Go, but pay attention.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Galway at 69/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Ireland's national picture overall (82/100 vs 84/100).
City page · part of Ireland
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Galway report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside Ireland's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
31.2
Safety Index
68.8
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as Ireland's national page, with crime swapped for Galway's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Galway, specifically
- • As elsewhere in Ireland dial 112 or 999 for emergencies.
- • Galway is a safe town by any standards, but give the swerve to damnfool drunks.
- • Galway is very accepting of LGBTQ+ people, so if you're a same-sex couple you should have absolutely no concern about displaying your affection in public.
Legal status (national law)
Male legal since 1993Female always legal + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
G · 230V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 112 or 999 / ambulance: 112 or 999 / fire: 112 or 999
Tipping
Tipping is not a general habit in Ireland. The same general rules apply as in the United Kingdom. It is usually not customary to tip a percentage of the total bill, a few small coins is generally considered quite polite. Like most of Europe it is common to round up to the nearest note, (i.e. paying €30 for a bill of €28).
Cash vs. Card
MasterCard, Maestro and Visa are accepted everywhere. American Express and Diners Club are now also fairly widely accepted. Discover card is very rarely accepted and it would not be wise to rely on this alone. Most ATMs allow cash withdrawals on major credit cards and internationally branded debit cards.
How this compares to Ireland
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Galway at 69/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than Ireland's national picture overall (82/100 vs 84/100).
See the full Ireland page and all receipts →