Discover Galway's Rich Whiskey H
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settle in at Tigh Neachtain and take your favourite Discover Galway’s bottle home with you after a visit to McCambridge’s Rich Whiskey or Freeney’s. Heritage through it’s Galway is the capital of the West of Ireland and is renowned the world over for its tremendous finest whiskey bars on the welcome and soft weather. Wild Atlantic Way. The city is home to a tremendous population of artists, writers, musicians, actors, film-makers Welcome to The Galway Whiskey Trail and craftspeople as well as a population of those where we invite you to discover Galway’s who participate in and value these pursuits. The Rich Whiskey Heritage through it’s finest Galway calendar is jam-packed with cultural whiskey bars and outlets, each of which activity year-round and there is an ever growing is waiting to share their story with you. range of entertainment for visitors. The whiskey You can see the remains of the old Persse bars of Galway are where you’ll find any and all Distillery on Nun’s Island from a vantage of the creators and audience, before shows open point on O’Brien’s bridge. in moments of inspiration, after witnessing shows sharing moments of wonder. On Eyre Square you’ll find historic O’Connell’s and Garvey’s, you can visit An Púcán, located on the city’s old medieval jousting ground, tuck up beside the fire at The Dáil Bar, raise a toast to Galway hero Discover Galway’s Sonny Molloy, find out about The King’s Head rich whiskey heritage through the finest whiskey bars and how he lost it, hear the story of 15th Century on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way www.galwaywhiskeytrail.ie Mayor of Galway at Blake’s, discover the rarest Irish Whiskeys at Garavan’s in a building dating to 1650, was also born). Henry Stratford was undoubtedly to stave off stiff competition from the ever a compassionate figure who present Connemara poitín makers! Persse Galway believed there was an obligation Whiskey was marketed internationally and with on his Ascendancy class to the slogan ‘favourite in the House of Commons’ provide entrepreneurship and it sold particularly well in English colonies. By employment opportunities in the end of the 19th century the distillery directly order to lift Ireland out of poverty. employed over 100 people and its output of 400,000 This idealism may well have driven gallons was equal to that of the famous Bushmills Henry to open his distillery at a distillery. As scotch began to steal a march on time when the industry had been Irish whiskey’s international dominance, Persse rocked by a number of government Galway Whiskey began to feel the pinch. taxes. These ill-judged levies had led to the closure of eleven distilleries in whiskey production and consumption (both legal and This pinch became a squeeze when 3 of Dublin’s Galway alone between the end of the 18th century and illegal!) peaked in the 18th and 19th centuries. At this largest distillers amalgamated, and, aided by It was once declared that 1807. Henry’s wishes to stimulate the local economy time, Galway city and environs, just like many localities improved rail in the early 20th century, began to across the length and breadth of Ireland, was home to ‘God invented whiskey As local whiskey distilling undergoes something of resurgence however, it is worth reflecting on an a thriving distilling industry. Today, the remnants of enterprise which in its day was Galway’s largest employer and which carried the Galway name with to keep the Irish from this industry are visible in the derelict remains of the Persse Galway Whiskey Distillery along the banks of the pride and distinction around the world. ruling the world!’ River Corrib, as well as in local place names and pub appear to have been rewarded when, in 1824, it was memorabilia. eat into local Persse markets. Despite a rearguard recorded that local markets ‘are well supplied with grain, Witty as it is, this claim overlooks the fact that it action, the distillery finally succumbed to the was the Irish themselves who created this version chiefly wheat and oats and when the distilleries are at As local whiskey distilling undergoes something inevitable and closed its doors for the last time in of the ‘Water of Life’ or Uisce Beatha as it is known work with a considerable quantity of barley’. of a resurgence however, it is worth reflecting on 1908. Over 100 years on and with the renaissance of in the native tongue. Indeed it is widely held that an enterprise which in its day was Galway’s largest local Irish distillers however, there never has been it was our travelling monks, who, inspired by the At the peak of the Ireland’s Great Famine, the distillery employer and which carried the Galway name with a more apt time to raise a glass to Henry Stratford liqueurs and brandies being produced by their moved from its original home to nearby Nun’s Island pride and distinction around the world. The Persse Persse and the current crop of whiskey distillers that European counterparts, began the distillation of where it tapped into the power of the River Corrib. Galway Whiskey Distillery was established in 1815 in he and his kind have helped to influence! barley in Ireland around 1000AD. As distillation Under Henry’s nephew, Burton de Burgh Persse, the Newcastle, Galway by Henry Stratford Persse, a member methods improved over the following centuries, distillery would reach new heights whilst also managing of the dynasty (into which Lady Augusta Gregory SONNY MOLLOY’S IRISH WHISKEY BAR THE KING’S HEAD BLAKE’S CORNER BAR O’CONNELL’S Just a brief stroll down High Street will bring you to The Kings Head is a Pub, Restaurant & Live Venue Set on a corner plot named after a founding family of the O’Connell’s was once a grocery and a small bar but has the door of Sonny Molloy’s Irish Whiskey Bar. over 3 floors and is located in the heart of the Latin Tribes of Galway and one of Galway city’s first mayors, been solely a pub since the 1970’s. Sonny was a man of considerable achievement, though very Quarter. John Blake, 1487 – 1488. Our décor is truly stunning, with all original features including modest, he was a larger than life character. The building itself The 400 year old Fireplace, medieval windows and walls give it The award winning Blake’s Corner Bar is positioned at the histor- tiled floors, antique lighting, stained glass windows, solid wood- was part of a Medieval property built in the 1600’s, some of a unique atmosphere and make it a true piece of living history. ical Blake’s Corner where Eglinton St and Mary St meet. The area en seating and an amazing pressed tin ornate ceiling in the main which formed part of the old Galway city walls. History aside, this family run Pub, is renowned has a proud association with Persse’s Whiskey distillery that was bar. Historic photos line the walls. The long bar also displays a for its entertainment. located by the Salmon Weir Bridge. wide range of whiskeys. High Street, Latin Quarter, Galway High Street, Latin Quarter, Galway Eglinton Street, Galway Eyre Square, East Village, Galway 091 563757 :: www.sonnymolloysbar.com 091 566630 :: www.thekingshead.ie 091 530333 :: blakesbargalway.com 091 563634 :: www.oconnellsbargalway.com Forst r College Road ei Corrib Terrace University e 's Terrace e Bóthar na mB id Road mon W rs e Waters al Walsh S at Bóthar W W o n's Avenu Bre i od Qu a de Margadhn an Éisc nd nue nda a n Court Lane Ui Hill t's Ave Bre ay t h y Park d Earl Sa it Eit s 's ge Vincen Is rid S int int F B a Saint ir hi lan We rospec on P r niver lm ranc nal Roa d Sa Eyre U Street Lower Newc is Str Ga ol Newt eet Eyre Sq Upper Ca R oad Tourist Gao owns re Square Street N ÚCÁN E uare A P Colmcille Road glin Ey Office Coach ast l ton Old Just off Eyre Square on Forster Street, where Medieval Fursey Road Co Road mith Station O'Flah Street East le Road Jousting Forster F McDara Road Stre air lman's Road Eyre Galway once held it’s jousting contests you will find ary Ground Costello Road Road M et gre Poor An Púcán. erty Road Clare Squar en Carrick Road nal River Roa An Púcán Bar has the most extensive selection of whiskey in the Saint Ca 's e Square d Con er Corrib et city with a listing stretching to over 200 Irish, Scotch, American, Eyre Japanese and other great whiskies from around the globe along Enda's Road ven Stre Upper O'Conaire Road Look out for with whiskey platters and specials and their own Single t Lowe et Street Lynch’s William Cask bottling! Church Lane Castle Train Station the crest! Mark Road r Canal Ro 11 Forster Street, East Village, Galway Official venues on the trail have a stone engraving at their Nun's Isla reet Shan eet talla Roadenttrance - now you’re on the right trail. 091 376561 :: www.anpucan.ie Site of old p St ho S ad Persse’s rd Str Distillery - treet nd Sain New Road Nun’s Island mba St Lo t Helens Lo et Nicholas’ eet Street e Queen S Street ge Str rid Stre le ’s B Road ara ien Br gh idd O’ nts alia Road av Hi M Augustin He Park int nry Stree Ca t Sa Mercha nal Wa Bó Lough At tree reet thar t na Long lk Site of old City Quay St Burke’s Walls Distillery Dock Road oad r Dominick S we Dock Road Lo Sp anis Dock R Spanish Saint Mary's Road Raleigh Row h P aradArch erard West IGH EACHTAIN ARVEY S T N e G ’ Av Tigh Neachtain is located on the corner of Cross Street Wolfe Tone Bridge Situated on the corner of Eyre Square, in the heart of and Quay Street in the heartPalm of Galway City.