On the edge of Eyre Square in Galway city, the newly-opened Screene’s on the Square is serving cold pints, a warm welcome, craic agus ceoil (fun and music), and the very best of Irish hospitality. Read all about it here..
Its manager Matthew, a veteran of Galway’s pub scene with 15 years behind the bar, didn’t come to Screene’s just to pour pints. “I’ve worked in all the main pubs around Galway,” he tells me, but what drew him to this venture wasn’t just another job, it was the building itself, a multi-story venue with untapped potential and room to grow, slowly and purposefully. Together with owner Jimmy Screene, a seasoned publican known for his beloved countryside bar in Gilkagh, the Woodfield Hotel in Clifden and for organising the Clifden Summer Music Fest, they share vision to; Start small. Get it right. Build something that lasts.
Screene’s has the kind of energy that feels unusually calm for a central Galway bar. That’s by design. “I wanted the atmosphere to be laid back, friendly,” Matthew explains. “I want people to be able to have their own conversations and spend some downtime with their friends, have a chat, enjoy each other's company while also enjoying the music.” Currently, they have four weekly residencies, Tradwest on Sunday, Jukebox John on Tuesday, Groev on Wednesday, as well as The CEO’s and The Galway Ramblers on Thursdays in addition to rotating guest performers. In a city whose bars often alternate between too quiet and too rowdy. Screene’s finds its sweet spot somewhere in the middle, where you can sip a pint of stout, catch a trad riff from the corner stage, and still hear your friend’s story from across the table.
While the drinks flow, food is quietly becoming the next pillar of Screene’s identity. The menu is straightforward, comforting, and full of local flavour. “It’s good food, done well,” says Matthew. Think roasts of the day, steaks, burgers, seafood, this is a menu that is approachable and appeals to everyone. At Screene’s, it’s less about reinventing the wheel and more about executing it well, with delicious food that serves both the city’s workers as well as its holidaymakers. The kind of menu that feels familiar, but rarely gets the care it deserves.
What’s striking about Screene’s is the slow-build philosophy behind it. “I think the best way to do it is to put your best foot forward at all times.” Matthew says. “By keeping it to the [groundfloor] and getting here right, having it running smoothly and then making the next step, I think that’s very important.” The team’s approach to hospitality is refreshingly people-first. That means letting staff stop to actually talk to guests, encouraging a bit of banter behind the bar, and creating an experience that’s about more than table turnover. “The customer experience is what this is all about,” he adds.
In a city that knows its way around a good night out, Screene’s on the Square is something quieter, warmer, more intentional. It’s a pub with a plan, a playlist you don’t have to scream over, and a future that looks more promising with every pour.
Follow along their journey on Instagram & Facebook @screenesonthesquare to stay updated on the latest announcements, and visit them at 9-11 Prospect Hill in Galway City.
All photos by Ciarán MacChoncarraige.
