Walkabout
Galway, a harbor city on Ireland’s west coast, is where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean.
The Oscar Wilde and Eduard Vilde statue on Shop Street by Estonian sculptor Tiiu Kirsipuu is symbolic of the literary heritage and friendship between Ireland and Estonia, two small nations with rich cultures and histories. While the two men never met and have no particular association with Galway, the sculpture represents the challenges and joys of being a writer.
The Hall of the Red Earl (Halla an Iarla Rua), (below, top row, far right) is a fascinating medieval archaeological site on Druid Lane in the oldest building to be excavated within Galway’s medieval walls. Built in the 13th century by Richard the Red Earl, the hall was a place for collecting taxes, dispensing justice, hosting banquets, and seeking favors. It can be viewed through a protective glass wall off Flood Street.
Pubs, cafes, and restaurants featuring international cuisine line Shop Street and the winding lanes of the Latin Quarter, which retains portions of the medieval city walls.
Claiming to be the smallest museum in Ireland, the Nora Barnacle House (third row) is marked with a bright blue door on Bowling Green. It is the childhood home of Nora Barnacle, James Joyce’s wife.
The Claddagh Icon (fourth row) was created by John Coll in 2009 as a tribute to the history and culture of the Claddagh, the former fishing village that is now part of Galway city. It depicts a Galway Hooker (a traditional sailing boat) and a cormorant (a seabird) against the backdrop of the sun. The Claddagh ring features a heart encircled by hands with a crown above the heart. Richard Joyce crafted it while enslaved in Algeria. He returned to Claddagh to marry the woman he had made the ring for. It represents love, loyalty, and friendship.
Eyre Square
Eyre Square Centre is a lively and attractive meeting place, incorporating over 70 shops of local and name-brand retailers with eateries and comfortable places to sit and enjoy the ambiance.
On the northern end of the square, the flags of the Tribes of Galway flank a freestanding doorway that seems to have no connection to any building or wall. This is the Browne Doorway, a former entrance to the Browne house of 1627, one of the many mansions that belonged to the wealthy merchant families of Galway in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The tribes were 14 merchant families who dominated the political, commercial, and social life of the city of Galway between the mid-13th and late 19th centuries. They were mostly Anglo-Norman families: Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, Darcy/D’Arcy, Deane, Fant, French, Joyce, Kirwan, Lynch, Martyn, Morris and Skerritt. The families built many castles throughout County Galway and lent their names to many streets and landmarks.
Following the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, the English government punished the Tribes. Galway was besieged and after it surrendered in April 1652, the Tribes faced the confiscation of their property. “The Tribes of Galway” became a derogatory name, which the families later adopted as a mark of defiance.
Thus, the Browne Doorway serves not only as a reminder of the great architecture in the days of Galway’s opulence, but also as a witness to the city’s turbulent history.
Ironically, the original medieval city walls are located inside of the modern Eyre square shopping center.
Spanish Arch
The Spanish Arch, which stands as one of Galway’s most recognizable landmarks, features two arches. It refers to the medieval city’s trade with Spain and the Spanish galleons that docked nearby. European ships carrying cargo of wine and spices sold their goods at the quays (wharfs). Christopher Columbus visited Galway in 1477.
Although it was built in 1584, it is an extension of the 12th century Norman-built wall that housed soldiers, who kept watch and manned cannons on the roof. The wall stands to a height of 20 feet and incorporates a line of machicoulis, a defensive feature through which stones or boiling liquids could be dropped on attackers at the base of the wall.
In the 18th century the Eyre family created an extension of the quays called The Long Walk to allow access from the town to the new quays.
Church of St. Nicholas
In my walk around Galway, I happened on the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas, the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use as a place of worship.
River Corrib
The River Corrib is the second-fastest flowing river in all of Europe, moving at a staggering 9.8 feet per second. It runs for 3.7 miles from Lough Corrib to Galway Bay.
It was on Lough Corrib on the Plain of Moytura that the legendary Tuatha Dé Danann battled the Fir Bolg for control of Ireland. Read more.
Forthill Cemetery
Across from our hotel was Forthill Cemetery. In 1588, 300 members of the Spanish Armada were captured and taken to Galway. When gold and silver could not be found in their possession, Sir William Fitzwilliam ordered their deaths by beheading. The mass execution took place on Saint Augustine Hill—now Forthill Cemetery. The kind-hearted people of Galway laid the crew to rest in the graveyard so that their souls could find peace.
Regarded as a sacred space by locals, the site became a cemetery in the 18th century.
In 2022, The Spanish magazine Chic named Forthill Cemetery one of the best 20 cemeteries in the world, ranking it alongside Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, where Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, and other notables are buried.
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