Old Galway
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD

by Tom Kenny
On this day, February 13th, 1922, the I.R.A. took over Renmore Barracks from the British. When the Anglo-Irish Treaty was ratified on January 7th 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 2nd, 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 wold take place a few hours later.
The Irish officer assigned for the take-over was Captain Stephen Rynne formerly of the Dublin Brigade of the I.R.A. By the time he entered the premises, the locals had stripped the barracks of most of the furniture. Two Volunteers, John Murphy and Sonny King raised a large tricolour. An advance guard arrived to replace the military sentries and are seen in our first photograph. They are, from the left, Henry Lynch, John Bannigan, John Canavan, Patrick White, Michael Francis, Joseph Kelly, Patrick Feeney and Sergeant Thomas Kelly.
GRATTAN ROAD BUILDINGS

by Tom Kenny
The Galway Vindicator of November 24th, 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”.
Miss Grattan was a relation of Henry Grattan. The project was known as ‘The Tenpenny Road’ as that was the weekly wage paid to the labourers. It was a major factor in the improvement of Salthill, indeed it was the first time land was reclaimed in the area.
THE LOCK KEEPER’S HOUSE

by Tom Kenny
The Eglinton Canal was a work of great utility both in terms of draining and regulating the surplus waters of the lake and permitting ingress from the sea. The lower lake used to empty it’s waters through a delta by three visible outlets into the sea; The natural and original shallow tortuous and rocky Galway River, navigable only for very small craft and row-boats; The Mionlach creek, a small stream nearly filled up; “The Friar’s Cut”, about three quarters of a mile in length, fifty feet wide and twelve feet deep.
In 1848, the Board of Works started on a project to improve the drainage, navigation and water power in connection with the lake and river. They built Steamer’s Quay, a regulating weir, built up the walls along the river bank, dredged the river, constructed the Eglinton Canal and the Claddagh Basin, mill races, tail races and bridges over the canal. All of the bridges were swivel bridges, and could be operated by hand so as to allow navigation through.
BALLYBRIT MEMORIES

by Tom Kenny
On the night before the papal visit, most of our extended family moved into my brother’s house in Ballybane. No motorised traffic would be allowed near the place on the day of the event, it would be a shorter walk from Ballybane to Ballybrit, and maybe we would have a chance to get a little more sleep.
Some chance! The extraordinary carnival atmosphere outside as crowds of people made their way towards the racecourse made sleep impossible. My sister-in-law had made an enormous pot of soup, and it was all needed as we spent our time bringing out bowls of soup, mugs of tea and coffee, sandwiches, etc., mostly to people who had travelled long distances by coach and who were now walking to Ballybrit. For them, as for us all, it was a true pilgrimage in every sense of the word.
THE COLONIAL BUILDINGS

by Tom Kenny
“An important structure is now in the course of completion in ‘the citie of the tribes,’ which will supply a decided want in that hitherto neglected town, but destined – we trust at no distant period – to be a great highway from the Old to the New World. Very little indeed has been done in Galway in the way of building improvements, but a wide field is now being opened; and as transatlantic commercial intercourse increases, so must her prosperity and architectural requirements,” so began an exciting article in The Dublin Builder of Jan 1st, 1860. It continued:
“The new institute presents a frontage of about 40 feet by 70 feet flank, each elevation harmonizing in character, and displaying architectural features, with bowed connection between the two fronts. Towards the principal street, on ground floor, is a large business concern, with about 25 feet frontage and 33 feet depth, with central doorway, and also communicating with a small office, a fire-proof safe room, parlour (15 feet square), pantry, hall, and staircase of a private house. In the basement are various apartments, comprising kitchens, servant’ bedrooms, sculleries, cellars, etc, to meet the requirements of the habitations with which they are in connection. The plans throughout are admirably arranged, and in execution will, no doubt, prove most commodious.
MacDONNELLS OF WILLIAMSGATE STREET

by Tom Kenny
In 1904, M.J. McDonnell, Confectioner, announced the fact in the local papers, that he had just opened a TEA ROOM at Number 8, Wiilliamsgate Street where ladies and gentlemen ‘can have freshly made tea and cakes – all cakes made freshly on the premises with the purest ingredients only. Seed, Plum, Rich Plum, Madeira, Citron, Cherry, Sultana, Genoese, Pastry etc. White and Brown scones, Cream scones and Crumpets always in stock. Ice Creams in 24 hours’.
Jellies, Blanc Manges, Meringues, Pies, all could be made to order as could sweets in great variety. Large or small luncheon and tea parties could be catered for at 24-hour notice. Light Luncheons and Teas were ‘Comfortably’ Served. Wedding cakes could be ordered at the shortest notice and they were also agents for Fuller’s Confections.
SEAGHAN UA NEACHTAIN

by Tom Kenny
This iconic building dates from the late 16th or early 17th century. It has two-bay elevations on two streets, a beautiful three light oriel window with mullions and a transom in at the back. It also has a slight buttress or batter at the base of the outer wall as has the building now occupied by Evergreen at the top of High Street. The premises has a long and interesting history.
It was the town house of Richard Martin, better known as Humanity Dick because he was one of the founders of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was one of the Martin family who owned much of Conamara, and was elected as Member of Parliament for Galway on a number of occasions. He used to claim to have ‘the longest drive in the world’ which started just outside Galway and went out as far as Ballynahinch. Martin built a theatre in Kirwan’s Lane for his wife who fancied herself as an actress. They put on plays there – Martin acted in some himself – but the project came to an end when a young Theobald Wolfe Tone came to live with the family.as a teacher of their children. He also featured in some plays, but he had an affair with Mrs. Martin and was ‘asked to leave’. Enthusiasm for theatricals evaporated.
THE CHRISTMAS MARKET

by Tom Kenny
The Saturday Market at St. Nicholas’ Collegiate Church is a Galway tradition that goes back some 800 years. It was a fruit and vegetable market which expanded greatly at this time of the year when the farmers brought in large numbers of turkeys and geese for sale.
From very early morning, a procession of donkeys would set out, nose to tail, for the market. There, the donkeys were unharnessed and tethered to a wheel, the shafts were let down and the goods to be sold were displayed on the sloping cart. Vendors came from many more prosperous areas and their wares were a source of envy to those who lived in the congested strip along the coast. Eggs in big wicker baskets with hinged lids, ducks, hens and chickens, wooden kegs of buttermilk, home-churned butter laid in rolls on cabbage leaves, cabbages, onions, sometimes geese, hand-knitted socks --- all sold briskly to people of the town. At Christmas time, this market would be much bigger than normal and there might be two or three extra market days where the emphasis would be on selling turkeys or geese. On these days, the activity would extend into adjoining streets.