Hotels near Galway Cathedral

The Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas was completed in 1965, which makes it startlingly young for a building of this scale. It was cut from Galway limestone on the site of the old city jail, and the design borrows without apology: a Renaissance dome, Romanesque arches, and a rose window that would sit happily three centuries earlier. The dome rises just over 44 metres above the crossing and is visible from most of the west side of the city.

Inside, the mosaics repay a slow look, including a Resurrection panel that controversially includes John F. Kennedy. The acoustics are exceptional and free organ recitals run on many summer weekdays around lunchtime. Entry is free with a suggested donation of 2 EUR. Half an hour is enough unless a recital is on, in which case stay for it.

Pro Tip: Approach on foot across the Salmon Weir Bridge rather than driving. Between May and July you can usually see salmon holding in the pool below the weir, and the dome frames cleanly from the middle of the bridge.