Galway Spanish Arch and Long Walk, Galway, Ireland

The Spanish Arch was thought to be an extension of the Galways’s medieval wall. It’s near the Galway Museum. We began the “Long Walk” from the nearby Wolfetone Bridge to Salmon Weir Bridge and the Galway Cathedral along the River Corrib.  It really wasn’t a long walk at all. What it was though was very very pretty and picturesque.  The Mute Swans were lovely. We saw people fishing along the river too.

Galway and the Galway Cathedral, Ireland

Laura and I loved Galway. We understand why it’s a favourite tourist destination and a site of so many Irish festivals. Whenever we told people we were going to Galway in other parts of Ireland, they’d say, “Oh, we love Galway.”  Being there so did we.
Crossing the Salmon Weir Bridge on the River Corrib in the centre of town we first saw the magnificent Galway Cathedral. The rose windows were particularly beautiful.  Later we’d visit this holy place.  Sitting in prayer it ‘felt’ right.  A truly beautiful new cathedral begun in 1957.  The miracle of the cathedral is that it is built on the site of the old jail.  It was officially opened in 1965, with ceremonies lead by Cardinal Cushing, Archbishop of Boston.
Rennaissance style dominates the architecture but the external arch is Romanesque.  The building is of Galway limestone. The seats are of Utile mahogany from West Africa. The floor is of Portuguese marble. The high artistry of Patrick Pollen and Gillian Quirke are evident in the mosaics and windows.  The rose window that so impressed me from afar was even more moving close up. The light in the sanctuary was enriched by the stained glass windows.  It was a good place to pray and meditate.