# Does anyone on the forum come from Galway ?



## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

On Wednesday I am going to tea with an 82 year old lady who comes from Galway, if we have anyone from around there I would love to be able to tell her I have an internet acquaintance from that area.
Edith has been living in Germany for 20 years and a widow for 10 years.
She has a daughter still living in Ireland who visits quite often I understand.
I am very much looking forward to getting to know her.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

This is probably a load of crap but here's stuff about Galway, city and county that may interest you Jan.

There used to be a couple on here who came from Moycullen, just outside Galway city. I've a feeling we may have met them in The Mosel Valley a few years ago. I'm trying to remember their user names.

However Galway is a favourite county of ours so I can give a few places to look up so you can chat about them. Moycullen, where that couple came from, used to boast an Egon Ronay listed restaurant called The Silver Teal, it was really a poshed up pub but the food was very good. Not far away is Oughterard. Pron. oooghter-ard and not Otterard I think. In Oughterard there is an hotel straight out of an Agatha Christie novel both in setting and in atmosphere. It's called Sweeneys Hotel. The food there also used to be be excellent. I don't know now. It's been quite a few years since we were there.

Connemara, one of the most beautiful regions in Ireland is in Co. Galway. It's full of mountains and scenery and good hotels and restaurants and has a tourist trail that has to be be seen to be believed. It's knee deep in backpackers and coach tours in high summer. There's the Alcock and Brown connection and an Hotel of that name in Clifden where we spent part of our honeymoon. There's a Gaeltacht in Connemara. That an area where only Irish Gealic is spoken. People come from all over to learn and practice the language. The locals will speak English to visitors but Gaelic is their everyday language.

Galway city has absolutely boomed over the last 25 years or so. In some ways that's a bit regrettable. It used to be a quaint town made up of a collection of interesting buildings and streets. A really nice old town. Last time we were there, about 10 years ago, it had been modernised almost to the point where it looks like any other modern European town with a ring road laden with out of town shops, warehouses and manufacturing units. That's progress and it has helped the region prosper so while it may not look as quaint as it once did I'm sure local people appreciate the huge change in their way of life. The same can be said of almost all of the Republic of Ireland. EU membership has allowed the country to prosper and become a dynamic modern place. I say almost all because they've been very careful not to spoil the most beautiful areas, like Connemara and The Burren. The entire West of Ireland is lovely.

Galway is a great county for motor rallying too. It used to have it's own international rally in February. It was frequently icy and sometimes there was a little snow making it exciting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connemara
https://www.alcockandbrownhotel.com
http://www.historic-ireland.com/places/231.html


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Neil and Nora. https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/73-photography/48077-scanning-old-photos-email-2.html#post451922

Edit: I should have mentioned Salthill which adjoins Galway city and is a kind of mini Skegness.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

erneboy said:


> Neil and Nora. https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/73-photography/48077-scanning-old-photos-email-2.html#post451922


Last active 2013, what a shame.
Thanks for all that info Allan, Connemara was mentioned I know because I told her I used to rent a bungalow named Connemara 52 years ago when I lived in Norwich.
She still has her Irish brogue (I think thats what we call it?) and like me writes, reads and thinks English still.


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

We used caravan with the kids in the early 80's on a site near Renvyle, Connemara. One toilet hut and a standpipe in the field, and if you wanted a bath that could be arranged at the owners' bungalow (but not encouraged).

But it was right onto the beach, next stop America, and huge rollers.

We have so many great memories of that place!


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

And of course Connemara is also famous for its beautiful ponies


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

I used to love going to Galway with work but its probably at least twenty years since I last went. It was indeed a quaint place. I used to jog round the bay, Nobody will believe that now probably. There used to be a cracking bar in the city where the bar was like an old Pirate ship. The airport was basically a grass strip with a hut at the end of it from memory. Smashing.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

erneboy said:


> Neil and Nora. https://forums.motorhomefacts.com/73-photography/48077-scanning-old-photos-email-2.html#post451922
> Edit: I should have mentioned Salthill which adjoins Galway city and is a kind of mini Skegness.


 I have just spent a very pleasant 2 1/2 hours with Edith, I took your post with me Alan (printed on a piece of white paper :grin2: Starting from "Galway is a favourite county of ours")
she was very interested in it because on the first line it carries on with the name of Moycullen "I lived there for 15 years" she said, then further along the place you told me how its pronounced `Oughterard´ "My son lives there".
She didn't know who Egon Ronay was though. The rest she was saying yes, yes to as she read it. I left it with her, I bet she will read it a few more times.
We are going to get along very well I´m sure. She asked me if I was a catholic and I answered "I am a nothing, I was a Methodist, but I lost my faith a few years ago" "Oh what a shame", but no more than that. 
I will take her shopping when next she wants to go because she has no car and the shop just at the bottom of the road, Netto, is great but to get home she has to walk up hill and its a bit steep and she said she now runs out of breath half way up. 
Thanks for all that info Alan, I could tell it interested her. She has no idea about internet and I had to try to explain to her what a forum is.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Glad it was useful Jan, and that you two got on well.


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## JanHank (Mar 29, 2015)

She invited me to go to keep fit with her on Mondays, I´ve never been to keep fit, but this is probably a way for me to get to know other people around my age so perhaps I will give it a go.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

JanHank said:


> She invited me to go to keep fit with her on Mondays, I´ve never been to keep fit, but this is probably a way for me to get to know other people around my age so perhaps I will give it a go.


Thats a great idea Jan. Our gym does all sorts of classes during the day that seem popular with retired people. A fair few seem to socialise afterwards in the lounge. I imagine its the same in Germany. Go for it!


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## jiwawa (Jun 22, 2007)

I remember someone saying she was advised, when widowed, never to turn down an invitation.

I mightn't quite go with the 'never' but it seems quite good advice. 

Glad things went well.


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