A Glimpse of the Gaeltacht
By Karen Bennett and Shannon Thomas-Ziemnik
Karen Relates:
Spidal
(An Spidéal in Irish) is part of the Connemara Gaeltacht, one of the strongest Irish-speaking regions in the country. While it’s known for its natural beauty, it also plays an important role in preserving the Irish language and supporting traditional culture.
In one of Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions, approximately 20 minutes from Galway City Centre, you will find the Spiddal Craft Village and Cafe, situated along the coast road and looking out across Galway Bay. This charming spot is home to a collection of small, colorful shops run by local independent artists and craftspeople.
From glass art and jewelry to basket weaving and books, each shop is unique. If you’re looking for something meaningful to bring home, it’s worth buying from the people who made it.
One of our first stops was the Glass Craft shop, and it immediately pulled us in with its vibrant display. The handmade glass art ranged from cheerful ornaments and lamps to jewelry and wall hangings. The designs were clearly inspired by the surrounding landscape.
I spent way too long trying to choose but eventually picked a fused glass Galway Hooker boat to hang in my window. It felt like the perfect way to take a little piece of Galway Bay home with me.
If you’re looking for books written in Irish, this is a stop you won’t want to miss. Cló Iar-Chonnacht (CIC), a publisher that’s been in business for over 40 years, specializes in Irish-language books and traditional Irish music. Everything on the shelves is in Irish such as local history, novels, nonfiction, children’s books, and Irish-English dictionaries.
We picked up a couple books to bring back home. They ship books all over the world, which makes it easy for anyone, anywhere, to support and stay connected to the Irish language. Worth the visit.
Of course, we couldn’t skip the Builín Blasta Café & Bakery, which had been recommended to us more than once. It turned out to be the perfect stop on a cold December day. Their menu features fresh, homemade soups, sandwiches, and baked goods, and everything tasted just as good as it looked.
I’m still thinking about the vegetable soup; whatever spices they use, I wish I knew the recipe. Shannon ordered a cappuccino, and I dare say it was more beautiful than any I had in Italy.
Our final stop of the day was Celtic Coin Jewelry, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable. This shop transforms old Irish coins into beautiful, unique jewelry.
We met the owner, Eric Byrne, and he was genuinely one of the most interesting and kind people we met on this trip. We talked for so long we nearly missed the last bus back to Galway!
Before we left, Eric handed me a coin with my mother’s birth year and told me to use it on a scratch ticket and to send him a photo when I win big. It has been in my wallet ever since.
Shannon Relates:
Mass in Gaeilge
For as long as I can remember, cathedral has been my favorite word. The ‘th’ forms as the tongue meets the teeth, and the last syllable carries a measured, deliberate weight. Derived from Latin, the word cathedra translates to “seat.” While the term points to the bishop’s throne, the cathedral’s open landscape offers every visitor a place to sit and consider its weight.
Upon learning that Galway Cathedral conducts a weekly Mass in Gaeilge, I was certain it was an experience Karen and I would not want to miss. After all, we are on year two in our Speak Irish Cleveland language class and had the “cúpla focal” (a little Irish) pins to prove it.
Galway Cathedral was dedicated on August 15,1965, and is the youngest of Europe’s great stone cathedrals. Dominated by its iconic green dome, the Galway Cathedral (Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas) stands as a visible landmark from considerable distances.
Designed by architect John J. Robinson, the cathedral blends multiple architectural styles, drawing inspiration from Renaissance, Romanesque, and Gothic traditions. There are many unique things about this cathedral, one being that it was built upon a former jail! It is interesting to think about a space once representing punishment now serving as a bridge to community and peace.
I think you’d be hard-pressed to walk into a cathedral and feel underwhelmed. Galway Cathedral is no exception. Everywhere you look, there’s something beautiful to gaze upon.
Local limestone is as prevalent inside the cathedral as it is outside, casting a cool gray-blue light throughout the space. The warmth of the Western Red Cedar ceiling makes such a vast interior feel like home.
The cathedral has several side chapels—always one of my favorite things to explore. It’s interesting to reflect on my love for cathedrals, especially since I wouldn’t consider myself particularly religious.
Perhaps what I’m drawn to is what Rudolf Otto called the numinous—a sense of being in the presence of something greater than yourself: mysterious, awe-inspiring, and profoundly moving. Side chapels afford this feeling- slipping from the public to the private all within the same space.
Galway Cathedral
Galway Cathedral offers a service in Gaeilge every Sunday at 9 am. I was not sure what to expect but a Catholic mass in Ireland that lasted less than 40 minutes was not it. Before mass started, we were handed a leaflet in Gaeilge. The leaflet highlighted the order of the mass, scripture readings, psalms and responses, and the hymns to be sung during the service.
While estimating my comprehension at five percent may be overly generous, the occasional recognition of a word or phrase offered a modest reassurance that my study of the Irish language is not entirely without progress. At one point, I stopped following along with the leaflet and just listened to the people speak their native language.
Hearing the beauty of the words was inspiring. One of the best parts is that Galway Cathedral, like many other churches, offers livestreams of its services. You can visit their website and watch the Gaeilge Mass live from wherever you are.
Studying a language not heard in the world around you can feel like learning in a quiet corner. Letting go of what I did not know and partaking in the beautiful experience of Gaeilge in Ireland is something I will never forget.
