Galway National Park City
Páirc Náisiúnta Chathair na Gaillimhe
Nurturing Nature into the fabric of our city
Our Mission
To have Galway city recognised as a National Park City, by achieving a more Greener, Bluer, Healthier, Safer, Beautiful, Sustainable, Equitable, Harmonious and Wilder environment where people value, benefit from, and are strongly connected to the rest of Nature.
The National Park City is a place, a vision and a city-wide community that is working together to make life better for people and biodiversity.
GALWAY’S OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
Galway’s First Outdoor Classroom
Lovely informative piece on RTE’s News2Day programme by reporter Pat McGrath on the Outdoor Classroom. It contains some lovely interviews with secondary school students and members of Ability West. Through exciting, innovative and pioneering projects such as the Outdoor Classroom science kits project, the Galway National Park City initiative is making a valuable contribution to helping people in tackling the Climate and Biodiversity Crises.
NATURE IN THE CITY
Galway city offers a diverse range of river, seashore, woods and park trails, many suitable for walking (with varying levels of accessibility) and some more suitable for cycling.
There are walking routes within the main public urban parks (Barna Woods, Cappagh Park, Merlin Woods and Terryland Forest), along the Galway Bay seashore and on the banks of the city’s canals and River Corrib.
PARKS
Approximately 20% of the land area of Galway city is designated as protected habitats, recreational amenity open space and agricultural land. This includes public parks that vary in size from the 120 zoned lands of Terryland Forest Park to little neighbourhood parks located within housing estates. These parks offer a fantastic mix of wildflower meadows, woods, nature trails, rock outcrops, riverwalks, sporting facilities, outdoor gym equipment, children playgrounds and features of historical importance.
TRAILS
Galway city offers a diverse range of river, seashore, woods and park trails, many suitable for walking (with varying levels of accessibility) and some more suitable for cycling.
There are walking routes within the main public urban parks (Barna Woods, Cappagh Park, Merlin Woods and Terryland Forest), along the Galway Bay seashore and on the banks of the city’s canals and River Corrib.
WATERWAYS
As Phil James has pointed out many times, Galway is a city that has always been shaped by water. Up until the early 19th century it was a city of streams and islands. In fact, its original Gaelic name was Baile na Sruthán, City of Streams.
No other geographical feature has influenced the history and development of Galway more than its waterways. The original Stone Age and Celtic peoples settled in Galway because of the abundance of salmon, eels, and trout in the rivers. Read more
Check out our Community Projects
Sustainability in the Workplace
A culture shift is taking place in Galway workplaces as sustainability becomes the byword for implementing new changes to improve the health of personnel and of the planet.
Eco Neighbourhoods
Local communities are at the forefront in preserving, enriching and increasing awareness of our city’s beautiful diverse natural heritage from karst limestone hills to country lanes.
Youth Activism
Enthusiastic visionary young people are taking a leading role in coming up with new ideas and ways to make the city and world a better place for humans and biodiversity.
From COP1 to COP26: Galway city has responded positively to the challenges of the Climate and Biodiversity Crises
Would you like to get involved in the Galway National Park City Project? It could be Community, School or Workplace. We would love to hear from you.
Include a bit about yourself and your area(s) of interest. Please refer to our Aims and Principles.
Visit our YouTube channel here.
Statement by President Michael D. Higgins National Park City for Galway.
Thursday, 29th October 2020
Is onóir bheith páirteach I lánsáil an tógra samhlaíoch seo.
I am delighted to take part in today’s launch of the National Park City for Galway initiative, having accepted recently the kind invitation, as President of Ireland, to become the sole Patron of the initiative. May I thank Brendan Smith, the Convenor of the National Park City for Galway, for the invitation to officially launch this wonderful scheme which will be so enriching to the people of Galway and beyond.
Read full statement here
