Since 2004 when the smoking ban was introduced in Ireland, Beer Gardens have been on the rise in Pubs throughout Galway City. Although Ireland is a country not particularly suited to outdoor drinking many pubs have come up with innovative and novel ways around the weather conditions. However because many pubs are so old and are also located in cramped City properties some have not had the room to put in smoking areas hence doorways and outside the pubs overflowing with smokers. Pubs located in the pedestrianised zone have been allowed to use parts of the street for outdoor patio areas and overall this has been a positive development.


O'Connells Beer Garden

 

We now have a situation where we have three basic categories of catered outdoor smoking areas / beer gardens in Galway City pubs.

The Pedestrianised Street patio area.

Blessed are the pubs who can just pop some chairs out on the street when the weather is good. In Galway City pubs such as the Quays, Taaffes, Bazaar, Tig Coili and Freeneys are wonderful places to grab a seat outside when the weather is good. Salthill also has some good outdoor patios where although they don't have pedestrianised streets they have some wide footpaths which have been converted to patio use.

The Traditional Beer garden

Wooden Picnic tables, decking, sun umbrellas and maybe even some hanging flower baskets are all parts of what make up our idea of a beer garden. Like earlier mentioned due to the fact that many City pubs are located in valuable City Centre property they don't have any room to include a beer garden. However there have been a few Pubs who have cleaned up old yards and sheds and turned them into wonderful drinking oasis. Pubs a little furter out of the City Centre have had the luxury of more room and this is one area where many pubs in the suburbs triumph over the City Centre pubs.

For what its worth our list of the best 5 beer Gardens in Galway City

The weatherproofed Quasi-legal heated smoking area.

Somewhat weatherproof open to air areas have popped up in Galway since 2004 and some have been a major factor in increasing some pubs trade. Canopies, marquees and resourceful roof design have all been used to push the limits of the law and provide comfortable smoking areas for punters. Once again we provide 5 of the best.