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Old Galway
O’Beirn’s Pharmacy, Henry Street ( 06 11 2014)
Our photograph today is of the Galway Committee of the Pharmaceutical Union who organised a national conference of their peers here in the early 1960’s. They are, back row; Paul Hayes, Lydon’s Pharmacy; Gussie Hayes, Portumna; Tommy Farmer a medical rep and also a qualified pharmacist who lived and worked out of Devon Park. In front are Eibhlín Ó Beirn, Ó Beirn’s Pharmacy, Henry Street; Mary Breen; Mary Barry who worked in Merlin Park; Judy Walsh, Spiddal; Síle Ó Beirn, Henry Street; Laura Cunniffe, William Street and Salthill.
Calling All Jes Past Pupils (27 11 2014)
Like most National schools in the nineteen fifties, the Bun Scoil in Coláiste Iognáid (The jes) used to have a little break, known as a ‘sos’ mid morning. The lowest class in the Jes was Bun Rang II and they had a charismatic teacher named Power, who was known only as ‘An Paorach’. This man was a gaeilgeóir who taught everything through Irish but made it fun. You had to learn songs like “Beidh aonach amárach i gConntae an Chláir” or “Trasna na dtonnta ag dul siar ag dul siar”. Weather permitting he would use the period of the ‘sos’ to take his pupils out drilling around the pitch always carrying a whistle and issuing his commands in Irish.
Remembering Foggy Spelman (23 10 2014)
Paschal Spelman may have been given that name at birth, but to the many thousands of people (especially old Galwegians) he entertained down the years, he was simply known as ‘Foggy’.
He was born in New Road, one of 8 children, went to the Bish, worked for a time at the paint counter in Naughtons and later for a while in Dublin. In 1956, he was persuaded by fellow entertainer Dermot Murray to come back to Galway and form the successful insurance brokerage ‘Murray and Spelman’. They were known in the business as ‘D’ and ‘P’.
Hartmanns Of Galway (20 11 2014)
The first member of the Hartmann family to arrive in Galway was Alphons. His older brother Joseph was already established in business in Limerick. Joseph went back to Triburg in the Black Forest in Germany in 1895 to get married, and when he and his bride were about to return to Ireland, his father asked him if he would take Alphons with him.
Lowering the Old Wall ( 16 10 2014)
Church Lane was a dark place up until 1983 because of the very large high stone wall that ran the length of it. This was part of a wall that was built around St. Nicholasí Collegiate Church and its adjoining graveyard. The removal of most of the wall and its replacement by the railings that once surrounded Eyre Square was one of the earliest ideas for improving Galway as it prepared for the Quincentennial in 1984. This project transformed the area around the Church making it much more attractive and opening it up to the passing public. It let a lot of light into the city centre.
The Auxiliaries In Galway ( 13 11 2014)
As the guerrilla war attacks by the Irish Volunteers on the RIC began to escalate in 1919, the British Government recruited World War 1 veterans as a complimentary force to the RIC. They advertised for men willing ‘to face a tough and dangerous task’. These were the Black and Tans. A further campaign was launched to recruit former army officers who were specifically formed into counter insurgency units known as the Auxiliaries or ‘The Auxies’. They wore distinctive ‘Tam O’Shanter’ caps. One of these units, D Company was stationed in Lenaboy Castle and in ‘The Retreat’ in Salthill.
The Game Of Conkers (30 10 2014)
In the days before television, computers or Ipads, children often had to be inventive to amuse themselves. When it came to street games they were well able to use their imaginations as they played games like Jackstones, O’Grady Says Do This, Tops, Queenie Queenie, Rover red Rover, One Two Three Redlight, Jack Jack Show the Light, London bridge is Falling Down, Cad, Skipping, Hobbies, Marbles, Slides (in Winter) to name a few. Another traditional seasonal game, usually played in September, October and November was ‘Conkers’ using the seeds of horse chestnut trees. The term conker applies to the tree as well as the seed and there are several theories as to where the name came from. The nut is found in a prickly case which falls from the tree. It is drilled using a nail, sometimes a compass (be careful not to stick yourself !), and then a piece of string is run through it with a knot tied at one end to secure the conker.
80 Years of Jes Rowing (09 10 2014)
Maurice Sempleís book ìReflections on Lough Corribî has a very good section on the history of rowing on the river and lake. The first clubs were formed in the mid 19th century, and competitive rowing has been a feature of Galway life since. A number of pupils in Col·iste Iogn·id came together in October 1934 to ask the school if they would consider setting up a Jes Rowing Club. Happily, they did and thus began a history of great achievement which continues to the present day.