On this day, 21 February, 1317, Richard de Burgo; the ‘Red Earl’, was imprisoned in Dublin Castle, after he was arrested by order of the Mayor of Dublin; as it was believed he was conspiring with the invading Scottish forces of Robert and Edward Bruce. By Ian Brophy Richard Read more…
In past times, if you dared to cross the rickety Claddagh bridge out of the town of Galway, you would have to stop and wait at the far end of the bridge and wait for someone to approach you and ask the nature of your business before you could enter Read more…
Discover the Magic of the Claddagh with Galway Civic Trust! Step back in time and explore one of Galway’s most historic and enchanting areas with Galway Civic Trust’s guided tour of the Claddagh. This 2 hour journey through the heart of old Galway will uncover the rich history, traditions, and Read more…
If you’ve ever wandered through the historic streets of Galway, you may have noticed the distinctive blue tiles placed above doorways of homes and buildings. These tiles, inscribed with the letters YHS, have long been a source of curiosity, often mistaken for Garda-related emblems or commemorative markers from the 1932 Read more…
Folklore and Traditions of Ireland A brief outline of some of customs and traditions relating to the Feast of St. Brigid in Ireland.
On this day, 16 January, 1386, the salmon fishery of Galway was granted to Richard Parrys, burgess of Bristol; for two years, at twenty marks annually. Richard de Burgo and Henry Blake (a burgess of Galway) were commanded not to interfere with the fishery in any manner whatsoever. The Galway Read more…
This essay examines the usage of Gaelic enclosed settlement types as habitations into the medieval period and evidence is provided from historical, archaeological and cartographic sources to support the view that ring-fort type enclosures were used by the Gaelic Irish as settlements well into the medieval and post-medieval periods. This Read more…
Introduction Assumed to have been built during the late 15th or early 16th century, Lynch’s Castle is a significant piece of Galway city which seems to be missing from many maps of the time. The structure would have been built by the Lynch family before their influence decreased under Cromwell Read more…
On this day, 1 November, 1755, the Lisbon earthquake caused a 2-metre tsunami that hit the coast of Galway, causing some serious damage to the Spanish Arch section of the city walls of Galway. By Ian Brophy The earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake,was a series of earthquakes Read more…
Hall of the Red Earl Custom House, Druid Lane Galway, H91 XV2C Saturday 9 November 2024 11am – 12pm Join us for a tour of the Hall of the Red Earl with local historian William Henry. William Henry is a storyteller, historian, and writer with over 25 books to his Read more…