Patrick's Travels

Throughout my life, I have been lucky enough to visit some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the world. From the Navajo Indian Reservation in Saint Michael's, Ariz., to Rome, Italy and San Diego, Calif., to London, England, I have had the privilege to see much of the world.

Yet, it was four months in Galway, Ireland, a city of about 72,000 people, which was the best travel experience of my life.

During the fall semester of my junior year at Saint Joseph’s University, I decided to study abroad. I don’t speak another language well enough to live in a non-English speaking country, and I have always been interested in my ancestry, which led me to choosing Ireland. My brother, Ryan, had recently been to Galway, and the way he raved about his time there sold me on selecting the third largest city in Ireland.

Galway, really a medium-sized town by my standards, is quaint, beautiful and vibrant. The city sits off of Galway Bay with a canal running through the heart of town. Shop Street, just off of Eyre Square at the heart of Galway City, is home to street performers and bustling shoppers. At night, old fashion Irish pubs as well as college nightlife hotspots dominate the attention.

One of the best parts of studying abroad in Europe is the ability to travel to nearby countries at little cost. During my semester in Ireland, I took trips to Paris, London, Rome and Madrid. To see the Eiffel Tower at night, the ruins in Rome at sunset and Big Ben tower over downtown London were some of the most enjoyable travel experiences.

While Galway doesn’t have the history or the international attractions such as the Louvre, Buckingham Palace or the Coliseum, it has been my favorite place to visit. This Irish city has an old fashion charm to it. People get around the city by walking or bicycling, they go to the pubs nearly every night and they are proud of their heritage.