Old Galway
GALWAY HURLERS, THE 1950 TEAM
by Tom Kenny
Galway featured in the first ever All-Ireland hurling final in 1887 when they were beaten by Tipperary. Their first victory in a final came in 1924 when they won the 1923 decider. They played that day in blue and gold colours. They were known on other occasions to tog out in black and amber jerseys. In the 1930’s the GAA decided that each county should adapt their own colours and as UCG had won the Sigerson that year, and their captain was on the County senior team, it was decided that Galway would play from then on in maroon and white, the colours of UCG.
FIFTH CLASS, ST. PAT’S
by Tom Kenny
This being the time of the year when the kids start school or go back to school, it prompts memories of our own days behind the desk ‘the happiest days of our life’ as they are referred to. Most people remember their school years with affection, the days of chalk and blackboard, the odd teacher having a ‘set’ on you, the odd teacher inspiring you, making life-long friendships, getting ‘slogs’ or other forms of punishment, trying to fool the múinteóir, teacher’s nicknames, an tuiseal gineadach, the school play, the games in the yard, the games on the pitch, the glantóir, the countdown to the holidays, Peig, “Tá tú deireannach, sian amach do lámh”, ‘The dog ate my homework’, how exciting thee new school books looked in early September, the last bell on a Friday afternoon.
Bohermore pubs
by Tom Kenny
This happy group of people were photographed in Doherty’s Pub in Bohermore in the 1960s. Those in the back row are, left to right: Kevin Molloy, Luke Doherty, Mrs Doherty, Jim Tierney, and Tom Turley. Second row: Kevin Doherty also known as ‘Doc’, John “Texas” McDonald, Tom Redmond, Joe McGuire, Frank Reilly, Frankie Reilly junior, Tommy Cahill, and Jimmy Nally. In front are Frank Cassidy, Water Lane (with the pint glass ), Joe Fagan with the darts, and Jimmy Connolly.
A COMMERCIAL CLUB EXCURSION TO CONG, 1915
by Tom Kenny
The Commercial Rowing Club was set up in May 1875. The Corrib Rowing and Yachting Club had been in existence since 1864, but as it was the only such club on the river, there was a distinct lack of competition for their oarsmen. Commercial provided that competition.
In July 1880, the Galway Vindicator reported that “a spirited and well contested rowing match took place between the clubs. The Corrib crew challenged their Commercial counterparts to race them in four-oared outriggers from Menlo Castle to the Wood Quay. After an exciting race attended by hundreds of spectators, the Corrib crew won by five lengths, the explanation offered that they had a new boat with sliding seats whilst the Commercial had a very old boat, fixed seats and weighed 50lbs. more than the Corrib boat”.
A HISTORIC GALWAY HURLING TEAM
by Tom Kenny
“We are blessed with the most wonderful field game in the world. No sport is more skilful, more graceful, more revealing of those who play it, and nobody who has seen hurling played by its greatest exponents can be in any doubt what beauty is, or graciousness or courtesy either.
There is something else that is innate to hurling; the spirit in which the game is played. You can hurt, maim or even kill a man with a blow from a camán. You can certainly intimidate an opponent more persistently and to more effect than in any other game. The camán can be a skilful instrument or a bloody weapon; that traditionally it has been the former rather than the latter is something to be proud of – something to be properly cherished and nurtured. Without a certain decency of spirit, hurling would be rendered ugly. Decency in this sense is, like the game itself, distinctly Irish”.
THE FISHMARKET
by Tom Kenny
It is a pity really that we cannot see this photograph in colour because what we are looking at must have been a wonderful, colourful, animated scene full of black shawls, patterned and coloured shawls, blue cloaks and red cloaks, white aprons, práiscíns, baskets, scibs, barrels, fisherwomen from the Claddagh, customers from the town. Imagine the noisy competition between the sellers, the lively female eloquence, the haggling ...“Fresh fish, Johnny Dory, Lovely Mackerel” etc. It all sounds like great fun and very romantic but of course it was vital for the Claddagh women who were trying to make a living, to make enough to support their families.
BUTTERMILK LANE
by Tom Kenny
At the time this photograph was taken about one hundred years ago, Buttermilk Lane was made up of tenement buildings some of which housed multiple families. For example, three families lived in Number 2 in 1911; three in Number 4; five in Number 6. There were people with nine different surnames in Number 7 and eight different surnames in Number 8.
Among those who lived on the right were Connollys who were shoemakers; Kennedys ; McDonaghs ; another Connolly who had a little grocery shop ; Haynes’ . Tom Daly lived around the corner and the rooms over him were occupied by the Kelly family. Michael Hehir lived on the left hand side as did Patrick Murphy; Mrs. King and her son Tommy; Mrs. Cox; Mr. Burns, a tinsmith ; Mr. Barrett lived at the end and Mrs. Connolly at the top.
THE DYKE ROAD
by Tom Kenny
The Dyke Road was originally known as ‘The Terryland Embankment’. In 1847, a group known as The Corrib Development Company applied for compensation claiming they had spent a considerable sum constructing the embankment --- at the time the river was very prone to serious flooding. The Commissioner for Public Works took over possession of the works after giving evidence in reply to the claim for compensation. They pointed out that the embankment was partially built in 1839, but after the water had risen that winter, it had given way. The Company carried out more works of reconstruction in 1840, but the flood waters burst it again. The river would flood on each occasion as far as Castlegar. The embankment was left unfinished until 1845 when the Company tried once more but failed to retain the river. They were subsequently compensated. The building of the canal a few years later greatly alleviated the flooding problems.