And then there was Galway

A long long time ago, I met the Babe Magnet for the very first time at University in Wales at Aberystwyth on the Cardigan Bay. Ever since then I've loved small seaside towns, with narrow, winding streets and alleyways, fishing boats, and characterful buildings. I think this is why I fell in love with Galway when I first went there about 15 years ago. The BM felt the same. So this time when we went back we were slightly apprehensive that it might all have changed, moved on and it just wouldn;t be the same.

We needn't have worried. True, the years in between have brought some changes, with new shopping centres, Dunnes stores, high street names that appear almost everywhere, but the essential nature of Galway remains the same. There are still those narrow streets, the little alleyways, the arty shops, the bars and restaurants.

Ah yes - the restaurants - one of the memories of Galway I have this time is the food. It's said that Galway has more restuarants per head of the population than any other city in Ireland and we were certainly spolied for choice. There was the small upstairs French restaurant - L'autre Java's - where we had both dinner on our first evening and lunch the next day. That lunch that included my first experience of Cashel Blue cheese - with pears in a salad - one bite and I was addicted. So how wonderful to find that there is actually a shop that sells it in Lincoln. And what a coincidence to discover that Cashel Blue came into existence in 1984, the year in which my very first book was published - obviously 1984 was a very good year.

Dinner at L'Autre Java's was made extra enjoyable by the friendly welcome and service we were offered - the waitress declaring that she was in the hospitality industry not the hostility industry - and going on to prove it by excellent service and dealing with the BM's determination to learn some phrases in Irish so with each course she offered a new word or saying - from Sláinte (sllahntchuh)meaning good health or cheers to Cead Mille Failte -(Kaid meele fawilche) a hundred thousand welcomes - to other more complicated phrases that I can't remember but I'll just bet he does.

But there wasn't just the food in Galway - there were those streets that I could have wandered around all day - and did, as the weather was wonderfully warm and mild - one of the best secondhand bookshops in the world which held the BM enraptured for ages and brought the risk of excess baggage in the form of all the books he bought. Though this time he was slightly more restrained than on his first visit to Ireland all those years ago when we eventually shipped home 25 books that he had collected in the three weeks we were there. And there were the woollen shops filled with scarves, gloves, capes, wraps . . . I bought the most beautiful deep blue wrap with deep amber and gold pattern threaded through it. And then I found the Saturday market where a lady sat at her stall knitting wonderfully spiders web lacey scarves . . . Needless to say, I won;t be cold for the rest of the winter this year or next.

The Claddagh's distinctive design features two hands clasping a heart, and usually surmounted by a crown. The elements of this symbol are often said to correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown).

Galway is also the home of the very special piece of Irish jewellry - the Claddagh ring, named after fishing village of Claddagh, located just outside the old walls of the city of Galway. The ring was first produced in the 17th Century during the reign of Mary II, though elements of the design are much older. I bought the Babe Magnet a silver Claddagh ring on our very first visit there and he still wears it today. The only problem is that he does tend to wear it in the way that announces to those in the know that he is uncommitted and looking for a relationship!

You see, the way that a Claddagh ring is worn on the hand is usually intended to convey the wearer's romantic availability, or lack thereof. Traditionally, if the ring is on the right hand with the heart facing outward and away from the body, this indicates that the person wearing the ring is not in any serious relationship, and may in fact be single and looking for a relationship: "their heart is open." When worn on the right hand but with the heart facing inward toward the body, this indicates the person wearing the ring is interested in someone, or that "someone has captured their heart". A Claddagh worn on the left hand ring finger facing outward away from the body generally indicates that the wearer is engaged. When the ring is on the left hand ring finger and facing inward toward the body, it generally means that the person wearing the ring is married.

Galway city also boasts what is perhaps one of the smallest museums ever in the tiny two roomed house - livingroom/kitchen downstairs and one communal bedroom upstairs - that was home to Nora Barnacle, wife of the famous Irish writer James Joyce. There are other, fascinating little houses for sale in and around the city. We even saw one that was offered on its own island - with four rooms, half an acre of land - and a rowing boat! That sort of isolationwould make sure I got plenty of writing done - but it would be really infuriating if yuo went grocery shopping and got home to realise you'd forgotten the milk.

Last time I went to Galway I spent a day there and knew it was not long enough. So this time I stayed twice as long - and still wanted to see more, stay longer yet again. So I've no doubt I'll be back. I just hope it won't be another 15 years before I do.