Loquacious, Literary, and Loving Every Second

Now that I’m back in Galway, I have been drinking up the abundance of literary culture faster than the pints I’ve been partaking in.  I really lucked out in choosing to study in a place where music, art, history, and literature dominate the city; around every turn, there is something new and wonderful to stumble upon.

But to get to those places, sometimes it helps to ask questions along the way.  Before I arrived in Galway I was determined to find the residence of Nora Barnacle, who was James Joyce’s wife.  She was born and raised in Galway before she met Joyce, and now her old home has been turned into a museum (even though the house is tiny!).  When my friend Mary and I ventured into town, we stopped by the Galway tours office and I asked the man working how to get to Nora Barnacle’s house.  Jokingly, he said “She’s dead, she doesn’t live there anymore.”  After a bit of laughter, he did give us directions, and after two failed attempts, Mary and I finally made it to the small house nestled inside a side alleyway.  We happened to arrive at it at the same time as an Australian couple, so we all helped each other out by taking one another’s photos.

Mary and I standing in front of Nora Barnacle's House.

Mary and I outside Nora Barnacle’s house

It’s still difficult for me to fathom that I’m so close to the history of my favorite authors.  Every time I go into the center of town, I pass a statue of Oscar Wilde, who is one of my all-time favorites.  I’m loving being surrounded by a prominent literary culture here – it’s such a change from what life is like back in State College.

Oscar Wilde statue in Galway City

Oscar Wilde statue in Galway City

A few days after our Nora Barnacle adventure, my friends and I chatted with a local shop owner and got directions to Charlie Byrne’s Book Shop, which stole my heart as soon as I entered.  I could have spent hours looking around, but we had to get to class so we only had about an hour to browse.  It was time well spent, though!

Me reading a book in Charlie Byrne's book shop

Me enjoying a book in Charlie Byrne’s

There are so many book shops in Galway – I seem to notice a new one each time I walk down Shop Street.  It’s definitely a dream come true for me… all of it is.  There is something inherently magical about Galway, as cheesy as that sounds.  The constant music that’s played in the streets, in the pubs… everywhere, really… seems like a soundtrack to life.  I don’t think I’ve gone a day without singing here – it’s impossible not to.  And yes, my friends and housemates do call me out on how I’m always singing.  Galway makes it so easy to live my passions, though.

And Galway always seems to point me in the right direction, too!

Me pointing at a sign for Diagon Alley in the book shop

Diagon Alley and Galway feel like the same place to me!

Looking forward to sharing more of my adventures with you!

-Maddison


Location: Galway City, Galway, Ireland

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One thought on “Loquacious, Literary, and Loving Every Second

  1. Tiffany Atrayis Do

    Maddison, I am so jealous of you! Not that much though, since I’m having the time of my life here in Florence, but nonetheless. I’m a huge reader as well as an art person, so I am both envious that you are surrounded by so much literary history and understanding as I am surrounded by so much art history. I imagine walking around seeing your authors house is similar to how I walk around and see the Medici’s palaces-so cool and yet it’s just casual at the same time to the locals. I’m especially envious of you because I am a huge Oscar Wilde fan. I hope you have a great semester in Galway, and I look forward to reading your posts!

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