After the madness of July, Galway embraces the slow pace of life and chill vibes that August provides the city and county.
Now just because Galwegians see this month as a time to relax and regroup, this does not mean the city grinds to halt. There is still plenty to explore and experience with the various markets offering the opportunity to eat some of the country's finest street food, as well as a wonderful assortment of handcrafted knick-knacks which are perfect as a souvenir or present for friends and family back home.
Tiny Traders Village
With more than 40 businesses showing off their wares, the Tiny Traders Village at Nuns Island Theatre is a market that is not to be missed. Visitors can browse the products of local producers, crafters, artists, makers, and food/beverage entrepreneurs every Saturday from 11am to 5pm with some of the very best of local musical talent adding to wonderful, vibrant atmosphere created by the Galway 'souk'.
Food has become one of the most popular aspects of the village with four new businesses becoming fast favourites among regular punters.
The Greek Way - Cypriot Christos and Galwegian Sinead are only four months old as a food business but already have visitors flocking back each week to taste their delectable Greek and Cypriot food, enough to be sold out almost every week. Their signature souvlaki in particular has become a fan favourite.
Turtle and Hare Dining - Barna based Monaghan lady Shannon has been wowing visitors with her impressive range of impossibly tasty gluten-free baked goods since her Tiny Traders debut last April. Her innovation and insistence on top-end ingredients have led to her producing such wonders as her dairy-free toffee shortbread and vegan marshmallows.
Alainn - Gort is not the first place that comes to mind when tropical food is mentioned but Gort native Gerard has brought tantalising tropical tastes from faraway beaches to the West of Ireland with his brand new food start-up Alainn. Proving to be a popular breakfast option for festival goers in the Tiny Traders pop up at GIAF Festival Garden this summer, as well as a staple food of choice for health and fitness enthusiasts, Alainn is definitely a brand setting a trend.
Kiki Food - People often come to markets to try something novel and what could be more novel to the Galway pallet than Ethiopian food? From beautifully flavoured curried lentil dishes, homemade flatbread to some of the nicest hummus around Kidan makes mouths water with new dishes every week with his blend of North African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean cuisine making quite an impression on visitors.
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Galway Market
The city's oldest and arguably most famous market, Galway Market, is a must visit on an adventure to the west of Ireland. The street market has been trading on Church Lane outside the beautiful St Nicholas' Collegiate Church in the city centre for centuries and visitors will not be disappointed on what they may find. From handmade jewellery, stunning paintings, and wonderful wood cravings, there are numerous stalls for one to admire and purchase something unique and quirky.
There is a great variety of food available with Vietnamese, South African, and Japanese some of superb culinary choices on display to munch on for lunch or dinner. But if you are in the mood for cooking at home, there are great fresh fruit, veg, and fresh options along with freshly baked bread.
The market is open all year round on Saturdays from 8am to 6pm and Sundays from lunchtime and on Fridays in August.
Moycullen Country Market
Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, why not try the quaint village of Moycullen where the country market is in full swing on Fridays from 1pm to 6pm.
Only 10 minutes from Galway city, Moycullen Country Market has something to suit everyone's palate with Gannet Fishmongers, Andy's Spelt Treats, Gort an Stoiricín, Turtle and Hare Dining, The Friendly Farmer, Castlemine Farm, Cassie's, Quinns Fruit and Veg, Legume, Moycullen GreenFoods, and Wildfire Gourmet Food Truck some of the superb vendors trading at the market.
Free parking is available all day. Sure what else would you be doing on a laid back Friday afternoon.
