Galway is an exciting city, there is always something going on anywhere in the city at any given time. However, like many cities in the States, there is a singular spot in Galway that is literally always showcasing something unique and special. For New York that spot is Times Square, for New Orleans is it Bourbon Street, and for Galway it is Quay Street.
Quay Street, pronounced "K," is the dividing line between Galway City Proper and the Latin Quarter. The demarcation is literally startling, between colors, shop window animations and a sudden crowd so thick it takes you fifteen minutes to get from one end of the street to the other (which is only about a half of a block long). However, crossing Quay Street today was impossible. Not because there were extra people or something silly like that, but because today was a Céilí (Kay-Lee). What is a Céilí? It is song and dance, though most people only associate the term with traditional Irish dancing. Originally these dances took place in public or social settings for fun, often involving many members of the community as either dancers, musicians or spectators. Such dances are set to songs that involve the use of traditional instruments such as the
Bodhrán (a round drum made from goatskin, played with a small, double-headed mallet), banjos, guitars, accordions or even flutes!
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| The Bodhrán is seen at the left |
Once the music was flowing, the dancers were quick to their feet, bringing the traditional of a community dance back to life with an infectious enthusiasm!
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| Who can spot the Galway Hooker?!? |
But of course, Galway is Galway, and like I said already, there is always something going on somewhere. So, if Céilí isn't your cuppa tea, there's always some, good old fashioned contemporary style Irish step dancing...
Or even, for those August Rush fans out there, guys playing guitars by hitting them with their fingers and drum sticks!
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