the truth is, it rains a lot in Galway –  days of the year to be exact. It breaks my heart to say that the wettest part of Ireland is between the Maamturk and Partry mountains of Galway and Mayo. You might think that being stuck in Galway city on a rainy day means there will be nothing to do, but I am glad to say that isn’t true! Galwegians have adapted to the unfortunate amount of rainfall, and so here is … things to do in Galway city in the rain.

Galway Rainy Day Activities – Things to do in the Rain

Museums – What to do in Galway if it’s raining?

Rainy days are perfect for museum visits. While looking at old fossils and preserved bits of pottery may not be top of your list when the sun is beating down on the sands of Salthill or blue skies over Spanish arch seem all-too-inviting, I can understand how you might miss the museums.

But, when the clouds roll in from the Atlantic, what better way to avoid the rain, than learn a bit more about Galway’s interesting medieval past, as well as our culture and natural heritage.

• Galway City Museum – Explore Galway Myths Legends & Folklore, the Revolution of Galway and more
• Galway Fisheries Watchtower Museum – Galway Rainy Days – discover artifcats through time which were used for fishing along the River Corrib
• The Claddagh Ring Museum – The smallest museum in Ireland showing some of the very first made claddagh rings and more about the process of making them

Visit the Escape Rooms – Escape Rooms in Galway City

If you find yourself in Galway city in the rain, escape the downpours with the Escape Rooms! Escape Rooms really are the perfect rainy day activity. I can’t think of a more exciting and fun way to take your mind of the weather than by working together with your gang to escape the “Irish Pub Room”, the “willing Vault” or “Spooky Quarantine Hospital”. This is fun for the whole family, and if you are a gamer, what better way to bring a game to life than being in it yourself!

Cafe Crawl – Sample Galway Cities best Coffee Shops and Sweet Treats

This is one for my fellow foodies.

One of my favourite things to do when I’m away is eat and drink my way around a city! Breakfast, coffee, lunch, second coffee, dinner, dessert. You can honestly sample a bunch of cafes and restaurants in Galway in one day if that’s what you enjoy. Plan your route so that you only have to pop in and out of the open streets while making your way to the next coffee stop!

Check out the newest releases in the cinema – Escape the Rain in Galway City

For a relatively small city, Galway has no shortage of cinemas. From the IMC, to Omniplex and the Eye. You may not be able to get out and experience the streets of Galway in the wet, but you can experience a whole new world from the comfort of a theatre.

The Omniplex in Salthill is honestly fantastic. Sit back and relax on the electric recliner seats and enjoy. Word is that someday they will also have restaurant seat-service. We’ll just have to wait and see!

Be Entertained at an Irish Dancing Show

Irish Dancing is at the heart of Irish Culture. Well Galway, is home to Ireland’s number 1 Irish Dancing experience-  Trad on the Prom. A lot of visitors to Galway experience this cultural phenomenon, so why not tick it off your list on a rainy day?

You’ll be blown away by this unforgettable experience when dancers dominate the stage with Riverdance.

Shop until you Drop – Galway cities Craft Stores

I won’t judge you if you want to take the rain as an excuse to … inside a shopping centre and browse the shops. While you might not want to venture around the city too much (we’ve all had a Penney paper bag disintegrate in the rain), the Eyre Square shopping centre has two floors of shops to keep you busy and dry for a few hours.

You can park in the attached multi-story car park so you won’t see a drop of rain!

Even better, Galway City has countless Craft Shops which are filled with beautufil Irish designs.

Irish Design and Craft Stores:

• My Shop.. Granny likes it
• 2 Wild Geese
• The Old Sea Dog
• Kilkenny Shop
• Spiddal Craft Village

Pub Crawl – Get out of the rain and into the Craic!

Following the same logic behind cafe crawl. We all love a bit of day-drinking every now and again. So make a rainy-day of it. Plan your route around the city to see as little rain as possible, and no need to feel guilty about it, you’re on vaycay!

Galway has an endless lists of pubs for you to tick off and sure you might get a little wet, but the truth is, a couple of pints in, you will hardly notice!

Rainy Day activities especially for Children:

The Aquarium – Galway Atlantaquaria

While you might not want to go outside, why not bring the outside in? Let the little ones be blown away by everything from rays to octapus and a range of other sea creatures. The aquarium is all about education, awareness and conservation of our ocean and life under water. Let the little ones learning about native sharks, rays, and crustaceans, as well as other unique species.

Bowling – Planet Galway

Leave the rain behind by visiting Planet Galway. For the kids, there’s bumpers, six pound balls and ball ramps available. While in the “Space Kids” section, there’s also a soft play area with slippery slides, rope bridges, pulleys and a huge ball pool to play in.

Pure Skill Galway – Indoor Sports Activities for all the Family

This 25, 000 sq ft indoor sports and leisure has everything  –

• Gaelic Free Kicks
• Soccer Penalties
• Hurling Shots
• Rugby Conversions
• Tennis Volleys
• Cricket Bowling
• Baseball Hits
• Basketball Free Throws
• Golf Putting and Chipping.

That’ll keep the kids busy!

Other Ideas for Galway City in the rain

Go for a swim – it’s not like you can get any wetter!!

If you head to Salthill Beach, no matter the weather, there will be people in for a dip. Why not join them?! Cold water swimming is taking over and it’s not like you can get any wetter? Get the physical and mental benefits and it is a wonderful experience in the rain – I speak from experience!

How often does it rain in Galway?

It rains approximately 232days of the year in Galway which is a stark contrast to 128 days of rain in Dublin. It really is the one thing that would tip the scales to dublin when it comes to Galway vs Dublin!

But the thing is, there is no such things bad weather, just being badly dressed as they say. There is always going to be rain in Ireland, but if you learn to dress appropriately, it won’t impact you too much!

Why does it rain so much in Galway?

Galway city is located right along the west coast of Ireland, along the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the prevailing winds, water vapour is brought inland from the sea and dumped right over Galway, regularly! The weather is very inconsistanc and go from rain to blue skies multiple times a day.

Tinyboots 

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Visiting Menlo Castle | How to Get to Menlo Castle?

So why should you visit Ireland? Tourists regularly describe Ireland as “feeling like home”, “peaceful and calm” with millions of tourists flocking to the Emerald Isle each year. In 2019, 11.3 million visited and the number has been rising steadily for years. It seems Ireland is the place to be, for the scenery, atmosphere and quality of life. In fact, in 2020, Ireland was voted second best for Quality of Life by the United Nations

Whether it’s for living or visiting, Ireland is hugely popular. With some tourists returning time after time again after being captivated by the countries charm and beauty. Why exactly do tourists like Ireland? Let’s discuss exactly why you should visit Ireland, and why it is so special.

Monivea woods is a woodland right near the centre of Monivea village in Galway. There are various paths and trails to choose from making it a great place for a wander under tree cover. The trees also give great protection from the rain which is always handy when it comes to Irish weather!

Monivea Woods Map

Monivea Woods Walk – Trails in Monivea Woods – Monivea Woods Galway

You can make your way around the woods relatively quickly. In fact, in less than an hour without stopping.

There are many trails, but two main looped paths. One is 1.5km, the other is 1.3 km.

History of Monivea Woods

The land originally belonged to the O’Kelly Clan of Galway. They had a castle on the grounds which became Monivea House.

Robert Ffrench acquired the land in the 17th Century as part of his estate. He made big upgrades to the area and worked hard to improve the land itself. He also built up Monivea village.

Catherine Ffrench left the estate to the public on her death in 1938. She did not have much choice – as she didn’t produce an heir, it was law that when a homeowner died, the land would be given to locals – to break the English Feudal System. She left one condition –  that the woods be left as they are.

Or in her words

“on the condition that no parcel of these remains of my former estate shall ever be sold or the trees ever be cut down unless they fall to pieces”.

Sadly, her wishes were not honored. After her death, the land was broken up. First, it was reduced from 10,000 acres to just 1000. And then the majority of the woods were cut down today. The Monivea woods we see today is an incredibly small portion of what would have been. It makes me sad to think of her final wish for the land.

Members of the Ffrench family had some influence over the house house until the line died out. It is now managed by Coillte. You can see remains of the past in some parts of the woods. Specifically by the mausoleum and ice house.

Monivea Mausoleum

This gothic-style mausoleum holds the remains of Robert French and his daughter Catherine.

It is a building made of Wicklow granite, with beautiful stained glass windows.

While the building is locked, you can request a key in the village for a look inside. I’d love to see it. It contains a marble chapel and a full-size sculpture of Robert French.

How to find the Mausoleum in Monivea

When you enter the woods from the Rugby Pitch grounds, you are on a big dirt track. Follow this until you come to a crossroads at a road through the woods. Take a right and you can follow this road right to the mausoleum.

Monivea Ice House

The Icehouse can still be seen in the woods. This is where ice was stored and used to keep perishable food cold. It was essentially a fridge before electricity was invented.

Monivea Castle – Monivea House Galway

The house still stands today but is not within the woods themselves. It is just past the outskirts of the forest.

Cherry Laurel in Monivea

I actually came to know the woods through carrying out my thesis research there. We are all familiar with Cherry Laurel as most people have it around their gardens. What many people don’t know is that this plant is a non-native invasive species. Meaning, if left unchecked, it will spread and take over the land. This has been happening in Monivea Woods.

The original laurel hedge surrounded the Mauseluim and potentially other buildings of the Ffrench family. This has now begun to spread through the woods. This blocks the light and prevents other plants from growing in the area. This is probably boring to most but I find it quite interesting!

Final thoughts on the Woods in Monivea

This is a lovely walk if you have young children or dogs. It is short and is great with the Irish weather as the majority of the paths are under tree cover. It’s also interesting to learn the history and see the remains of the amenities in the woods.

Tinyboots 

For other Castles and ruins in Galway:

Visiting Menlo Castle | How to Get to Menlo Castle?

Clifden Castle | Beautiful Castle ruins in Clifden Galway | Hidden Gem

Máméan Walk (sometimes called Mam Ean or Maumeen) is a pilgrimage walk in Connemara, Galway. But, for the non-religious, it is a scenic hike through a valley in the Maamturk mountains.