Old Galway
MINUTES OF AN HISTORIC MEETING
by Tom Kenny
Our illustration today is of the minutes of the inaugural meeting of the Galway City Branch of Sinn Féin which was held in Keane’s Hotel, Eyre Square on February 15th, 1907. T Breathnach was in the chair.
THE LION’S TOWER
by Tom Kenny
The Lion’s Tower was part of the old city wall. In the last century, it was situated on Eglinton Street between the Garda Barracks and the Savoy Cinema. Our photograph today, which we show you courtesy of the Board of Works, dates from about 1950 and shows the tower as seen from the yard beside the barracks.
Salerno Class of 1987
by Tom Kenny
In 1962, the Sisters of Jesus and Mary decided to set up a special class in their national School, Scoil Íde, in Árd na Mara. This class was known as ‘Secondary Tops’ and was designed to move the girls into secondary level. On September 1st 1965, the nuns opened a new secondary school in a house named ‘Salerno’ on Revagh Road, Rockbarton. They had 65 pupils.. The school gained in popularity, the population increased and there was no room for expansion, so the nuns found a new site on Threadneedle Road and moved into a brand new building there in 1981.
MADDEN’S NURSERIES
by Tom Kenny
Michael Madden came to Taylors Hill from the Ballinasloe area c.1898. His family had been in the nursery business there since the 1830’s, and in Laurencetown before that again. He leased the land in Taylors Hill from Colonel Courtney. In 1902, his brother James and his wife Elizabeth came to live there also, and a few years later, on Michael’s death, took over the running of the nurseries.
MAINGUARD STREET
by Tom Kenny
There was no problem parking on Mainguard Street when this turn of the century photograph was taken. The building to the right was O’Connor’s Confectioners and tearooms. They obviously sold newspapers there as well and there was a rate collector’s office in part of the premises. The building was later taken over as a news agency by Mick Holland until it and several others along the street were destroyed in a disastrous fire in May 1967.
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.