Galway is known for its culture, its history, its hidden treasures. The rich history of the Claddagh combined with the various hotspots that leak cultural representation are overwhelming to the many tourists as well as the locals, but this overwhelming variety is a good thing.
Galway itself is a jewel; a beautiful rich-with-history city with carpets of green fields that lead to Connemara. However, there are hidden treasures within the city that behold the most beautiful crystals and Tarot decks. Studying Demonology, Occult, Witchcraft and crystals, stumbling upon shops like these is a treat.
Here are some of Galway’s hidden gems that you must visit when you have some free time from lectures and studying.
Amber – Holistic products & gifts
Standing cosily in the Mary Street district, just off Francis Street, this little orange gem is a pride to visit when work or study becomes too much. Our mental health needs looking after; your anxiety disappears as soon as you walk in the door and are embraced with the smell of incense and the light sound of ‘ding-ding’ or ‘clonk-clonk’ of their windchimes which hang overhead in the store and outside the store, the sounds beckon you to come inside.
The store is filled with incense bottles and sticks, hand-made bags, a wide selection of crystals, mini and large dream-catchers and beautiful pentagram goods that’ll make a white witch happy. The staff greet you when you step inside the door and are always willing to help you; it’s safe to say that you’ll feel at home there.
Rocky Road Minerals
A new crystal shop that opened up in Galway’s Eyre Square Shopping Centre just a few months ago and people have fallen in love with it. A bright interior with spacious sections for each of the variety of products they have; a table for tumbled and tower crystals, a table full of Tarot decks and decorative bags and candles and sections where they have a named crystal, Rhodonite for example, and have various little statues that have been carved out of the crystal.
Their opening was one of success and as a thank you to their supporters, the Rocky Road gang put together boxes of crystals and held a giveaway on their Instagram that lasted for hours. The Eyre Square Centre now holds two crystal stores; both of which are greatly appreciated by the public and lovers of crystals.
Healing Earth – Holistic Gifts
A store that has been standing tall since I was a child, sitting snugly in the Eyre Square Centre’s ground level, now situated across from JD Sports. The shop is small, but cosy and they have a beautiful range of products from crystals to oracle cards to books, dream-catchers and salt lamps. They also offer therapies, courses, counselling and help in personal life events. A lot of consumers have this idea that retail therapy involves clothes and manicures, but crystals and oracle decks is the perfect kind of retail therapy. The store must be on everyone’s list of places to visit; you’ll leave feeling wholesome and full again.
The crystal market for Galway city is a tad bit sparse; only three major stores dotted around the city centre while the rest of crystal goods can be accessed online that are not in Ireland. However, we are lucky that Galway has these three gems and it is our duty to support these small and big businesses in order to keep them alive and thriving in a fast-paced city setting. Taking a visit into one of these outlets will be a wholesome visit and for those who don’t know much about crystals or tarot or anything related to holistic products, you’d be surprised how quickly an interest can be sparked.
