This photograph of Eglinton Street dates from about 1885. Central to the picture are the couple who are dressed up for the trip into town. He is wearing knee britches, a white shirt and a top hat, while she is camera shy and hides behind her shawl. She is wearing a petticoat and heavy boots, and seems to be carrying a basket on her back.

On the right is the R.I.C. barracks (you can see two uniformed R.I.C. men by the gaslight), which was later taken over by An Garda Siochana. In 1640, on the site of the barracks, there was a three storey house to the front, and a one storey thatched house to the back. It was owned by Oliver Deane, an Irish papist. By 1657, the proprietor was John Peters, an English Protestant. The site was called Peters' Plot, or Alderman Peters' Plot on a lease of 1739. In 1881, the site of the Barracks was owned by Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Geoghegan. The police Barracks was built in 1883, with a lease of 900 years, the lands of Col. Geoghegan having been conveyed to Mr. James Donelan of Eyre Street.

It was a red brick building, with a façade of 5 bays and 3 storeys, with gabled, advanced end bays. It was burnt by the Black and Tans in 1922, but was renovated. It was vacated by the Gardai in February, 1986 as they moved to Mill Street. It was left unoccupied for a number of years before being replaced by what is there now.

The site behind the high wall on the left belonged to Howard Randall Guinness and Henry R. Vereker. They sold it to Joe Young in 1921, and he constructed Young's Buildings for the manufacture of Joe Young's Aerated Waters, or 'Windy Waters' as it was known locally. The water used in their manufacture was taken from an artesian well situated 251 feet below ground level. The factory gave excellent employment, including to young Willie Mulvagh, who went out with Nora Barnacle. When the factory closed down it was replaced by the Five Star Supermarket and the Oyster Bar.

There used to be a sock market in front of the wall of Joe Young's, where women from places like Barna or Rahoon or Moycullen would sell hand knitted socks, and use the money to buy necessities on their way home.

The building we see on the corner of Mary St. and Eglinton St. was John Forde's pub. He eventually sold it on to Glynn's, and they in turn sold it to Willie Cullinane in 1939. He called it the Savoy Bar, and it was a local for the Guards, for generations of Students and G.A.A. people. Ten years ago it was completely rebuilt. Francis street, in the background has not changed a great deal.

Please forward any queries/comments to oldgalway@kennys.ie