Salthill Galway, Ireland's iconic seaside town in mid winter. Cold sea swimming and promenade walks,
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ก.พ. 2025
- Just 3 km west of Galway city is the seaside resort of Salthill and that’s were we’ve come to film on this cold, and quiet windy morning. But look at the light, this is really a beautiful place at this time of year. Given that this walk is ridiculously early in the morning and that we’re visiting in mid November, you’d think that there’d be no one around, but as you’ll see plenty of people are still drawn to the beauty of this place.
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But, there’s also some redevelopment going on here, and this seaside town, which largely grew up in the 1970’s and 80s when casinos, amusements, hotels and leisure centres began to appear, is still very much a work in progress by the look of things. However, the view out to the bay, is something that frankly can’t be improved upon.
We look at the Galway Atlantaquaria, Ireland’s largest native species aquarium and another attraction for families along the promenade.
The video takes us along this well-known Salthill promenade which is a couple of miles long, where you can wonder at the beautiful Galway Bay. We finish up at the iconic Blackrock diving tower, where people like to come and swim in these freezing cold Atlantic waters and we’ll see some of those brave swimmers when we reach that point.
It’s perhaps a little unfair to make a judgement of the seafront in the early hours of the morning on a winter’s day. In summer time this place is buzzing, the pubs and restaurants are in full swing and Salthill is one of Ireland's favourite holiday destinations.
Local people come down here to jog along the prom, or for early morning walks with their dog. It’s certainly a good place to blow the cobwebs off and stimulate the senses before the day begins.
We visit Leaisureland, another major family attraction in Salthill. It features swimming pools and a fitness suite, but during summer months there’s a fairground on the site, complete with big wheel and bumper cars. You can imagine the empty beaches packed with people in the summer. It really does get busy here.
The other thing to mention about Galway is its close association with the Irish language. County Galway is home to the largest Gaeltacht Irish speaking region in Ireland. There’s thought to be between 30 and 40 thousand Irish speakers in the county. Nearly 24,000 of these are classed as native Irish speakers. Almost 11 thousand identify themselves as being daily Irish speakers.
The little shelters and buildings right along the sea are iconic seaside structures. The bright colours really pop on a morning like this against the moody colours of the bay. Again we have to picture all this at the height of summertime. We look at a little building which would be serving all the bathers and holiday makers ice creams and what have you.
But despite the winter weather, we can already see a hardy bather making use of the wild Atlantic. I can only imagine how cold that must feel, but we’ll see much more bathing later as we approach Blackrock diving tower.
The islands in Galway bay incidentally are the 3 Aran Islands, which sit at the mouth of the bay and where the Aran sweater originates from.
The rain here just seems to make everything all the more beautiful and adds to the atmosphere.
We head down towards the Blackrock diving tower, I’m overtaken by two young swimmers who are seemingly keen not to get wet at this stage. But of course they’ll soon be submerged in the icy Atlantic waters.
And they’re not the only ones. This is a very popular thing to do in Salthill on a Sunday morning in mid-winter it seems, as you'll see from the number of people involved here in this activity.
We see the people in swimming at the end of the pier. But on looking around, there must be 20 or 30 people in total.
On leaving, there's two girls heading home after a dip, presumably invigorated and off to find a hot drink at the end of a rainbow in the distance.
30 years ago, in college, I came to Galway for New Years on 2 occasions, staying at a youth hostel a couple doors down from Monroes Pub. When it closed back then at 1130 we would walk the mile or so to Salthill, to the night bars there. Fun times, and I will never forget those cool people I met there.
Wow, Galway was a very different place back then I guess Ken?
@@nakedireland I reckon it was. I was back there in 2015, and the peat fireplace was gone, no one smokes in the pubs anymore, tourists were everywhere, and the prices...astronomical, unlike the ol punt days when a poor college kid from America could buy the cheapest ticket to Shannon, stay in the cheapest hostel, and have a million priceless laughs
Wow Ken, that sounds like the adventure of a lifetime. So glad your memories of Ireland are such precious ones. Thanks for watching Naked Ireland and I hope there’ll be more videos that interest you. They might even draw you back for another holiday!
@@nakedireland perhaps one day.q I now have a small organic banana farm high my islands highest rainforest mountain here in the Caribbean. I finally found that which I seeked in my youth traveling alone, living out of a backpack, in Ireland, Israel, through China, the Middle East, Europe, transatlantic sailing journeys. I finally found home , no longer alone with catsq and hundreds of banana trees.
Fantastic finale to your travels Ken. Enjoy!
I am sure your determined to make me homesick for Ireland, even on a blustery wet cold day your vids make me want to be there 😁 Keep up the good work 🙂👍
Thanks Rob, always good to get your encouragement. Sorry for making you homesick, but great that you're enjoying the vids. Happy New Year to you.
@@nakedireland Closest I will get to my beloved Ireland for a long while yet, hoping maybe later in 23 might make it over. I love seeing the places you been. Happy New year to you too, think of me as you raise a glass of Irish Whiskey, I will do the same 😁
Happy New Year! Sláinte
Great holiday there in 1975. Shenanagins in Swapoint great sing songs in Castle Inn.
Great memories of the Palm Court and its staff...
I hope my film brought those memories flooding back for you Archie? Thanks for watching.
Nice vid , well narrated , nice camera work, fair play, "she's a cruel one in Yule, light fades ,patience, patience , standing silent ,sullen with Imbolc, the resuscitation at the turn of Ostara, come the sun, come the youth....the welcome tides, none that hide , with the clear and open skies, the different sounds of new sons, the daughters of foreign men, find a rhythm until Samhain's end, ease and rush the paths and lanes, continents convene at Europe's edge " Moi 2023
Very very beautiful.
Not bad at all :)
Ive not been to my memory but it looks like a lovely place. Thanks.
Thanks for watching Colin.
Love your videoes im be back over in Scotland x
Thanks Kirsty, appreciate that.
I have wonderful childhood memories of summer holidays in Salthill. It’s a great place and so close to Galway city
Bringing back childhood memories - that's my job.
in the 60s 70s my family all went to salthill in Aug 2 weeks, from Derry, loved it, have not been in 45 years now.
Yes Chris, and a holiday like that was the height of sophistication in those days! Thanks for watching.
Visited this August 2023. Blackrock Diving pier was an attraction to me as it was featured in the movie The Guard with Brendan Gleeson and Mark Strong. Great spot.
Thank you Thomas, I must seek out that film.
Scenery at prom is wonderful. Aran islands can be viewed if weather allows.
Yes, Oleksii, I’d like to get out to them at some point, have you visited them?
Thanks Greg ☺
Last time I was there was during the Summer of 2002 with my uncle, auntie & cousins so it looks quite different to what I recall!
Was it snowing at one point as you approached the swimmers?
Thanks for the videos over the course of 2022 when I first discovered you walking Wexford town & have a Merry New Year my friend! 🤗
It wasn't snowing Rue, but the rain got a lot more serious at that point! Happy New Year to you.
I’m looking to go somewhere where the air is really fresh and pure. I’m wondering if this could be it. I’ve been to Limerick and the air quality was amazing. I could go here as long as there’s no fishy smell in the air.
Hi Amanda, I’d say the air is fresh. Fishy smell? Not sure, it is the Atlantic Ocean.
Best air in the world.❤
Galway where the most popular boys name this year was Muhammed...very Irish indeed...