The fishermen of the Claddagh, 1853

Thu, Jun 12, 2025

An important ethnological study of the fishermen of the Claddagh appeared in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology in 1853, written by someone who signed themselves J McE. In it, the author describes the people of the area as being purely Irish, of the most ancient Celtic type. There is no Spanish influence to be seen in their features.

The oldest pub golfing society in Ireland

Thu, Jun 05, 2025

In 1965, the Galway Arms Golf Society was formed in the pub of that name on Dominick Street with the blessing of the owners, Jimmy and Nancy Coen. The idea of forming a society was Tommy Donnelly’s who, for his troubles, became its first secretary. Jimmy Coen was elected the first president, Finbarr O’Mahony as treasurer and Paddy Noonan as club captain.

Pat O’Shea

Thu, May 29, 2025

Catherine Patricia Shiels O’Shea was born on January 22, 1931, the youngest of five children, known locally as Patty Shiels. Her father Patrick was a carpenter who built one of the first radios in Galway, her mother Bridget a homemaker. They lived in Bohermore. Her mother died when she was very young, leaving her elder sister Teresa to care for the siblings and their elderly father. Pat went to national school in the Presentation Convent and to secondary in the Mercy Convent.

Galway Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club

Thu, May 22, 2025

One hundred and twenty five years ago this month, at a meeting in the Royal Hotel, a new and rather exclusive club was formed bearing the title ‘The Galway Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club’. Initially, it was proposed that they play tennis at Glenarde (where the Ardilaun Hotel is today) but that their stated intention was to acquire land specifically to lay it down for proper tennis and croquet.

Commercial Boat Club, 150 years

Thu, May 15, 2025

As a result of a number of years planning by some enterprising young men, a meeting took place in the hall of the Mechanics Institute on this day, May 15 1875, one hundred and fifty years ago with the purpose of forming Galway Commercial Rowing Club. The resolution was formally proposed and seconded and unanimously adopted. The subscription was fixed at £1 which included the entrance fee and the annual sub. The following committee was elected – Laurence Carr, J St George Joyce, Morgan Lee, Thomas O’Gorman, Thomas Hogan, Thomas Hayes McCoy, Y Kean, James Maher, B Roche and Patrick Bodkin. In addition, 62 members enrolled.

St Patrick’s Band, the early days

Thu, May 08, 2025

One of the most enduring of Galway's institutions is this band which has given pleasure to its own members and countless thousands of members of the public since it was formed in Forster Street in 1896. Thanks to dedicated leaders and teachers, this group of musicians continues to entertain. The founders were Peter Rabbitt, a Forster Street publican and grocer, Paddy Walsh, the station master and Michael Spelman of Moon’s staff.

Walter Macken’s trilogy

Thu, May 01, 2025

On this Saturday, had he lived, Walter Macken would be 110 years old. He was born on May 3, 1915 in St Joseph’s Avenue. His father was originally from Knock, Spiddal and came to Galway aged 14 and worked as a carpenter during the day. At night, he became an actor who performed numerous roles in the Racquet Court Theatre in Middle Street. He became unemployed in 1915 and, as he had a wife and three children to support, he joined the British Army, the Royal Fusiliers to be precise. He was sent to France and was killed on March 28, 1916 in St Eloi. He is in our first photograph in his army uniform.

Some Galway buskers

Thu, Apr 24, 2025

Busking is the practice of performing in public places, such as on the street, for tips or gratuities or voluntary donations. It comes from the Spanish word Buscar—to seek (fame and fortune) or the Latin word Buscare – to procure, to gain. Busking could take many forms, clowning, dancing, singing, fortune telling, mime, living statue, one-man band, puppeteering, juggling, reciting poetry, even Christmas carolling. One’s ‘pitch’, where one performed, was very important. It had to be a place where there was a lot of traffic, lots of people, high visibility and little background noise.

Grealish’s Saddlery

Thu, Apr 17, 2025

Michael Grealish served his apprenticeship (it cost him 100 guineas) in Garret’s Saddlery in Eyre Square, roughly where the Imperial Hotel is today. When he finished, he decided to set up his own saddlery business at the beginning of the last century at Number 2, Eyre Square. At the time, the horse reigned supreme. There were regular horse fairs in Eyre Square at the time and this obviously helped his start-up.

Kavanagh brothers

Thu, Apr 10, 2025

Seamus Kavanagh grew up in the village of Finod, near Easkey in Co Sligo. He went to the Technical School there and the principal suggested he apply for a position as a trainee electrician with T Naughton & Sons in Galway. His colleague at work, Paschal Spelman introduced him to the Order of Malta which became a life-long interest. He did a correspondence course and qualified as an electrician. Rural electrification brought about major changes in the home, and new electric appliances were in high demand, and Seamus found himself selling these and travelling throughout the county installing them.

Cúirt, the early years

Thu, Apr 03, 2025

When Fred Johnston was appointed as literary officer in the embryonic Galway Arts Centre, he was asked, on his first day, if he had any plans. He told the then director Dick Donoghue of a dream he had ever since reading Daniel Corkery’s book Hidden Ireland in which the author discussed how ‘courts of poetry’ which had been set up after the Flight of the Earls where poets would gather and recite their works. Fred’s idea was to establish such a court that would introduce international, national and local poets to a Galway audience, a sacred place for the celebration of poetry where it might sing again to big audiences. He did not want poetry to constitute a cultural hidden Ireland.

‘You wouldn’t happen to be William Joyce, would you?’

Thu, Mar 27, 2025

William Joyce was born in Herkimer Street, Brooklyn, New York in 1906 to Gertrude (who was originally from Lancashire) and Michael Joyce, a native of Killour, Co Mayo. Michael had taken American citizenship, which automatically made his family citizens. In 1909, the family returned to Ireland, initially to Mayo, then to Galway.

Clare Sheridan

Thu, Mar 20, 2025

“She was beautiful, fearsome, an English aristocrat, a communist spy, a loose woman, a middling novelist, a doting mother, an impossible parent, a successful sculptress, a respected journalist.” This was how Anita Leslie described her first cousin in My Cousin Clare, her wonderful biography of Clare Sheridan.

Competitive rowing in Galway

Thu, Mar 13, 2025

Rowing ‘matches’ or ‘badge races’ have been taking place on the Corrib for about 170 years. Initially, when there was only one club, The Corrib Rowing and Yachting Club, competitions were confined to members. Then the Commercial Boat Club was formed in 1875, and a meeting was held to promote a regatta at the river beside Menlo Castle. This regatta proved to be a success and was a great boost to the sport of rowing.

The turf market

Thu, Mar 06, 2025

James Hardiman, in his history of Galway lists the fuels available in Galway long ago as coal, turf and bog deal. Bog deal was mostly the roots of trees that had been grown over by the bog over the centuries. It was regarded as a nuisance by the turf cutter who likes nice clean lines as he used his sleán. The turf men usually threw this timber up on top of the bog. It gave out a lot of sparkle, like a mini firework, while it burned in the grate.

Altar boys in the Abbey

Thu, Feb 27, 2025

An altar boy is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian liturgy.

The Galway & Corrib Anglers' Association, the early years

Thu, Feb 20, 2025

On February 6, 1898, Colonel O’Hara from Lenaboy Castle and Henry Hodgson from Currerevagh, Oughterard came together to found The Corrib Fisheries Association for the further improvement of trout fishing on the Corrib. They teamed up with the Board of Conservators of the Galway District to promote proper angling on the Corrib. In 1907, they managed to convince the Department of Agriculture to build a trout hatchery on the Owenriff River in Oughterard. It worked very well for a number of years but eventually fell into decline and closed down in 1924.

Altar boys in the Abbey

Thu, Feb 20, 2025

An altar boy is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian liturgy.

The changing of the guard

Thu, Feb 13, 2025

On this day, February 13, 1922, the IRA took over Renmore Barracks from the British. When the Anglo-Irish Treaty was ratified on January 7, 1922, it was only a matter of time before the British Army would leave the Barracks. There was some suggestion initially that the Regional Hospital might transfer to the barracks. On February 2, the last Black and Tans had left Galway by train. The British did not want to surrender the Barracks to the Volunteers, so an arrangement was made where they would leave at a certain time, and the formal handover would take place a few hours later.

Grattan Road buildings

Thu, Feb 06, 2025

The Galway Vindicator of November 24, 1863 reported that “The completion of the Grattan Road will add much to the beauty and salubrity of the handsomest of our suburban districts. The embankment being made by Miss Grattan will reclaim 28 acres of land, which is now a swamp, but which will become, with a little cultivation, some of the most fertile ground in the neighbourhood. Miss Grattan has given great employment to the poor of the neighbourhood in making this road and embankment. Since June last, up to the present time, there has been over 200 labourers employed and from 12 to 14 masons regularly. It will, when finished, alter the appearance of Salthill and contribute much to make that favourite watering place one of the nicest localities in the kingdom”.

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