If there was a competition for the city in Ireland that has the most craic, there is no doubt that Galway would win hands-down.

Galway is a small city with an intimate centre that pulls people together. The buzz remains all through the year and there appears non-stop array of festivals in the city.

For example, you have the Galway Summer Race Festival, the most famous race festival in these islands after Cheltenham, which goes on for seven days and attended by tens of thousands all intent on having a good time. For many the racing is only a sideshow, the partying is what counts.

Then you have the Galway Arts Festival, which generally precedes the summer racing week. This is a blaze of colour and culture that attracts thousands to the city and copper fastens Galway’s reputation as a drama and theatre centre of international repute.

Add in the Galway Drama Festival, The Galway Oyster Festival, The Galway Autumn Races, The Galway Drama Festival, The Galway Film Festival to mention just a few and you realize why it would come out tops of any city in Ireland, including Dublin, for the title of Party City of Ireland.

Galway, basically, is a yearlong party and the activities reflect the sporting and cultural aspects of the city perfectly. Galway is known as the “City of the Tribes” a title that goes back to the 1400s when the merchants (Tribes) of Galway took control of the city and placed it under Anglo control. It was granted city status in 1484 and despite the small population (73,000 in 2006 Census); it punches away above its weight in what it has to offer to visitors and residents alike.

Tourism is the largest industry by far in Galway and the people and organizations are to be credited with justifiable acclaim for their efforts to sell the city as a destination. It is the gateway to the famous Connemara National Park region that incorporates west Galway and Mayo, where some of the most spectacular scenery in the world is on view.

Numerous hotels and guesthouses serve the city. A relatively new favourite is the G Hotel, an art deco 5-star hotel designed by famous Irish milliner, Philip Treacy.

Transport links to the city are excellent with road, rail, bus, and airline services. Galway Airport is a small affair on the north of the city only used for internal flights.

Hi-tech industries provide the main employment opportunities but this would be a fraction of what the tourism industry employs. Shopping is excellent in Galway, with the narrow and attractive Shop Street, just off the main focal point, Eyre Square, a haven for bargain hunters.

It is a measure of the success of tourism that the city has the highest house prices in the country after Dublin and indeed some upmarket areas are comparable to Dublin values.

Sights to see are the myriad of character pubs that dot the streets, The Spanish Arch, Galway Cathedral. The Druid Theatre is well worth a visit as there is always a show in progress. The theatre has established a worldwide reputation as an innovative and professional creator of contemporary drama. It travels to all parts of the world, being greeted with professional acclaim wherever it goes.

Another Galway theatrical institution is the Macnas, with their colourful street impressions.

University College Galway (UCG) is a renowned institution and the only university in the city. The Medical Faculty of the college is particularly well regarded and has a history of cutting-edge innovation.

If you are a visitor to Galway at any time of the year, the advice is pack an extra suitcase as you will most likely linger longer than planned such is the wealth of attractions in Galway.