We awoke this morning to much improved weather. Our accommodation in Galway was located in Salthill, a suburb directly fronting the North Atlantic Ocean via Galway Bay.
A generous esplanade stretching as far as you can see in either direction provides ample opportunity for dog walking, cycling, strolling and jogging.
We walked to the west along the promenade reaching the local ocean baths, or at least, a concrete structure with steps allowing you to climb to one of several levels where you could then plunge into the waters below. The large tidal influence along the Irish Atlantic coastline would limit this activity to high tide else you’d be buried in the sand – so feet first would be my suggestion.
We had arranged to meet another ex-Honeyweller from Australia during our visit to Galway. Ted (Stephen) Edwards worked for Honeywell (out of the Sydney office) for about four years before returning with his family to Ireland in 2014. Ted eventually purchased a house in Buncrana, County Donegal and now works as the global manager of control systems for a large private company making specialty chemical and fibre products (lycra for example).
With Aaron (his eldest son), Ted drove from Buncrana down to Galway on the Saturday, staying overnight in order to meet with us for lunch on Sunday, before driving back to Buncrana on Sunday afternoon. Google Maps reckons that’s about a nine hour round trip without traffic or rest breaks.
After lunch at a very nice seafood restaurant overlooking Galway Bay, Ted drove us out to a nearby arts and crafts village where Chris was able to purchase some hand made souvenirs. Along the way he described some of the towns where, not so long ago, all written and oral communication was in Gaelic with all other languages forbidden. Ted didn’t study Gaelic at school, choosing computer studies instead. I think he made the wiser choice.
During the months prior to our trip, I had attempted to negotiate with Ted about where and how we might meet once I found out where he lived and how far it was from any of our nearest stops along our tour of Irleand.
I’d like to think it was my sparkling personality and charming wit that might have been a factor in Ted and Aaron spending their whole weekend and several hundred Euros to visit with Chris and me and to have lunch and a few pints of Guinness. But in reality, Ted exemplifies the Irish characteristics of generosity and hospitality. It would be anathema for Ted to consider any other plan than the one he carried out. I had to wrestle his credit card out of the hands of the lady at the seafood restaurant in order to make sure I was able to at least make some small contribution to the cost of this exercise.
After Ted and Aaron departed for the return trip, we walked into town and strolled about the narrow streets arriving at Eyre Square (Kennedy Park) before a sudden downpour trapped us for about half an hour in a shopping centre. We started for home and were within 200m of safety as the rain came tumbling down again.
A bust of US President John F. Kennedy stands in Eyre Square park on the spot from where he addressed the people of Galway on a visit in 1963. Galwegians consider this visit to be one of the most important events in the history of the city, because of the very strong connections with the United States and the fact that Kennedy was proud to proclaim his Irish ancestry. Following his visit, Galway Corporation updated and modernised the park and renamed it John F Kennedy Park, although it remains widely known as Eyre Square.
Thanks for the fine day out and it was a pleasure for Aaron and I to catch up with you both! Thanks for taking care of the “Baby” Guinness as well, I will forward you the photos separately! Until we meet again in another country in the not too distant future!