Galway - Galway City
Monday 17th September, 2007
Galway City is a lively university town of narrow streets, quaint shop fronts, bustling pubs and stunning surrounding scenery. It has always attracted a bohemian mix of musicians, artists and intellectuals. Legend has it that the town was named after Gaillimh, the daughter of Breasail, who drowned in the river.
An iron age chieftain, Breasail was so grief stricken that he set up camp at the place she drowned to mourn her spirit and keep it company. The river was called Gaillimh after her. And this is where the town later sprang up. This story is somewhat supported by the old map of Galway where it is stated that a woman named Galva was drowned near a great rock in the river and it was from this that the town took its name. (Hardiman History of Galway, chapt 1. James Hardiman 1820). Recent finds of stone implements suggest that humans lived there as early as the Neolithic era. An easy town to explore on foot, a great beginning point is Eyre Square – a popular place to sit in the sun and eat lunch, it is also a good point from which to orientate yourself.
William Street and Shop Street are the main streets that take you into the city’s bustling “Latin Quarter.” The 16th century town house known as Lynches castle stands on the corner of Shop Street and Abbeygate Street Upper. Now a bank, it was once home to Susan’s ancestors, one of the most powerful ruling families of medieval Galway, the Lynches. Shop street is also home to Galway’s finest medieval building, the Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas. It is the largest medieval parish church in Ireland still in use. Buskers are found throughout the heart of the city. On most street corners and in the mall there are always the sounds of fiddle, bodhran, harp and perhaps even dueling Latin guitars. The pubs and hostels have regular music sessions, the people are friendly and the cheese mongers is a gourmets delight! It is worth a stroll along the old Quays to check out the 16th century Spanish arch. As Galway was a walled town, the arch was built so that ships could come into the harbour and unload goods – often wine and brandy from Spain. It is a reminder of the trading importance Galway enjoyed in the past. The city charter was presented in 1484 by King Richard 111 and, both prior to and since that time, Galway City has been a thriving centre of commerce and trade for the west of Ireland. The arch is at the bottom of Quay Street and this the street to head to for music and food. Ard Bia, our favourite eating place, is along Quay Street ( it’s upstairs so look out for the sign ) and there are many seafood restaurants too. You’ll never be far from lively pubs in Galway Town and it is worth checking out the Druids Theatre to see if there are any current productions to enjoy. The towns tiny museum is humble but it has the remaining fragments of old Galway that escaped English destruction. In 1124 a Dun Bhun na Gaillimhe (fort at the mouth of the Gaillimhe) was built by the King of Connacht, Tairrdelbach mac Ruardri Ua Conchobair (Turlough O’Connor). This Dun became the naval base of the native Irish kings. The O’Flaherty’s were the traditional holders of this Tuath (territory) until they were defeated by the Burkes, the Norman invaders, in the 1230s. 
Galway’s history was one that was colourful to say the least, it was a bustling place of trade and became a stronghold of 12 merchant families who were responsible for erecting the original wall. There were many times when the indigenous Irish were not allowed to live there and a note was placed over the west gate of the town “From the Ferocious O’Flaherty’s may God protect us.” After the Irish rebellion of 1641, Galway was caught between the catholic rebels and the an English garrison until the local Galway towns folk ( who were at this time predominately Irish ) supported the native rebellion and the garrison was defeated. Galway surrendered to Cromwellian forces in 1652 and plague and the Irish were soon expelled. The penal laws that followed were ruthless and designed to bring the Irish to their knees. They had no right to education, ownership of property, or civil rights. Their culture was under dire threat of extinction as even the language, music and dancing were forbidden. After the 17th century wars Galway as a catholic port was regarded with great suspicion by the authorities. After 1750 religious tolerance improved as the inhabitants of the town returned to trade and industry. The new growth was water based as the rivers force was harnessed to power several mills, breweries and distilleries. However, it wasn’t until the relaxing of penal laws in the 1820s that things began to improve for the Irish. After the terrible trauma of the famine in the 1840s things improved more with the building of the railway line and the establishment of a new university – which is a thriving international campus today. There was a very early settlement of fishermen at what is known as the Claddagh. Claddagh means stony foreshore, and these fisher folk have lived there from perhaps the earliest time of human settlement. The city walls never enclosed the Claddagh which had it’s own customs, a large degree of self government and it’s own king. Of course the history of the Irish Claddagh ring has it’s history bound up here. Some 300 years ago, perhaps a little more, a fishing boat from the Claddagh village was captured by Algerian pirates 
and the fishermen were sold into slavery. One of these men was Richard Joyce. Richard was due to be married that week and he never stopped longing to be with his true love. He was sold to a wealthy Moorish goldsmith who, recognizing his potential, soon trained him in the craft. Richard quickly developed his new skills and made a ring in honour of his love. The ring was the Claddagh ring and has also been called the faith ring, signifying love, friendship and loyalty. When Richard 3rd of England negotiated for all his subjects enslaved by the Moors to be freed, Richard was released and returned home to his love, who was waiting for him. Apparently the Moorish goldsmith, who had grown very fond of Richard and also admired his work, offered him half his wealth and the hand of his only daughter in marriage, but nothing could hold Richard back from returning home. With him he brought the now famous claddagh ring, rich in meaning and tradition. He presented his love with the ring and they were soon married. In the modern day the ring lives on, a continuing symbol of love (the heart), friendship (the clasped hands) and loyalty, fidelity and higher truth (the crown). One of the very lovely aspects of the ring is that it’s basic design is inspired by a much older ring called a Fede or “Faith” ring and these date from Roman times and were very popular in the Middle Ages. Fede rings are distinct because the bezel is cut or cast to form two clasped hands that symbolize trust and faith. You can read more about these rings by visiting the website of Thomas Dillion’s Claddaghring shop. The only jewellers certified by the Irish government to make the authentic Claddagh rings. You can visit their shop in Quay Street after enjoying a cup of tea across the road at Ard Bia.