LNOF Guide to Galway
The rapidly-emerging city of Galway encapsulates everything that is good about Ireland.
A university city with a huge under-25 population and a vibrant cultural heritage, Galway has lots of excellent restaurants, live music and, of course, pubs. Eyre Square is the very heart of the city, and it is here that you may well spend the lion's share of your stag weekend - sitting in various beautiful boozers, the group recounting shameful story after embarrassing incident until the stag is cowering in the corner. The city plays host to many fascinating little markets, great-looking local girls, friendly clubs… and all against a picturesque backdrop.
This is a busy city with a thriving student population, several booming clubs, and a memorable Cathedral right in the centre - clearly the largest and most impressive building in the whole place. So banish those "little" thoughts and prepare instead for a great mix of modern and traditional; of elderly wags and feisty young students; of oak-beamed inns and ultra-cool DJ dens. Just what the Guinness doctor ordered.
My mates fancied Dublin but I persuaded them to go to Galway. They absolutely loved it - especially the bars around Eyre Square.
Will JohnsonHead of e-Commerce
A lot of the appeal of a stag weekend in Galway is built around its cracking pubs, wonderfully warm hosts and chilled-out setting by the sea. But add to that a great social scene in and around Eyre Square (the main set of bars and clubs), an outstanding Cathedral, some tasty shops and markets, the harbour life, brewery, university influence (including a large student population) and some activity-based events for the boys - and you start to see why a Galway stag weekend always draws its first-timers back for another bite of the cherry. A marvellous place for any stag weekend group basing their decision on more than cocktails with silly names and bikinis per square metre.
The charm and pace of this beautiful spot is very appealing: Noisy nightlife is close at hand if you want it - but can you be bothered to tear the lads away from the pub, when the laughter is roaring and the tales are flying? You might find you've made a new discovery that leads to many future return trips. Locations like this don't grow on trees, you know. That would be silly.