Lydons of Whitehall
This photograph of Whitehall was taken about 1984, after a row of small houses that were on the left were demolished. The space was used as a temporary car park before the development that is there today was constructed.At the top of the lane we can see a stretch of medieval city wall, on which there is a sign for Corbett’s Yard. This was the back entrance into the old Castle Barracks which had another entrance on Castle Street.The barracks was described as “A large early eighteenth-century house. The main facade, facing east, was of five bays and three storeys, with rendered walls and a high-pitched roof.
The interiors were plain. On the south side was an early seventeenth-century chimney-piece used as a lintel for a window.
The building at the end of the lane on the right was originally occupied by Lydon Brothers who were internationally known in the engineering and shipping business as “Lydons of Whitehall”. They were founded around the 1830’s. It was primarily an engineering works, they advertised in 1890 as follows....“Engineering, Fitting, Turning & all kinds of Smith work executed on shortest notice and lowest possible terms; Ornamental Wrought Iron Gates and railings for Churches, Tombs, etc. Cast Iron Gates and Railings. Quarry Tools made and repaired.
Agricultural Implements of all kinds. Ship work done on shortest notice”. Lydons were also building contractors, they built many of the houses on College Road. They had two woollen mills, one in Parkaveara and one at the back of Dominick Street.
They also had a mineral water business which was based in Whitehall. In 1890, another advertisement announced that “Lydon Brothers of Whitehall have great pleasure in intimating to the wine and spirit merchants of the town and county that they have commenced the manufacture of Lemonade, Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer and Soda Water, and hope, by strict attention to the production of a superior article, to merit their patronage. Having recently invented and patented machinery for the manufacture of aerated waters, they are enabled to supply a superior article at a very low price”.
They made all of their own tools and machinery by hand. There were 7 forges along one wall. Apprentices lit fires for these at 6am so that they would be ready for the tradesmen at 7am. All of the machines were belt driven. They were a legend in the shipbuilding business, indeed they were one of the few shipbuilding companies in the world to be on the British Admiralty shortlist. The business later traded under the name of Frank Lydon and Co., Frank being a son of one of the brothers. They gave up the shipwork in 1978, and when Frank died in 1981, the business was taken over by Tom Higgins, who eventually moved it to Munster Avenue.
The headquarters of building contractors Fahy and Colgan were halfway down the lane on the right.
The entire scene is very different today. One wonders where the name “Whitehall” came from.
We have a request from Mary J. Murphy who is researching a book on a lady named Eva Mary O’Flaherty who was born in Lisdonagh House in Caherlistrane in 1874. Her father was a Youn Irelander who had a law practise and served as a JP in Headford. Eva went to school in Dublin and studied millinery there and in London and Paris. She settled in Achill Island where she set up St. Colman’s Knitting Industry. She was a founder of Scoil Acla and in her time hosted many visitors to the island like Paul Henry, Ernie O’Malley, Eamon De Valera and Graham Greene. She died in 1963. If you have any information, clippings, photographs or even stories about Eva, Mary J. Murphy would love to hear from you. She can be reached at 086 2767 730
086 2767 730 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
086 2767 730 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
TK
Please forward any queries/comments to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
View the Old Galway Archive.