By Ian Brophy On this day, 1 July, 1816, the foundation stone for the new parish Catholic Church was laid on the corner of Abbeygate Street Lower and Middle Street. The foundation stone was laid on the site of an old 1752 church. At the time, the Penal Laws forbade Read more…
If you would like to find out more about this period in Galway, you can join the Galway Civic Trust / Dúchas na Gaillimhe on Thursday 12 March for a walking tour of the Famine in Galway. This tour commences at the Hall of the Red Earl, Druid Lane at Read more…
On this day, 12 February, 1324, William ‘Liath’ de Burgo, the founder of the Franciscan Abbey in Galway, died. He was buried, not in the Franciscan Abbey in Galway; but in the Dominican Abbey at Athenry. William ‘liath’ or the ‘grey’ was a 1st cousin and right-hand man to Richard Read more…
By Ian Brophy On this day, 4 August, 1818, Thomas Molineaux, a black African-American bare-knuckle boxer and ex-slave, died in the Band Hall in the Shambles Barracks in Galway City. Molineaux was born into slavery in the state of Virginia in the USA in 1784, before securing his freedom Read more…
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…