by far, my favorite pub in Kilkenny, and ranks among my favorites of all time. Tynan’s is located right of the River Nore in the heart of Kilkenny. Tynan’s is a quintessential Irish pub that is filled with character and charm. The bartender gave us a very warm welcome despite it being 11 AM on Christmas weekend…. Like any real Irish pub, Tynan’s serves no food and there are no TVs in the bar. I enjoyed several Guinness here during my visit in December. Tynan’s is a must-visit for pub lovers in Kilkenny.

Tynan’s Bridge House Bar.

A great pour.

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Restaurant Review: The Church Restaurant & Bar, Dublin, Ireland.

For years, since my Samantha Brown Passport to Europe Days, I had wanted to visit The Church restaurant in Dublin, Ireland. However, despite having visited Dublin numerous times, I had never made it to The Church. So, on our trip in February 2022, I made dinner reservations for a Monday evening. This is my review of The Church and some tips and tricks for those planning a visit!

The gorgeous interior.

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Restaurant Review: Gallagher’s Boxty House, Dublin, Ireland

In light of my upcoming favorite holiday – St. Patrick’s Day – I am posting about our recent trip to Dublin, Ireland for the next two weeks!  Here’s a review of one of Dan and my favorite restaurants in Dublin, Gallagher’s Boxty House!

Gallagher’s Boxty House is an established Dublin restaurant located right in the middle of touristy Temple Bar. Despite this, Gallagher’s Boxty House is no tourist trap. Dan and I first ate here a decade ago and continue to return on every trip. Gallagher’s Boxty House specializes in the potato and almost all of its dishes are potato based. As the name implies, Gallagher’s also specializes in the Irish boxty, or a potato pancake. Eat at Gallagher’s for a taste of traditional, and delicious, Irish food.

As the napkin says, this place is really into potatoes!

The menu at Gallagher’s is on the small side, but as long as you eat potatoes, you should be able to find something.  Here is the menu from February 2022. It seemed a bit smaller this time, likely due to Covid. One pro of the menu (and this is common in Ireland generally), allergins are clearly listed on the menu.

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A Fun Spot in Isla Verde: Ocean Lab Brewing Company

When planning my trip to Isla Verde last Spring, an Instagrammer I followed lunched at Ocean Lab Brewing Company while staying at my Isla Verde hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde. It looked pretty good, so I added it to our list!

Entrance!

We ended up walking along the beach from the Courtyard Isla Verde to Ocean Lab Brewing around noon. The walk was easy and on the beach the entire way. When we arrived at Ocean Lab Brewing, finding the entrance was a bit confusing. Ocean Lab Brewing is attached to the back of the Vivo Beach Club, which is quite swanky! We ended up walking around the Vivo Beach Club and entering Ocean Lab from the side opposite the ocean – no big deal.

Vivo Beach Club from Ocean Lab.

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