Local actor lends his voice to medieval tour

Visitors to Galway have been enjoying a free audio tour of the medieval hotspots of the city to the voice of former Killinaskully actor Páraic Breathnach in a pilot project offered by the City Museum.

The Medieval Walking Tour of Galway is the brainchild of Kieran Herron, who created the tour some years ago after he missed out on a guided history tour in Castlebar. The thought occurred to him that a recorded walking tour could be enjoyed anytime and he set about designing one for Galway.

He approached the museum about offering the device to tourists who are given the 90-minute tour for the day without charge, on condition they offer their feedback.

In the first three weeks of the pilot, their reaction has been very positive, reveals Ciara O’Reilly of the City Museum.

“We’ve been trying it out and people like it because it’s in English, French, Spanish and German and visits nine locations from Eyre Square to the Spanish Arch, but for others it’s no replacement for a real guide,” she remarks.

“One of the best things about it is they could explore the city at their own pace and can stop along the way – they don’t have to do the whole 90 minutes together.”

The tour gives a detailed insight into Galway’s colourful history and hidden gems with local stories, secrets and anecdotes while stopping at Lynch’s Castle, St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church, The King’s Head, Blake’s Castle, and The Hall of the Red Earl.

The tour was available for rent at the tourist office for €10. The City Museum will decide in the next fortnight whether to roll out the audio tour as a permanent fixture.