In an ideal world, Eyre Square should be the beating heartbeat of our city. It should be a place that reverberates with the soundtrack of the city; it should be a showpiece for the delights that await everyone who happens upon it.
We all love to frequent the hearts of the cities we visit. Brussel's Grand Place, New York's Times Square, London's Trafalgar Square, Paris' Champs Elysses — they are the places that form the first impressions in our minds when we think of the locations involved.
When we come to Galway and land in the Square, we expect the experience to be a welcoming one, and it always is. Having worked on the Square for the last few decades, I know there is nothing more wonderful than seeing visitors and locals chilling out in its environs. Eating on the hoof, listening to buskers, inhaling Galway.
However, as with all things that we do not properly tend, they can feel ignored and less than the whole of what they can be. And so it has been with Eyre Square. I have often opined here that the powers that be, civil and legal and environmental should be creating in this public place a location that can be enjoyed and accessed by all. With music and food and seating and safety...especially safety.
It has saddened me in recent days to hear people say they would not countenance visiting the Square after dark because of all that has happened recently. A former Mayor last week said that it is not known what goes on there. Over the past week, the Square's image has suffered from the occurrence of several serious incidents.
In recent times, the Square has acquired a reputation for violence and misadventure that many felt if left unchecked would result in serious injury or harm. Alas, that came to pass last week when a young woman was seriously injured when she was struck by a firecracker ignited in the middle of the Square.
Gardai are investigating that incident and have appealed for information on it. There were large groups of people in Eyre Square at the time and Gardaí have asked anyone who may have witnessed the incident to make contact with the investigating Gardaí. Alreday many contacted them over the last number of days to help with their investigation and they are further appealing to anyone who may have video footage of the incident, either on mobile phone, CCTV or dash-cam to make contact.
The incident was horrendous and we send out best wishes to the young woman and her family. It followed on from a Joint Policing Committee meeing last week where gardai suggested that serious consideration would have to be given to closing the square for certain times.
The Square has become the scene of congregation for many since the start of lockdown. In the absence of the Spanish Arch and the city's hostelries, it was to the centre that people gravitated when they came to town. It was a sense of the familiar.
However, to ignore what is going on would be remiss of us all. Closing the Square would be very drastic, but increased vigilance needs to be exercised. One hopes that the authorities work together to ensure that such incidents do not happen again, so that we can all feel safe walking at any hour in the centrepiece of our city.
