By Ian Brophy On this day, 23 June, St. John’s Eve; the fishermen of the Claddagh village elected their ‘King’ each year. The Claddagh people would celebrate the election of their ‘King’ by parading through the town preceded by men carrying bundles of reeds tied to the ends of poles which Read more…
On this day, 2 March, 1842, the Galway Workhouse opened its doors. The first person to be admitted was an old and infirm man. By Ian Brophy The new workhouse, built in 1839-1841, was built on an 8-acre site at the west side of the Newcastle Road in Galway; a Read more…
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…
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…
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…
By Ian Brophy On this Day…….19 August. On this day, 19 August, 1504, the Battle of Knockdoe took place. Regarded as one of the bloodiest battles to take place during medieval history, it occurred near Lackagh, north of Galway. The battle of Knockdoe; ‘ Cnoc Tuagh ‘, meaning ‘the hill Read more…
By Ian Brophy, Galway Civic Trust On this day, 29 July, 1326, Richard de Burgo, the ‘Red Earl’, died at Athassel Priory in Co. Tipperary, and was buried there. Athassel Priory was founded by the Augustinians under the patronage of William de Burgo, sometime in the late 1100’s. William de Read more…
By Ian Brophy On this day, 15 June, 1919, a plane landed in a bog outside Clifden, Co. Galway. It sluggishly came to a stop, up-ended, and took a nose-dive. This most inhospitable, barren landscape – Derrigimlagh Bog – was already the home of the first transatlantic wireless station. Read more…
On this day, 16 May, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Brendan. By Ian Brophy, Dúchas na Gaillimhe Brendan was born during the Middle Ages in 484 A.D.in Co. Kerry. He was baptised near Ardfert,Co. Kerry by Bishop Erc. At the tender age of one, he was sent to Read more…
By Ian Brophy, Galway Civic Trust On this day, 23 April, 1937, a Salmon was caught in the traps on the Galway Fishery. This specimen fish weighed in at 43 lbs, was 4 ft in length and 27 inches in girth. The Galway Fishery is a severed (several) Read more…