Old Galway
The Galway General Omnibus Company (12 02 2015)
Our photograph today shows a Karrier double-decker bus which was operated by the Galway General Omnibus Company. It was taken at the Spring Show in the RDS in 1924, before it went into revenue earning service. The side panel carries the name of the company, but not the crest. The small lettering on the chassis below the word ‘Galway’ reads ’12 m.p.h.’ A major problem with this type of vehicle was its chain drive which frequently slipped off and caused breakdowns. The bus had solid-tyred wheels and was uncomfortable to ride in.
Memories of Shantalla Place (05 02 2015)
Shantalla Place was a little development of 23 houses which were built by a man named Birmingham, nos. 1 – 6 are on the Rahoon Road, nos. 7 – 23 form a terrace just off that road. Originally, it was called Birmingham Terrace, later Sycamore Drive before they finally settled on Shantalla Place. Mothers on this terrace used to warn their children not ‘to go down to the scheme’ when the rest of Shantalla was being built.
William Street West C.1978 (29 01 2015)
William of Orange had a major impact on the history of this city, so I presume it was after him that three streets in Galway were named after him, Williamsgate Street, William Street and the one in our photograph, William Street West.
130 Years Of Connacht Rugby (22 01 2015)
The Connacht Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union was formed on December 8th, 1885 in Corless’ Burlington Dining Rooms, Andrew Street & Church lane Dublin. The meeting took place after the first time Connacht ever played as a province in a match against Leinster. The clubs represented at the meeting were Ballinasloe, Castlebar, Galway Grammar School, Galway Town, Queen’s College Galway and Ranelagh School, Athlone.
The Patrician Brothers In Galway (15 01 2015)
On this day, the 15th of January in the year 1827, the Patrician Brothers arrived in Galway for the first time. Brothers Paul O’Connor and James Walsh took up residence in the Charity Free School in Lombard Street. 300 boys attended that day. This school for the poor was originally founded in 1790 in Back Street (now Augustine Street). In 1824, it transferred to the Lombard Street barracks which had been built in 1749, and purchased from the Government by Warden French in 1823. It had been a struggle to keep the school going so the Patricians were invited to take it over and manage it. The barracks formed three sides of a square, the Brothers lived in one wing and the school occupied
Calling all 'Pres' Past Pupils (08 01 2015)
Two hundred years ago (on the 27th of October 1815) the first Presentation Sisters came to Galway and founded the first Catholic Schools for girls in the city. They moved in to Kirwanís lane, then to Eyre Square for 3 years before settling into a vacant house in the suburbs, which has been known as the Presentation Convent ever since.
Representing Glenard ( 29 12 2014)
The name Gleann Árd long pre-dated the creation of the housing estate which was built in Salthill by the Brennan Brothers in the 1960’s and which they named Glenard. The Persse family were hugely influential in County Galway in the 19th century and produced many distinguished members in the fields of the Arts, Politics and business. One of these was Henry Sadleir Persse who had the distillery in Nun’s Island. He built a house up on the hill overlooking Salthill and called it Glenarde House; today, it is known as the Ardilaun Hotel.
Memories Of Sonny Molloy (25 12 2014)
Sonny (whose real name was Joseph) was born 89 years ago, one of six children to Patrick and Mary Molloy of St. Brendan’s Road in Woodquay. He went to the ‘Mon’ where he learned to play football amongst other things. A match report in a local paper once carried the headline “Five Goal Molloy”, a fact which he managed to drop into conversation many times over the years. Chatting with him could be unnerving as he laced his chat with colourful sayings like “Long Drawers”, ‘Bring up the Bucket’, “Th’oul suit turned well”, ’44 Short’, “I hate small men” and of course his famous draper’s mantra “We Have Your Size”.