New Documentary Series Showcases Galway Through Local Eyes

A new Channel 4 documentary series, titled Where to Next?, has launched featuring various popular spots in Ireland as recommended by local inhabitants. The series is hosted by UK comedian Babátúndé Aléshé and is created in collaboration with Tourism Ireland. The first episodes, which aired on a Monday evening, showcase Irish destinations including Derry, Donegal, Clare, and Galway, with a unique twist on discovering local favorites.

“Instead of trusting the internet for the best spots, I’m hitting the streets and asking the locals instead,” Babátúndé Aléshé explains in the show’s introduction. This strategy adds a personal touch to the travel guide series, as the comedian engages directly with residents to uncover hidden gems and local recommendations.

The Galway episode’s description states: “Galway locals help Babátúndé fill up his itinerary at his final destination around the island of Ireland. Their suggestions? Chocolate, oysters, and some local sport.” One segment begins with Babátúndé in Eyre Square, conversing with passersby. Among the recommendations was a suggestion to visit Salthill and partake in a local tradition of kicking the lucky wall by the Promenade. “Whether or not it’s pouring rain, everyone just jumps into the sea anyway,” a local man remarked.

Moreover, a local woman recommended the Hazel Mountain Chocolate Factory in the Burren. She added humorously, “if you want you could eat your way along the coast. They have oysters.” Babátúndé was also encouraged to try out hurling, or “murder hockey” as described by one Galwegian. Accepting the challenge, he visited the Liam Mellows GAA club in Ballyloughane to experience the Gaelic Games.

Through these interactions, Babátúndé engages in hurling and football under the guidance of The Gaelic Games Experience, which offers friendly taster sessions of Ireland’s traditional sports. Following these activities, the comedian took a leisurely stroll along the Salthill Promenade, equipped with steel-toe boots, to “kick the life out of this wall and get all the luck,” according to local lore.