What is Loughrea like?

hoody

Da Derga tonight in Kearys, excellent band. Music in McNamees tomorrow night from 8.30pm, not sure who is playing though. Watched the match in Teach Beag, great pub, shame about the outcome of the game though...

tony2phones

Thanks for that. Didn't play their best today but have to lose the unbeaten run sometime, pity it was against France!!

DJ Dodgy

tony2phones wrote: »

Thanks for that. Didn't play their best today but have to lose the unbeaten run sometime, pity it was against France!!

Rather France than England, back on the road again, . Really tight margins for error in 6 nations these days. Shows you the achievement last year was.

galwaygal09

might get some info from new website http://loughrea-enjoyfreetoday.yolasite.com/entertainment.php with Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Loughrea-enjoyfreetoday/325857427849?ref=mf

Credit Union Factor on Saturday in Temperance Hall http://loughrea-enjoyfreetoday.yolasite.com/blog/credit-union-factor

and Féile Raifteirí Festival kicks off friday
http://loughrea-enjoyfreetoday.yolasite.com/blog/f-ile-raifteir-festival

jaykhunter

sorry to bump, i'm going to Loughrea (from Dublin) tomorrow evening for a wedding, staying for the rest of the week. I have a few Qs if anyone could please help me out!

1) How can I get there besides car? (and the Airport bus -- it's 25 euro return!) I'm in the city centre, is there anything around there? Citylink is saying 19 euros for open return, and a 2hr40minute journey. I heard there was something much cheaper?

2) Is there anything fun to do with your girlfriend there (besides the obvious!!); i heard there's go-karting, anything else? Like a Spa or something?

3) Any nice restaurants (especially those that do a good steak) and still good value for money? (i.e. max ~23 euro for a main course)

alibabba

jaykhunter wrote: »

sorry to bump, i'm going to Loughrea (from Dublin) tomorrow evening for a wedding, staying for the rest of the week. I have a few Qs if anyone could please help me out!

1) How can I get there besides car? (and the Airport bus -- it's 25 euro return!) I'm in the city centre, is there anything around there? Citylink is saying 19 euros for open return, and a 2hr40minute journey. I heard there was something much cheaper?

2) Is there anything fun to do with your girlfriend there (besides the obvious!!); i heard there's go-karting, anything else? Like a Spa or something?

3) Any nice restaurants (especially those that do a good steak) and still good value for money? (i.e. max ~23 euro for a main course)

Answers to 1,2 & 3 = NO

Seriously.

EAFC_rdfl

jaykhunter wrote: »

sorry to bump, i'm going to Loughrea (from Dublin) tomorrow evening for a wedding, staying for the rest of the week. I have a few Qs if anyone could please help me out!

1) How can I get there besides car? (and the Airport bus -- it's 25 euro return!) I'm in the city centre, is there anything around there? Citylink is saying 19 euros for open return, and a 2hr40minute journey. I heard there was something much cheaper?

2) Is there anything fun to do with your girlfriend there (besides the obvious!!); i heard there's go-karting, anything else? Like a Spa or something?

3) Any nice restaurants (especially those that do a good steak) and still good value for money? (i.e. max ~23 euro for a main course)

1) try bus eireann online, i see return dublin - loughrea for 16.50, likely to be a slightly longer journey than citylink tho

2) go-karting is out of town a bit, bout 10 or 15 min drive i'd say. the new hotel has a spa could be worth checking out - lough rea spa hotel. not a whole pile else tho, not much in the way of shopping

3) theres a nice indian, and there are 2 italian restaurants, have only been in one of them - il proscetto i think its called, steak wasnt too bad from what i remember. its next to the bus stop coming from the east

hoody

jaykhunter wrote: »

sorry to bump, i'm going to Loughrea (from Dublin) tomorrow evening for a wedding, staying for the rest of the week. I have a few Qs if anyone could please help me out!

1) How can I get there besides car? (and the Airport bus -- it's 25 euro return!) I'm in the city centre, is there anything around there? Citylink is saying 19 euros for open return, and a 2hr40minute journey. I heard there was something much cheaper?

2) Is there anything fun to do with your girlfriend there (besides the obvious!!); i heard there's go-karting, anything else? Like a Spa or something?

3) Any nice restaurants (especially those that do a good steak) and still good value for money? (i.e. max ~23 euro for a main course)

1) The much cheaper option you are thinking of is probably the Gobus or the €1 citylink, but both go direct to Galway without passing through Loughrea. 2hr 40min is pretty accurate for Citylink to Loughrea, they pass through all the towns on the way down.

2) There's plenty. There's 2 spas that I know of in the town, one in the Loughrea Hotel, and one in Millenium House next to the Fairgreen. There's beauty parlours dotted all over the place if your girlfriend is keen on them. There's horse riding not too far from the town, and plenty of walks around the town too. I'll admit a car would be useful to get out and about, and into Galway, but tell us what you'd be interested in doing, and it might be easier to give you a specific answer.

3) The Meadow Court out the Galway Road has a good rep for food, you could take a taxi out there for around €6 I'd say. O'Deas in town has changed management lately and the food has improved from what I hear.

hoody

alibabba wrote: »

Answers to 1,2 & 3 = NO

Seriously.

Why discourage visitors from coming to Loughrea? In my opinion, it serves no positive purpose at all. This town isn't perfect, far from it, but give us ways in which it could be improved rather than just being bluntly negative.

tony2phones

If you had booked early enough I believe both Bus Eireann and City Link have €1 or €2 fairs which you book Dublin to Galway and simply get off in Loughrea. There is a Spa at the Loughrea Hotel but carting is a Tynagh which would cost a small fortune in a taxi,its about 20 km out towards Portumna. If the weather stays right you could always swim in the Lake (the Blue Flag has been flying lately). If you have an equestrian side there is the Dartfield Horse Museum just before you get into town from Dublin. I cant help with the steak question as I havn't eaten in Town for a while.

http://www.loughrea-spa-hotel.com/Loughrea_Hotel_and_Spa_Facilities.html
http://www.pallaskarting.com/
http://www.dartfield.com/

alibabba

hoody wrote: »

Why discourage visitors from coming to Loughrea? In my opinion, it serves no positive purpose at all. This town isn't perfect, far from it, but give us ways in which it could be improved rather than just being bluntly negative.

I was only giving an honest answer. I wasnt been negative at all.
He's looking for a spa, prob would like a swimming pool too.
Loughrea in the year 2010 has no swimming pool.

We dont have a resturant that serves steak

and besides the lake there is ZERO family amentities ... FACT

Dartfield !
:rolleyes:

galwaygal09

You have got some good advice above...no train into Loughrea these days :-) and without a car your options are Bus Eireann, City Link and GoBus...checking online for best price is the way to go...

I have heard many people give good feedback on the spa facilities in the Lough Rea Hotel and Spa...and much cheaper in prices than the likes of Galway City, but as people have already mentioned there are other places in town that do similar but more along the lines of massage etc rather than full use of rooms that a hotel can provide.

If your not that familiar with Loughrea and into the sites then why not have a good walk around town, Old Abbey (Abbey Street), The Walks (beside Old Abbey) in nice...a walk out the Lake Road to the Long Point which once again has achieved The Blue Flag. Saint Brendan's Cathedral with it's famous stained glass windows...this guided tour might be worth you printing out http://www.galwayeast.com/wayfinding_files/Loughrea_Way.pdf but there are many signs/boards outside various buildings with map and detailed info that will fill you in on its history/background.
http://www.loughreaonline.com/visitors.php

This sunday on the Fairgreen (head down end of Main Street and take left...ask anyone where Fairgreen or Courthouse is) the Loughrea Anglers are having a fun day with a Duck Race at 1pm. Then they have bouncy castle, bbq, music, welly and horse shoe throwing, fly tying and fly casting...so might be worth a look.

Again as mentioned there are a number of horse riding places our of town but without car....here is one http://www.riding-centre.com/ that has super settings and also things like trekking/walks etc

http://www.pallaskarting.com/ as mentioned again out of town but could get there by taxi

If heading to the pubs here are a few that generally have music on saturday night, Kearys on the Main Street (sat night A Band Called Wanda play at 10.15pm), McNamees on Bride Street (and have beer Garden) Whiskey Joe's on Main Street has dj robbie playing Michael Jackson hits sat. night (been anniv. and all) - Moylans on Main Street next to Supermacs also worth checking out... Clubs there are two Club L (newly opened at Lough Rea Hotel and Spa) and Ringos in O'Deas Hotel on Bride Street), age groups as with most towns in Ireland do tend to be young...This Saturday night Ringos has an Afterdark White Party-Guest DJ, Laser Animation, UV & intelligent lighting, Stunnung visuals, UV paint, 8*4ft screens, Podium dancers from 11.30pm-2am think about E10 to get in.

Food wise, the two hotels...Lough Rea Hotel and Spa and O'Dea's do decent enough food, 2 Italians one on Main Street opposite Weavers Rest the other Main Street heading towards Dunkellin Street (next to Abbey Street) cat fault either...the Indian at the Westbridge is suppose to be good but have not had a chance to eat there yet...

Looks like the weather is going to stay good for the weekend, enjoy Loughrea...the Lake is one of its greatest assets, i'd definately recommend a walk out the Lake Road, take the paper, light lunch or something and just chill out...enjoy!!!

jaykhunter

alibabba, EAFC_rdfl, hoody, tony2phones, galwaygal09, thanks for your help! Pretty lucky i was able to get a lift in the end. Am in the loughrea hotel; will def check out the spa & if there's other amenities too. Had steak in the hotel restaurant, was real nice. drinks are a lot cheaper!! Town is pretty sleepy, people are v friendly and it's nice to be out in the sun and it being real relaxed.

anyways i'll try out those places ye mentioned, if you think of anywhere else to eat let me know

jaykhunter

oh, since we've got a car, is there a nice restaurant in galway city? I hear it's only a half hour drive

hoody

jaykhunter wrote: »

oh, since we've got a car, is there a nice restaurant in galway city? I hear it's only a half hour drive

There's any amount of them ...drive to Galway, park the car up somewhere near the centre of town (maybe down the Docks would be good, well signposted to get there and very close to Shop St and all the action down there) and just pull into the first place that catches your eye.

Hope yer enjoying the weekend down here - I would be too if it wasn't for work!

hoody

does anyone know anyone who plays soccer in the town? used to have a kickabout on the fairgreen at the weekend but its been ages since, looking to get back into for the fitness etc