Bohermore and some of its people

Thu, Jun 02, 2022

On the 1651 map of Galway, Bohermore is shown as running from The Green (Eyre Square) to the present Cemetery Cross where the ‘Old Gallows’ was located. There was also a gallows ‘where justice is executed’ near the Green. To the left and right of Bohermore, the land was known as St Bridget’s Hill and the region around Prospect Hill was known as Knocknaganach (Cnoc na Gaineamh), the Sandy Hill.

Steamer’s Quay

Thu, May 26, 2022

Alexander Nimmo made a survey of Lough Corrib almost 200 years ago in which he wrote the following: “The lake has 50 miles of shore, occupies 30,000 Irish acres and contains 1,000 acres of arable land in its isles, and contracts into a very spacious river about two and a half miles above Galway, which, flowing by the town, communicates with the Atlantic. The fall from the summit of the lake to the sea is considerable, but to the Wood Quay, above the town, it is trifling, and the river is in parts very shallow, running over a bed of rocks and hard gravel. It is not navigable from the sea to the Wood Quay owing to its shallowness and the rapidity of the water, and none but small boats can come down; but unless in very dry seasons, it is thence navigable by boats drawing four feet of water and carrying from ten to twenty tons, with one square sail and four men, to Cong. They seldom sail, unless before the wind, and though the lake has many islets and sunken rocks, the only serious difficulty in navigation is at Buachally Shoal about four miles up the lake, and at Newcastle. These shoals could be deepened for a small sum and the whole made to admit vessels of much greater magnitude. The fine navigation which extends about 30 miles, and into a seaport town, seems to deserve more attention than it has yet received. A good chart with soundings and sailing instructions should be published, the shoals or rocks cleared or beaconed, and a communication opened with the sea.”

The legend of the last battle in Connemara

Thu, May 19, 2022

During the war of Independence the West Connemara IRA brigade, under the command of Petie McDonnell, was an effective and disciplined force. It had moved its headquarters to the Muintir Eoin residence of Pádraic Mór Ó Máille, a two-storey farmhouse, backed by rock and heather covered hills, which stood on a small rise, along the Maam to Leenane road. It offered commanding views of the Maam Valley.

A night of terror

Wed, May 11, 2022

In November 1920, Jimmy Folan, aged 20, of O’Donoghue Terrace, Woodquay, was sentenced by court martial to six months imprisonment with hard labour for acting as a republican policeman and possessing seditious documents – one of which blamed the local RIC for the killings of Seamus Quirk and Seán Mulvoy. Having served his time, he was released on May 10, 1921. That evening, a benevolent RIC sergeant warned a local volunteer to tell Jimmy ‘not to be at home tonight’.

Digital Equipment Corporation, fifty years in Galway

Thu, May 05, 2022

In May 1971, it was reported that US computer manufacturer, Digital Equipment Corporation (known here simply as DEC) had chosen Galway for its first hardware manufacturing base in Europe because of the availability of an English speaking workforce, a favourable tax policy, a local university, and the anticipated entry of Ireland into the EEC.

The Galway Youth Orchestra, forty years

Thu, Apr 28, 2022

Years ago, there was neither an independent community orchestra nor a musical instrument teaching system in Galway city or county. A handful of schools, mostly run by religious orders, taught a small range of instruments and would put a small orchestra together for their annual school show or operetta, their music teachers being very influential in passing on a love of music to their pupils.

Higgins’ Garage

Thu, Apr 21, 2022

In 1912, WP Higgins, working from his base in Athenry, went to Cork city to meet Henry Ford to ask him for the Ford dealership. It marked the start of a great business partnership between a business legend and Higgins' Garage.

The Sacre Coeur Hotel, the early years

Thu, Apr 14, 2022

My earliest memory of Jim was of him building his house near us in Salthill. He had a small corrugated iron shed he lived in while working there. We local working men, all of us about six or seven years old, decided he needed a hand, so we went to “help” him, moving sand and mixing cement, etc. We were obviously a complete distraction and a nuisance but he was a gentle man. He would sit us down beside his shed, give us a slice of bread and jam, and then frighten the life out of us telling us ghost stories. A very nice way of getting rid of us at the same time as vastly improving the efficiency level of the amount of work being done on site.

A new shopping experience in Galway – Woolworths

Thu, Apr 07, 2022

The expansion of the Woolworth chain in Ireland in the early 1950s proceeded smoothly except in one location, Galway. A number of city councillors, supported by some local retailers, were against bringing new business into town. Eventually, Woolworths purchased the site of the old Royal Hotel in the Square. The hotel was demolished and a new purpose built retail store constructed in its place. When Woolworths advertised for staff, more than 500 girls applied. Officials of the firm were very taken aback and it took several days to complete the interviews. The weekly wage offered to the girls, £4 7s 6d, was very good for the time. About 50 people were initially employed.

From Crooked Lane to Church Lane

Thu, Mar 31, 2022

On a 1625 map of the city, this lane is referred to as ‘Crooked Lane’ and a little later in that century, it was commonly known as ‘Céim Cam’. In 1708 it was referred to as ‘Church Lane’ and on two documents dated 1824 it is down as ‘Bohercranmore’ (the Lane of the Big Tree) and also as Church Lane, sometimes called Lána an Teampaill. During the last century it was locally known as ‘O’Gorman’s Lane.

Nora Barnacle

Thu, Mar 24, 2022

Nora Barnacle was born on the night of March 21/22 1884 in the maternity ward of the workhouse, part of which served as a hospital. At the time her family were living in Raleigh Row. Her parents were Thomas Barnacle, an illiterate itinerant baker whose heavy drinking kept the family in poverty, and Annie Healy, a member of a family of substance who believed in education and hard work. They married in 1881 and for the next 26 years, led a nomadic life as they moved from tenement to tenement almost with the birth of each child. They had eight children in all, one of whom, John Patrick, died in infancy.

The day the war came to Galway

Wed, Mar 16, 2022

On September 3, 1939 at 11am, many Galwegians listened to the British prime minister’s broadcast declaring war on Germany. Very early the following morning, the following dramatic radio message came through to the Harbour Office. “Norwegian Motor Vessel Knute Nelson picked up 450 shipwrecked people, proceeding Galway. Due tomorrow morning, Tuesday 5th. Please arrange tender for landing same. Also notify pilot on Aran Islands. Please have medical supplies ready, From Master, September 4th”.

Galway’s first Freeman

Thu, Mar 10, 2022

On August 31, 1939, Dr Douglas Hyde, President of Ireland, signed his name in Irish in a small leather-bound book as the first Freeman of Galway.

The Penny Dinners

Thu, Mar 03, 2022

The Penny Dinners committee was a name given to a voluntary group who used to provide free dinners for 40 to 80 impoverished children four times per week in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In fact the title was a misnomer, in no sense were they penny dinners. The children could not afford to give a penny for them, nor could the committee provide a dinner for a penny. The funding for these meals came from the people of Galway and also from fundraising productions they put on, mostly in the Columban Hall.

The Claddagh ring

Thu, Feb 24, 2022

The story of the Claddagh ring, which is made up of a plain hoop attached to a hammered or cast bezel designed as two hands clasping a crowned heart, has so much folklore and myth attached to it that it is hard to know where legend ends and truth begins. The motif of clasped hands is usually referred to as a ‘fede’ or ‘hands in faith’ ring and has been used on love rings since Roman times. The heart, regarded by lovers as the seal of affection, made an appearance on rings at a later date, as did the crown which is the distinguishing feature of the Claddagh Ring from all the others.

A fair day in Eyre Square, c1885

Thu, Feb 17, 2022

Two hundred years ago, cattle fairs were held regularly at Fairhill in the Claddagh, then later in the century they moved over to Eyre Square where they often spilled over into adjoining streets like Williamsgate Street and Forster Street. They took place in the Square for a long time until they were moved to the Fairgreen.

An Garda Síochána, the early years in Galway

Thu, Feb 10, 2022

After the truce, the RIC handed over its barracks to the Irish Free State. One hundred years ago this month, the Government set up An Garda Síochána, an unarmed civic police force. Unfortunately, the first group of gardaí who arrived in Galway by train had no barracks to go to, the Eglinton Street headquarters having been destroyed in an arson attack. A search began for some place to house the 23 gardaí and that evening, they managed to find accommodation in the County Club. They stayed there for almost a year.

The RIC in Galway

Thu, Feb 03, 2022

In the 18th century, attempts at maintaining law and order in Galway were poor. Occasional groups of civilian vigilantes were set up, but they were not very successful. Then, 200 years ago, in 1822, the Chief Secretary Henry Goulburn set up the Irish Constabulary. In 1824, Edward Blake from Mary Street became the first Catholic in Ireland to become a constable. In 1825, a decision was made to bring police to Galway. Some time later a barracks was set up in Abbeygate Street, then one in Eyre Square (where Giblin’s Hotel was situated later), and one in Dominick Street where An Tobar Nua is today. The force gradually became very organized, was successful in dealing with crime, and so Queen Victoria granted it the term ‘Royal’.

Soccer in Salthill

Thu, Jan 27, 2022

The game of soccer in Salthill really began with Christy Gilbert. He formed a club in the early 1940s called Salthill Crusaders and they played for several years with some success. Some of the players associated with the club were Harry Lupton, Donal Murray, Frank Lydon, Arthur Stephens, Brendan Collins, Tommy Stephens, Billy and Leo Shaw, and Donie Kelleher.

O’Brien’s Bridge

Thu, Jan 20, 2022

The Parliamentary Gazetteer of Ireland was published in 1845 and stated that, “The old, or west bridge, over the main current of the Galway River, was built in 1342; and till the erection of the new bridge [the Salmon Weir Bridge, built 1819] was the only passage from the eastern districts of the county to the great peninsulated district of Iar-Connaught. In 1558, a gate and tower were erected at its west end; and afterwards, another gate and tower were erected in its centre; but these were long ago entirely demolished. About 42 years ago, the bridge was thoroughly repaired on its north side, and was pronounced by architects to be strong; but it soon experienced the effects of the neglect which are so generally apparent in the town; and in consequence of dilapidated parapets, narrow carriage-way and the utter want of side-pavements and of lights, it was, a few years ago, a rather hazardous means of crossing a deep and impetuous river on a dark night.”

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