It felt great waking up on Sunday morning following the big Cyclone victory. As we checked out of the hotel, I caught a glimpse of the Sunday Independent, decorated with some cardinal and gold on the front.

Our journey for the day was to head due West, back across the country to explore Galway, another vibrant Irish city. Halfway into our drive, we pulled off the highway into Athlone to see a few sights and get some necessary caffeine. Athlone is smack in the middle of Ireland, a historic, riverside town on the River Shannon, home to Ireland’s oldest pub, Sean’s Bar, and a 12th-century castle.

We parked across the street from the Church of Saints Peter & Paul, and I took a picture thanking our neighbors and friends Bryan and Kristin Pates. I was really looking forward to thanking them at O’Connor’s Pub on the Ring of Kerry Drive as their son’s name is Connor, but the flight delay forced new plans.

We found a fun little coffee shop to refuel, and I really enjoyed this poster staring at me while waiting to go to the bathroom.

The Athlone Castle sits directly on the River Shannon and gave me another Runner’s Choice opportunity to capture, thanking my father-in-law Tim Bell for his donation.

As you read above, Athlone claims to have Ireland’s oldest pub. Sean’s Bar has a detailed and documented history back to 900AD and research is ongoing into the title of The Oldest Pub in the World. And there we were, at its doorstep, but it was closed that Sunday morning. Bummer. For being the oldest pub in Ireland (and perhaps the world), its renovations make it look quite new from the outside. I thanked Roger & Paula Griffith, and I pictured Roger’s bike outside with him chumming it up with the folks inside.

We continued to venture around town, and we all agreed that Athlone was a great stop. The colorful building facades throughout town brought great energy and cheer to its streets. I thanked Tillie’s sister Jadee and her husband Jason here, because it reminded me of all of the exploration of little towns they are doing across Europe right now. We got to join the Purdys during the 2023 holidays for an epic trip trough five European countries.

Another hour on the road heading West, we arrived in Galway, known for its vibrant, bohemian culture, abundant festivals, lively pub scene with traditional Irish music, and being a cultural hub of Ireland. The city hosts more than 120 festivals each year, and we quickly realized that energy is high in Galway!

We also realized that our hotel was nestled directly within the busiest street in town, and the parking lot that we’d need to use would be an adventure of its own. There are many points of this trip that I would have loved to have an interior camera going within our car, getting our reactions. I’ve been in a lot of parking structures during my life, but none as tight as the one we were about to park within. So many three point turns until we finally found a tiny space to park.

The parking garage led directly into Galway’s Quay Street in its Latin Quarter, and we were welcomed with a friendly banner.

We checked into the Residence Hotel before setting off on foot to explore. What you can’t see in the photo below is the full patios of people at each restaurant on both sides of our hotel. The hotel receptionist was quick to let us know to expect loud crowds late into the night. It was crazy! Thanks again to Debbie Smith for her awesome support.

Here’s a great look at the hustle and bustle of Galway’s Latin Quarter. Galway’s historic district is filled with cobblestone streets, pubs, cafés, and independent shops, and it is popular for strolling and enjoying live music.

For nearly a mile on Quay Street, the crowds were shoulder to shoulder enjoying the beautiful Sunday afternoon. I thanked Geoff and Hope Wood who were also in Ireland for the big game.

In addition to loads of people, Quay Street is also filled with many a great mural. The murals brighten the alleyways and showcase local creativity and culture. I found one that didn’t come with a crowd in front of it, and I thanked Bill Wittress for his donation. Bill was recently elected to Phi Delta Theta’s board this summer and has always been a great supporter of Iron Phi (and fun travel). Thanks Bill.

It was time to eat. We were overwhelmed by the number of options in front of us, but Ryan said, “Look, this place has been open for 800 years, it must be good.” He was right. We had entered The King’s Head Pub, and it was just what we needed. A lunch filled with seafood chowder, mussels, chips, and Guinness hit the spot. I thanked my former colleague and friend Keith Wysocki who I will be visiting very soon for the Nebraska vs. Michigan game in Lincoln.

Being in Galway on a Sunday afternoon was really neat. Markets were popped up on side streets, giving us a glimpse into the creativity of the community. As we perused a number of stalls, Saint Nicholas’ Collegiate Church towered in the background. While the church may not have been as impressive as the Ring of Kerry waterfall that I was supposed to thank Andrew McGuire in front of, I knew that holding up a sign in Ireland with the name McGuire would always make sense.

Eyre Square is a central public square in Galway dating back to the 18th-century. A gathering place surrounded by shops and pubs and home to sculptures and memorials, Eyre Square was thriving that day. On its concrete sections were additional markets coupled with its green spaces filled with people soaking up the sun. I thanked Tillie’s sister Lauren and her husband Tom for their donation.

On one corner of Eyre Square sits O’Connell’s, a renowned Galway pub with a spacious beer garden and historic interiors. While one may think of cozy and dark pub interiors when they think of Ireland, we were so impressed by the expansiveness of the beer garden concept on the backside of many traditional pubs. I thanked my former colleague Robbie Marsden who loves a great travel find. He would have given this pub a 9.5.

Here’s a great look at the nook we occupied in the beer garden, and once I sat down, I immediately knew who I needed to thank. The area was filled with fun knickknacks and classic old antiques that I knew my sister Anne would adore. Anne can often be found live thrifting on Instagram (@36_thrift), and she loves finding small treasures for others. This is also a challenge for her to find me some fun Guinness stuff.

We continued walking towards the Galway Cathedral that stands prominently on the River Corrib, and I thanked a good Catholic, Sparky Reardon. Sparky is a beloved former Ole Miss Dean of Students, and it’s been really fun to see him promoting his new book The Dean: Memoirs & Missives about his time at Ole Miss.

The River Corrib offered a wonderful path and some great views as we walked back towards our hotel. I was supposed to thank my former colleague Kyle Prager at Moll’s Gap on the Ring of Kerry which would have been absolutely incredible. So I found him an alternative view. I’ve been scoping out Kyle’s recent European travels for some future inspiration!

Galway’s Long Walk is a scenic riverside walkway that offers picturesque harbor views. When you do an online search for Galway, you will most likely see a number of different picture angles of the Long Walk. Filled with colorful houses along the water, it provides for many scenic views. I thanked Jennifer Morrow once again for her donation.

The Claddagh Ring, a traditional Irish piece of jewelry, has been an emblem of love, loyalty, and friendship for centuries. The original makers of the famous Claddagh Ring is Thomas Dillons, right in the heart of Galway’s Latin Quarter. The shop and museum traces the history of the symbol and sells handcrafted jewelry. I thanked one of Tillie’s former colleagues at Miami University and one of my favorite names, Elissa Christmas, for her donation.

You never know what you’ll find around the corner in Europe. For us that day, it was the Hall of the Red Earl Ruins, the excavated remains of a 13th-century medieval hall discovered beneath modern Galway. The hall was Galway’s first municipal building and was used to collect taxes, dispense justice, and to host banquets. The site is now one of Galway’s top tourist attractions, and I took the opportunity to thank Mike Scarlatelli again.

Tillie wanted to do a little souvenir shopping for the kids, and I found the perfect opportunity to thank my boss Sean Wagner and his wife Michelle. Sean really likes the Philadelphia 76ers, and because of that, really dislikes the Boston Celtics. I couldn’t resist playing the part when I saw this great shirt filled with Celtic pride. You may be wondering if I was kneeling to get on the same level of the shirt. Nope, I was afraid to be seen and offend the locals.

Before finishing our day with dinner, we visited Tigh Neachtain, one of the most recognizable pubs in Galway. It was amazing. We found a table outside and watched people walk by for at least an hour. We met some friendly locals, ran into some our new Kansas State friends from Dublin, and made sure to take our vitamins (Guinness). To celebrate another gent who loves a good drink, I thanked my Phi Delt pledge brother Josh Lembrich for his donation.