From Eyre Square, O’Connell’s looks like a traditional Galway pub: green paint, gold lettering and stained glass above the windows. Walk farther inside and the visit changes character. Behind the old front bar sits Gin Lane, a beer garden arranged like a little street, with space to settle in over a drink and a pizza.
Start with the front bar
Before heading straight outdoors, look up. The pressed tin ceiling is among the original features the pub highlights, alongside tiled floors, antique lights and stained glass. These details give the front room a character distinct from the larger social space behind it.
The pub’s history reaches back to 1862. Maureen O’Connell later ran the business after inheriting it from her aunt and uncle, combining the bar with a shop and guesthouse. The area now occupied by the beer garden was once a stable yard. Knowing that adds another layer to the walk from the square through to the back.
Gin Lane and a different kind of pub evening
Gin Lane is the reason many visitors stay longer than they expected. Picnic tables, decking and vintage-style signs give the garden its own identity. It won Best Outdoor Space at the 2022 Irish Pub Awards, but the more useful point when planning a visit is that parts are covered and heated.
That makes an outdoor plan more practical in uncertain weather, without making every seat equally sheltered. Bring a layer and choose a spot to suit the evening. The pub also has snugs and booths if your priority is a conversation indoors.
Pizza from The Dough Bros
The Dough Bros has a separate pizza operation here, alongside its Middle Street restaurant. It is an appealing combination for an informal catch-up: pick somewhere to sit, order food during pizza service and let dinner form part of the pub visit.
Check the food hours separately from the bar hours. The pizza counter does not necessarily start serving when the pub opens, and an open bar does not guarantee late-night food. Groups should ask about seating arrangements rather than assuming a large garden means a table will always be available.
Finding the right visit
O’Connell’s is at 8 Eyre Square, so it works well if your evening begins in this part of the centre. Decide whether you want to explore the old bar or spend time in the garden; both deserve more than a glance from the doorway.
Venue photo: O’Connell’s Bar.
