Why are there so many hippies in Galway?

BASHIR · 13-11-2012 8:34pm

I find them hipsters worse, At least ya know where ya stand with hippies.

asherbassad · 13-11-2012 8:43pm

Local-womanizer wrote: »

Give them some credit, they have 1 set!

I think you'll find that that 1 set is actually disputed. It's right on the border with both Sligo and Leitrim claiming it.

It's like the Kashmir of the Wesht!

Wolf Club · 13-11-2012 8:55pm

I think it's down to a combination of 2 things;

1. The fact that it's so well known for arts and culture
2. From personal experience, it's much easier to survive on the dole in Galway than it is in Dublin (I can't really comment on other Irish cities as I haven't lived in them)

Now I'm not saying that all "hippies" are unemployed, but if you want to pursue certain interests which you feel may not provide much income for a foreseeable amount of time (art, music, film making, etc.) it is relatively easy to do this in Galway without being too short of cash, as the cost of living is pretty low.

I don't see any problem with it whatsoever and think it's part of the reason that Galway is such a vibrant place.

Rented Mule · 13-11-2012 8:58pm

keith16 wrote: »

They took over after Galway was liberated from the Indians

The long hairs slaughtered the Indians ....and stole their best curry recipes.

del88 · 13-11-2012 8:58pm

I blame the pet shop boys and their persuasive lyrics.....give it a minute ...there ye go.:D

Mr. Boo · 13-11-2012 9:10pm

There aren't that many.

thebishop · 13-11-2012 9:13pm

the purple tin wrote: »

Used to be plenty of new agers around Dunmanway. Not sure about now though.

Still lots of em around there.Great place for a party.

Donnielighto · 14-11-2012 12:22am

del88 wrote: »

I blame the pet shop boys and their persuasive lyrics.....give it a minute ...there ye go.:D

Ha?

Fuinseog · 14-11-2012 8:56am

[there are also pseudo crusties about the place. in appearance they look the same and tend to consume intoxicating liquors in the Roisn Dubh, but secretly hold jobs and do not live off welfare.

Fuinseog · 14-11-2012 8:59am

Wolf Club wrote: »

I think it's down to a combination of 2 things;

1. The fact that it's so well known for arts and culture
2. From personal experience, it's much easier to survive on the dole in Galway than it is in Dublin (I can't really comment on other Irish cities as I haven't lived in them)

Now I'm not saying that all "hippies" are unemployed, but if you want to pursue certain interests which you feel may not provide much income for a foreseeable amount of time (art, music, film making, etc.) it is relatively easy to do this in Galway without being too short of cash, as the cost of living is pretty low.

I don't see any problem with it whatsoever and think it's part of the reason that Galway is such a vibrant place.

true it is cheaper to survive on the dole in galway but a place like roscommon would be even easier. you can rent a entire house there for 400 euros while in dublin it might get you a broom cupboard.

galways reputation as culture capital is over hyped just like its bilingual reputation.

bnt · 14-11-2012 9:49am

Hippies just seem to migrate to the West, for some reason. That's why there are so many in California. The West is where the Sun goes down, it's the end of Civilization. :cool:

fishy fishy · 14-11-2012 10:01am

it's true to a point. You do get a melting pot of every kind of character in Galway. That's what makes it so great. Let's put it this way, I'd rather have a town full of creative "hippies" than a town full of deluded slicked haired pin striped suits going to "work" with a sandwich in their briefcase.

Fuinseog · 14-11-2012 10:41am

you do see people walking through the street with a coffee in their hand moving in great haste. Galway is a rural cosmopolitan town, though westport could well outstrip it.

it is also a city of paradoxes- culture capital without an art museum or any real museum at all

BraziliaNZ · 14-11-2012 10:43am

My experience of Galway a couple of years ago (the "city" that is, the countryside is beautiful), was rowdy bars/nightclubs with fights breaking out constantly, travellers everywhere, Calcutta style traffic in a town of a few thousand people, a main square which was like a burger chain expo and a total kip, 2 streets with a few pubs on them, and that was about that. I didn't see this vibrant art culture or hippy paradise you all speak of. I'd rather never visit the place again to be honest.

Plazaman · 14-11-2012 10:54am

doovdela wrote: »

You serious Leitrim has no traffic lights?!

Tis true, a well known fact west of the Shannon is that the roads traffic act section for traffic lights is exempt in Leitrim due to the incident in '86. Since then Leitrim people have a phobia of traffic lights and that's why a lot emigrate to the outback rather to an urban town.

Be warned, keep the hippies out of Leitrim. It's full of Germans in rural cottages and they'll repel any invasion, it's in their blood. Again, well known to us North West folk, the county is now actually called Leitrimstein (there's a toll on the autobahn in as well).

Mr. Boo · 14-11-2012 10:57am

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

My experience of Galway a couple of years ago (the "city" that is, the countryside is beautiful), was rowdy bars/nightclubs with fights breaking out constantly, travellers everywhere, Calcutta style traffic in a town of a few thousand people, a main square which was like a burger chain expo and a total kip, 2 streets with a few pubs on them, and that was about that. I didn't see this vibrant art culture or hippy paradise you all speak of. I'd rather never visit the place again to be honest.

Fights constantly breaking out? I was born and reared in Galway and NEVER got in a fight in a pub or club myself, and saw only a handful.

I don't believe there are any more travellers there than anywhere else, not that it should make a difference. Again, over my 29 or so years living there my interactions with the travelling community were minimal, but I heard plenty of bitching about them on certain fora...

I'm not sure what Calcutta style traffic is, and indeed I didn't realise it was famous for a particular road system. Galway suffers from congestion problems at peak times for sure (what urban centre doesn't in Ireland?), but it is also a place of work and education for people from several different counties.

There was one burger chain in Eyre Square (which is hemmed in by 3 streets - 4 at one point in its existence) last time I checked, and the town has SEVERAL more streets. There are also a number of pubs for all types of clientele.

I haven't heard many others calling it an art/cultural paradise, but Galwegians are proud of our lively arts scene and the annual arts festival. She is home to many excellent musicians, playwrights and poets, and couldn't give a shyte what anyone thinks of her either. If you can't find a good time in Galway you'll have a hard time enjoying yourself anywhere.

IdidIt · 14-11-2012 10:58am

Fuinseog wrote: »

you do see people walking through the street with a coffee in their hand moving in great haste. Galway is a rural cosmopolitan town, though westport could well outstrip it.

it is also a city of paradoxes- culture capital without an art museum or any real museum at all

Galway City Museum ? http://www.galwaycitymuseum.ie/

BraziliaNZ · 14-11-2012 11:01am

Mr. Boo wrote: »

Fights constantly breaking out? I was born and reared in Galway and NEVER got in a fight in a pub or club myself, and saw only a handful.

Must have been a bad weekend. I'm just giving my review of it from those few days. I love the county and my Grandmother was from there so would visit a lot I just don't see the attraction of the town itself.

Mr. Boo · 14-11-2012 11:04am

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Must have been a bad weekend. I'm just giving my review of it from those few days. I love the county and my Grandmother was from there so would visit a lot I just don't see the attraction of the town itself.

Oh sorry, that must've been the weekend they rolled up all the streets bar two. My bad.

BraziliaNZ · 14-11-2012 11:05am

Mr. Boo wrote: »

Oh sorry, that must've been the weekend they rolled up all the streets bar two. My bad.

Oh would you stop, try being from Dublin where everyone else in the country knocks it given half a chance.

fishy fishy · 14-11-2012 11:15am

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

My experience of Galway a couple of years ago (the "city" that is, the countryside is beautiful), was rowdy bars/nightclubs with fights breaking out constantly, travellers everywhere, Calcutta style traffic in a town of a few thousand people, a main square which was like a burger chain expo and a total kip, 2 streets with a few pubs on them, and that was about that. I didn't see this vibrant art culture or hippy paradise you all speak of. I'd rather never visit the place again to be honest.

LOL, for you to really see Galway you must get out of the "tourist Strip" called the "Latin Quarter" and upwards to Eyre Square. People in the know wouldn't be seen dead in these areas - we leave those areas for the tourists to fight it out between. Local's know better.

Duggy747 · 14-11-2012 11:15am

I generally don't mind the hippies, some do waffle on about the same shìte an awful lot like the evils on consumerism / capitalism or they like using the word "RAPE!!" or "SHEEPLE!!" lots to get whatever point across that it feels like you're just talking to clones.

A lot of them I've met or known come from very well, very rich families which makes it funnier. It was like the dirtier or hippier they are, the richer their families probably are :pac:

Usually complain about the government not giving them jobs while they have qualifications in something obscure and pretty jobless.

Had a hippy come into my shop one morning with just a stick from a tree (like he was ascending the Himalayas), looking filthy like he lived under a bridge, he smelt like sour milk, and his fingers looked like he'd been sifting through poo to find undigested bits to eat.

He said he had no money but that he wanted to use my work machine to check his emails. Had to explain to him about security and how I couldn't let him............even if he was a "cool cat that could be trusted". There was no way I was letting him near my machine anyways with those manky hands.

I find the hippies ok in small doses, it's the hipsters I hate. Crazy amount of arrogant and know-it-all types around Galway.

BraziliaNZ · 14-11-2012 11:17am

fishy fishy wrote: »

LOL, for you to really see Galway you must get out of the "tourist Strip" called the "Latin Quarter" and upwards to Eyre Square. People in the know wouldn't be seen dead in these areas - we leave those areas for the tourists to fight it out between. Local's know better.

God I didn't realise it was a massive city divided into districts and quarters, I must go back

fishy fishy · 14-11-2012 11:18am

Mr. Boo wrote: »

Fights constantly breaking out? I was born and reared in Galway and NEVER got in a fight in a pub or club myself, and saw only a handful.

I don't believe there are any more travellers there than anywhere else, not that it should make a difference. Again, over my 29 or so years living there my interactions with the travelling community were minimal, but I heard plenty of bitching about them on certain fora...

I'm not sure what Calcutta style traffic is, and indeed I didn't realise it was famous for a particular road system. Galway suffers from congestion problems at peak times for sure (what urban centre doesn't in Ireland?), but it is also a place of work and education for people from several different counties.

There was one burger chain in Eyre Square (which is hemmed in by 3 streets - 4 at one point in its existence) last time I checked, and the town has SEVERAL more streets. There are also a number of pubs for all types of clientele.

I haven't heard many others calling it an art/cultural paradise, but Galwegians are proud of our lively arts scene and the annual arts festival. She is home to many excellent musicians, playwrights and poets, and couldn't give a shyte what anyone thinks of her either. If you can't find a good time in Galway you'll have a hard time enjoying yourself anywhere.

Be fair now, and take off the rose tinted glasses. it does get pretty rowdy outside supermacs on eyre square after the kids are let out from the nightclubs. Tourists who don't know any better will find themselves in the thick of it. (a place to be avoided after a certain time).

The traffic is brutal.

I never got in a fight myself either, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

fishy fishy · 14-11-2012 11:20am

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

God I didn't realise it was a massive city divided into districts and quarters, I must go back

no, its not a massive city, it's a medium sized town, and yes, it is "divided" into "districts" and "quarters" if thats how you like to put it. You, obviously hit the worst "quarter" on your travels to Galway - "the Latin Quarter". What a nightmare.

next time, ask a local.

Wolf Club · 14-11-2012 2:58pm

Fuinseog wrote: »

true it is cheaper to survive on the dole in galway but a place like roscommon would be even easier. you can rent a entire house there for 400 euros while in dublin it might get you a broom cupboard.

galways reputation as culture capital is over hyped just like its bilingual reputation.

Fair enough, but if you wanted to pursue a career as an artist/musician/any other creative venture, setting yourself up in Galway would be much more advantageous than the likes of Roscommon, both for meeting like minded people and finding space to facilitate your work.

books4sale · 14-11-2012 3:09pm

Fuinseog wrote: »

you do see people walking through the street with a coffee in their hand moving in great haste. Galway is a rural cosmopolitan town, though westport could well outstrip it.

it is also a city of paradoxes- culture capital without an art museum or any real museum at all

You don't have a clue what you're talking about do you?

Anyway, I don't expect you to reply because I know i'm correct.

Mr. Boo · 14-11-2012 8:29pm

fishy fishy wrote: »

Be fair now, and take off the rose tinted glasses. it does get pretty rowdy outside supermacs on eyre square after the kids are let out from the nightclubs. Tourists who don't know any better will find themselves in the thick of it. (a place to be avoided after a certain time).

The traffic is brutal.

I never got in a fight myself either, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Rowdy, yeah, but fights breaking out constantly?

As I said, the traffic's bad and I don't know what it's like in Calcutta.

I don't have rose-tinted glasses at all. Moving around the world in search of work makes you realise all the good things about where you're from, sure, but in my case it's not out of proportion with the truth. I feel lucky to have grown up in a place where I could buy a couple of beers and head to the sea to catch some mackerel or go for a swim. I worked for years in "the arts", a lot of soundtracking, recording, production.....and Galway has people coming from all over the world to work there (big names and small).

There are places to be avoided, like anywhere I've been. But to be honest I often bought carry-out in some of the dodgiest pubs in town, again with no hassle at all. The few times I saw proper fights, where guys got properly hurt and not just rolled around undressing one another, it stuck in my mind because it was a rare enough occurrence. Most of what I saw was the drunken stupidity of students, only really doing internal damage to themselves.

Proud Galwegian.

flogging a dead horse · 14-11-2012 8:44pm

A guy I know was in the GPO on a St. Patricks night and to this day he claimed he has never seen as much jewlery in such a small area. Although he has travelled the world in recent times, so I might have to quiz him on that claim.

Tarrahh · 28-03-2013 12:03am

franktheplank wrote: »

Nope, like i said i know how to protect myself.

And there'll be nothing going the other way either, shudder, I saw this hippy chick once with armpits more hairy and smelly than my own, because it's natural man, barf barf barf.

Frank if I ever see you I'll make sure to 'barf' at your personal grooming habits.

Bowlardo · 28-03-2013 12:07am

flogging a dead horse wrote: »

Well over the last two years the music in downstairs R Dubh has got decidely worse. All those horrible 'mesh-up's'. A type of music started by and perfected by the group 2 Many Dj's. They are playing this Friday in the Olympia and their damm good. However any in-house DJ that attempt what they do, really do sound like pants.
Just play one good song after another and then another.
Not the mix of 2 and even 3 songs basterdized together to form a poxy tune.

Finally someone understands my pain

bodhrandude · 28-03-2013 4:22am

All the hippies are in Macnas.

Redhairedguy · 28-03-2013 4:32am

bodhrandude wrote: »

All the hippies are in Macnas.

No. Unfortunately there was a divide in the late 90's, and some of the hippies migrated from the group to form their own vision of 'giant puppets constantly falling onto terrified school children'. They're a wild and radical splinter group.

Wacker The Attacker · 28-03-2013 5:52am

Isnt it still the sixties in the west of Ireland.

Ruudi_Mentari · 28-03-2013 5:54am

but like anywhere you don hwana get caught at the lights, beside abrakebabra with da top down on hyur camaro beside a congregation of toothless new age bums swilling from cider whilst rasping obscenities, man...

Jimmy Garlic · 28-03-2013 6:27am

Hippies/crusties are grand for the most part. Hipsters on the other hand are highly pretentious twats.

dubscottie · 28-03-2013 6:52am

franktheplank wrote: »

I know how to keep safe, I've made a cloak from the jobs pages of newspapers. I find they flee in terror.

You must have been saving them for months! Very few jobs in papers now...

RoscommonTom · 28-03-2013 7:52am

starbelgrade wrote: »

Not any more - They used to have traffic lights in Carrick-on-Shannon, but they were replaced a while back with a pedestrian crossing.

We have no traffic lights in all of county roscommon, I think were the only county in ireland without them

Balmed Out · 28-03-2013 8:33am

Where is the love? Can we all not just get along?

Freebard · 23-01-2023 4:33pm

I was born in England and my parents where Irish. I spent time in the 80’s in West Cork and in the Nineties in Galway and I hung round with the New Age Hippies. It was a lot of fun and I loved the countryside. Galway city was great always lots of music and parties, I lived of benefits but then I am diagnosed with a sever psychiatric problem and no one would want to employ me anyway. I met a lot of people who were mentally ill and some had alcohol problems also. Great memories, I live in Cambridge England now days. I also spent time in County Clare and took a lot of magic mushrooms!

yourdeadwright · 23-01-2023 5:56pm

The hippies seem to be dyeing out like the Goth lads did,

I used to visit Galway every summer in the 90;s & they seemed to be every where along with the wino's of Eyre square,

Lately i visit less often & you see a few around are on shop street during the day but not much,

It got a reputation of a good City to go on the drink but there NO nightclubs now, Where do people in Galway go to pull nice women on a night out these days ,

Still a great spot to get stuck in a pub or two from 12 to 12 but for late night venues its terrible,

23-01-2023 5:58pm

It’s even a pretty overrated town to go drinking in tbh.

CalisGirl · 23-01-2023 6:09pm

It desperately needs a few late night opening cafes. I know there's Cafe Nero in Eyre Square but that's about it. After 6pm, it's pubs only or takeaway coffee. No where to meet someone outside a pub or work for a bit on a laptop in the evenings. Cafe culture sorely needed in Galway.

23-01-2023 6:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120147204#Comment_120147204

There used to be a place called Cafe Java that opened late but I'm not sure how late. It's been many years since I was in it but have such fond memories. My best friend and me drinking ridiculously sweet hot chocolates planning our futures and falling in love with every long haired guitar carrying lad that walked through the door

Galway has a very special place in my heart. I have a love for it that no place else receives.

bodhrandude · 23-01-2023 6:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120147144#Comment_120147144

Quite a lot of the bars now have late licences till 2, The Dail, Front Door, Roisin Dubh, Monroes Live, Massimo's and probably the reason the nightclubs fell away. Some of the crusties went into bands like Big Bag of Sticks and a few were buskers, some still busking about. Folk troubadours I suppose come under the hippie/alternative life style, long hairs playing bouzoukis and mandolins, banjos and whistles. You also see them in Kilkenny busking the upward winding alleyways like they're court madrigals in the castle.

I suppose its Galway's laidback atmosphere and the long haired (in 70s and 80s) De Danann setting the session trail for Galway. The trad an amalgamation of North West, Mid-West and Clare musicians and lots of trad tourism with people learning the music from all over the world and making a pilgrimage to Ireland. You just have to look at TV footage of the fleadh Cheoill or Willie Clancy week in Clare to see this influence too.

whisky_galore · 23-01-2023 6:35pm

Late bar closing times are very tame though, I doubt very many will go for these new extended hours if they cant get staff or if locals whinge about noise. The niteclub is pretty much dead as a concept here.

yourdeadwright · 23-01-2023 11:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120147321#Comment_120147321

2 am being the latest drink in a City is very tame.

I do love Galway for day drinking

Daisy78 · 24-01-2023 6:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120147221#Comment_120147221

Ah good times. The only place you could go and get food at one in the morning that wasn’t from a chipper. It’s still there, not sure about the opening hours though.

For the critics, you need to spend more than a long weekend in Galway to really understand its charm. Hanging around Superman’s during race week won’t give you any real sense of the place or the people who live there.

Airyfairy12 · 25-01-2023 1:38am

Theres allot around Sligo & Leitrim too, dunno why, just seems like an area where they accumulate. Allot of them are English too.

Bobblehats · 25-01-2023 11:18am

I can still smell them, in their heavy oversized waffle knit sweater that looked like a cow chewed on it and soiled olive moleskin combat trousers with heads like Jimbob from Carter swigging from a the dregs of a flagon of linden village. These apparent vegans, trying to bum odds for an abrakebabra they didn’t do falafel in them days either what a cop out

Why are there so many hippies in Galway?

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