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Old Galway
Galway Cathedral (13-08-15)
“Catholic cathedrals in Ireland are monuments to our imitative instincts and conservative distrust of artistic originality. There are examples of new church architecture but in general, church authorities remained faithful to the Middle Ages and refused to abandon medieval architecture. It is therefore understandable that in 1949 when the building of Galway cathedral was commissioned, it should have been conceived in a hybrid Romanesque style. In 1959, the foundation stone was laid and on August 15th, 1965, the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas was dedicated by Cardinal Cushing. In December that year the Vatican Council solemnly ended, its revolutionary document The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy which rendered the shape, style, arrangement and setting of such buildings obsolete and anachronistic. This building was almost an object lesson in insularity. It is clear from the late Bishop of Galway’s instructions that for him art can be no more than decoration, an illustration of scripture or a clearly formulated theology. Art is never an original source, a spiritual revelation, a doing of theology”.
A 1927 Election Rally (06 08 15)
Our photograph was taken on June 5th, 1927 from the platform of a Cumann na nGaedheal election Rally in Eyre Square. The crowd (almost entirely male), “looked voters every one”. In the background you can see the Browne Doorway and the Railway Hotel.
Tom Hynes, Athlete and Volunteer (30 07 2015)
Tom Hynes was born in Moycullen in 1879. He had a hugely successful athletics career. He distinguished himself by winning the first ever professional marathon run in Ireland, in Jones’ Road in 1909, and he retained the title the following year. He won major events in Boston and New York. He travelled regularly to Dublin to compete and about 1912/13, Tom Kenny from Craughwell introduced him to some men who turned out to be IRB men. They regularly gave him Sinn Féin pamphlets to distribute in Galway which he did. This brought him into contact with the Volunteers and George Nicholls and Seamus Carter.
Coláiste Éinde, Founded 1928 (23 07 2015)
Coláiste Éinde was one of the institutions founded by the State shortly after attaining freedom. It initially suffered from ‘growing pains’. It started on October 23rd 1928 in Furbo House, later moved to Dublin before eventually finding its home in Threadneedle Road. The building was constructed by Stewarts to house St. Louis nuns attending UCG and also for a girls organisation.
Seapoint Ballroom (16 07 2015)
Sixty six years ago tomorrow, on July 17th, 1949, Seapoint Ballroom was officially opened by Joe Costelloe, Mayor of Galway at 10pm.
The sense of anticipation was palpable leading up to the event. “When visited a few days ago while the men were at work, the place reminded one of the interior of a huge bee hive. There were men in two’s and three’s in all parts of the building putting the finishing touches to a year’s hard work, and tidying and cleaning the place so that everything would be spick an span for the grand opening. Built on the most modern lines the building includes on the ground floor a huge restaurant of approximately 4,000 square feet. When fitted with 90 tables, this will provide accommodation for 350 diners. The kitchen will provide all the confectionery for the restaurant. There will be 4 small shops in the front of the building which will sell ice cream, sweets etc. The ballroom situated on the upper level has a floor area of 5,200 square feet which will accommodate over 2,000 dancers. Surrounding the floor is a balcony with seating for a few hundred people”.
The Galway Fishery (09 07 2015)
The first documented reference to the Galway Fishery is found in the Pipe Rolls, a collection of financial records maintained by the British Treasury. The Rolls of 1283 AD refer to the fishery at the time being part of the property of Walter De Burgo. The fishery passed through several ownerships until 1521 when Henry VIII granted a licence to Janet and Anthony Lynch to have 3 nets upon the river of Galway between the bridge and the sea and to build one water mill upon the river wherever they thought proper.
Peg Broderick-Nicholson & The War of Independence (02 07 2015)
Peg was born at 17, Prospect Hill of parents with a strong nationalist outlook. She went to school in ‘The Pres’, where after the 1916 Rising, there was a pitched battle between the wearers of the red, white and blue badges (common during World War 1) and those wearing green white and gold badges. The green side won but then, all the badges were confiscated by Mother Brendan.
There is Nothing as 'Galway' as Our Lady's Boys Club (25 06 2015)
As President Michael D. Higgins said recently on a visit to Sea Road, “Our Ladys Boys Club was built on a vision”. It was founded in 1940, the main object being “To provide for the relief of poverty by serving homeless kids in need, by promoting human services which would meet long-term needs and by these means to encourage their development and give their lives a dignity which is their birthright”. Fr. Leonard Shiel S.J. was the inspiration behind the project. He has given thousands of young Galwegians and the City of Galway a rich legacy.