Galway Shopping and Districts

(Galway, County Galway, Republic of Ireland)



Central view of shops and shoppersGalway is the regional capital of County Galway, and the main shopping destination of the many who live in the surrounding small towns and villages. Shopping in the city has developed over the past few years and become a diverse and unique experience for both residents and visitors.

Nowadays the city boasts no less than five shopping malls and a retail park, designed to cater for all shopping needs. The main mall lies off Eyre Square, and has a wide variety of goods on offer which reflect the changing tastes and needs of customers in this western region of Ireland.


Picture of shoppers in the city centreIn the pedestrianised centre of Galway are warrens of small individualised outlets selling everything from locally designed fashion and jewellery to local crafts, antiques, souvenirs and the beautiful Irish lead crystal glassware for which the area is famous.

When to Shop and Where

For a fun shopping experience, the famous weekend Galway market is the place to be. This market has been trading in the same place, Church Lane by St. Nicholas Church, for literally hundreds of years and now, as then, it serves as a meeting place for local people, as well as a top shopping destination in Galway.

City centre photoThe produce sold has, however, changed radically over the years and nowadays shoppers can find sushi, crepes, curries and hand-made chocolates, alongside fruit, vegetables and locally-produced Irish crafts.

Ireland is also a tourist destination, especially for American Irish rediscovering their roots, so you are sure to find a good selection of traditional craft shops, souvenir stands and woollen shops hawking one of the area's most famous pieces of apparel, the Arran sweater - popularised by Hemingway himself!