The Building In 1950's
VIVO "Van In Van Out"
A Street Photo From The 1950's
Then & Now
Garavan's
Nestled in the heart of Galway city’s main shopping thoroughfare, stands the historic building that is Garavan’s Public House. An architectural treasure, its current physical footprint dates back to the fortified Galway of 1650.
Embedded as this building is into the very fabric of Galway city, it is little surprise that it has been home to three generations of Garavans, one of the oldest trading families on William Street.
Established by Charles Garavan
in 1937, it was originally a Spirit Grocery, which combined a public house with a grocery shop, serving the people of the city.
The Building
Garavan’s lies in the
heart of medieval Galway, facing onto the distinctive ‘y-shaped street pattern that dates from the early years of the settlement in the mid-thirteenth century.
From the time of its foundation by Richard de Burgo in 1235AD until the mid-fifteenth century, much of Galway was constructed
in timber.Significant buildings like St. Nicholas Collegiate Church (from c. 1320 onwards) were built in stone and the
survival of such buildings may have inspired the increasingly wealthy and independent merchants of Galway to build their businesses and dwellings in stone following devastating fires in 1473 and 1500.
As a result much of the upstanding stone
architecture in the city dates to the late 1400s and the early 1500s, like Garavan's Building.
the Legendary Nicholas Killoury
Of all the characters that frequented Garavan’s public house over the generations, from peripatetic travelers, visiting artists and literary figures (including one Samuel Beckett), to the wonderful Tommy Kelly who literally devoted his entire lifetime to the Garavan’s grocery shop, no name stands as tall as that of Nicholas Killoury. The legendary Bar Man, who possessed ‘unfailing good humour and a lively wit’ and was a lover of Shakespeare, Dickens, The Irish Times and opera,
elevated the pub to that of a forum for debate and discourse, and captivated visiting patrons from all over the world.
His ‘Superlative’ pint of Guinness
and learned pontifications inspired journalist and friend Jeff O’Connell to write a hugely popular weekly column in The
Galway Advertiser, and a subsequent bestselling book of the same title, Days and Nights in Garavan’s.
Featured product
garavansbar
Days and Nights in Garavan's Book
A selection from Morgan O'Doherty's lively column "Days and Nights in Garavan's".
Indulge in a delightful selection of short stories with Morgan O'Doherty's lively column, "Days and Nights in Garavan's". This beautiful collection of tales has been written over the course of several years and centers around the colorful characters who have frequented the bar throughout its rich history.
Garavan's Bar, which won Irish whiskey bar of the year 2017, is widely renowned as one of the finest bars in Ireland. Operated by the third generation of the family since its establishment in 1937, the bar has become an iconic destination for locals and visitors alike.
Morgan O'Doherty's collection of short stories offers readers a glimpse into the lives of the fictional patrons who frequent Garavan's on a daily basis. It is a hugely entertaining read that is sure to captivate and enchant its readers.
This book is the perfect gift for anyone who appreciates a well-written and engaging story. So why not pick up a copy today and discover the magic of Garavan's Bar and the characters that call it home. Who knows, you might even find yourself among its pages!
“A pub, no matter how superbly designed and decorated, is only a room without the presence of those who have made it their ‘regular’