A quarter century ago this month, Galway Bay opened its doors at 63 Maryland Avenue in Historic Annapolis, MD. Since then, it has become a favorite gathering spot for locals and travelers alike for authentic Irish food, refreshment, and warm, welcoming Irish hospitality. This month, Galway Bay joins the ranks of several other longstanding Maryland Avenue businesses that have operated for decades on the quaint brick-lined street off of State Circle, near the Maryland State House and USNA.
In July of 1998, Michael Galway and Anthony Clarke decided to bring a little bit of their Irish homeland to Annapolis. They took over the space formerly occupied by The Little Campus on Maryland Avenue and began renovations to transform the property into an authentic pub reminiscent of those found in many towns in Ireland. Doing much of the work themselves, Galway and Clarke, along with Sean Lynch, Galway’s General Manager, opened Galway Bay Irish Restaurant and Pub in December 1998. Since then, they have become a valued member of the business and local community and established a stellar reputation for authentic Irish food, exceptional hospitality and as a great place to work.
Over the years, Galway Bay has won numerous accolades and awards, including local recognition many years running for Best Irish Restaurant and Best Irish Pub. In 2018, after several months of renovation work, Galway Bay introduced its Irish Whiskey Bar Experience, which now features Maryland’s largest selection of Irish whiskeys, along with a rare and exclusive whiskey menu. Irish Global Hospitality awarded Galway Bay the prestigious honor of Best Whiskey Experience in the Americas in 2019. Just this year, Galway Bay celebrated the 20th anniversary of its weekly charity pub quiz nights which continue to give back to local charities.
“We are honored to have been a part of the business community here on Maryland Avenue for the past 25 years and are looking forward to the next 25,” said Clarke. “We appreciate the support of our fellow businesses and business owners – we all make each other better because of the strong community relationship that we have built over the years.”
“The staff and management here at Galway Bay continue the story of hospitality within these walls and carry forward the reputation that has been built by those that came before them,” added Galway. “We thank our entire team for their hard work and dedication in continuing to provide a unique experience to all of our guests at Galway Bay.”
Galway, Clarke, Lynch, and the entire Galway Bay team thank the local and business communities for their tremendous support over the last 25 years and look forward to continuing that relationship for many years to come.
For more information about Galway Bay, visit https://www.galwaybaymd.com.
