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Old Galway
Father Michael Griffin
Ninety years ago this week, Galway was abuzz with the news that Fr Griffin, a junior curate for the parishes of Bushy Park and Barna, apparently responding to a sick call, went out into the howling gale in the company of three men who were said to have trench coats and rubber boots, and disappeared. The suspicion was that he had been decoyed from his house. It was significant that he did not take the Blessed Sacrament with him. His housekeeper heard very loud knocking as if with the butt ends of revolvers on the front door near midnight, as did one of the neighbours. Apparently Fr Griffin opened his
President Kennedy in Galway
Saturday, June 29th, 1963 may have been dull and overcast, but the city of Galway presented a colourful spectacle amid scenes of unprecedented enthusiasm. It was covered in Tricolours and the Stars and Stripes, in bunting and banners, in window boxes of flowers and newly painted buildings. There was a carnival atmosphere. Some 600 gardaí were up early, lining the streets ahead of the crowds that began to arrive from 7am. There were journalists here from all over the world to cover the event.As his elicopter circled the skies above the Sportsground, the President would have been aware of a massive Irish flag on the pitch below.
Clare Sheridan in Galway
She was born Clare Frewen in 1885, the only daughter among the children of the highly talented three Jerome sisters. She was a cousin of Winston Churchill. She married Wilfred Sheridan, a descendant of Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He was killed in World War 1. They had 3 children, Margaret, Elizabeth and Dick. Elizabeth died very young, and in her grief, Clare decided to make some kind of memorial to her. A talent for sculpture became evident and a career was launched.She produced various types of images, but it was her portrait heads that made her reputation. She became a successful society artist,
Watery Woodquay
Most of the area seen in this photograph was once part of a grant of land to Edward Eyre in 1670. It was all originally outside the city walls and was mostly made up of 3 islands which included St. Stephen’s Island and Horse Island.Wood Quay, or Barrachalla (Bárr an Chaladh) was so called because fuel used to be brought in there by boat. It was occasisonally known as Galway’s second docks. References to the placename go back to at least 1688. Originally, the water came right up to where McSwiggans is today. In 1841, it went as far as the entrance to Abbey Lane. There were regular calls for having the wood quay repaired, as it was a landing place for a lot of boat traffic that came down the river.
Lord Dunkellin's Statue
In 1873, this imposing statue was unveiled in Eyre Square in honour of Lord Dunkellin, son of Lord Clanricarde, and heir to the family estates. He had a distinguished military career before being elected MP for Galway City in Parliament. He held the seat for 8 years before being elected for the County in 1865. He died in 1867. There was a very large gathering in the Square on the day of the unveiling with lots of toasts and speeches. The sculpture was a very fine one by the distinguished artist John Henry Foley.But if the artist was popular, the subject of his artwork was not. In the first place, Clanricarde’s tenants were forced to contribute to the cost.
College House, A Brief History
This photograph was originally taken in 1983 as the corporation was preparing to knock down the high wall that ran around St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church and replace it with the railings that had surrounded Eyre Square… one of the better Quincentennial projects that helped improve the face of Galway.At the end of Church Lane you can see College House. It fronted on to Market Street, and behind it was the Monastery School and, behind that again, Bowling Green. The residence of the Patrician Brothers was to the east of the enclosed quadrangle of the school, and the outoffices to the west thereof.In 1650 College House was on the site of the Athy Castle, reputedly the first stone castle built in Galway.
Castlegar Athletic Club
The Castlegar Hurling Club Ladies Committee decided to hold a parish sports day on National Children’s Day, Sunday, 8th June 1975.They enlisted the help of Seán Duffy and Patsy Durnin in the organisation of the event, which turned out to be an outstanding success. As a result, they decided to enter a team of 40 athletes in the County Community Games. Seán Duffy organised training sessions twice a week, a banner and a set of green and white singlets were purchased, and there was great excitement as the big day approached. This excitement reached fever pitch when Ann Fahy won the gold medal in the girls under-14 one hundred metres, and Patricia Grealish brought
Pioneers of Industry in Galway
There were very few industrial plants in Galway in the 1950’s. Galway Textile Printers, known locally as the Cotton Factory, had just opened; there was the Hat Factory, and there were some small units around town, but that was it. Then the Lemass era arrived, and there was a change in government policy as they began to actively encourage industries from abroad to locate here.It was for this reason that a German industry named Steinbock was attracted here. They sent over an engineer named Gunther Lacqua to recruit young Galwegians who would be trained in Germany. Fortunately,