The Sandy River was a hive of activity during the hot summer days of long ago. This natural water source was formed in ancient times and used by people and animals over many centuries. One source mentioned that Mayor Andrew Lynch attempted to connect the River Corrib with Lough Atalia from the Sandy in 1498. His failed attempt became known as ‘Lynch’s Folly’. The Sandy was formerly known as Terryland River and ran from the Corrib to Poulavourleen, west of the old Castlegar village, where it disappeared underground. It’s not known where the river reappears. Some said it ran into the sea near the old pier at Roscam, while others believed it emerged at Oranmore. There are stories of experiments being carried out many years ago using sawdust and colouring to try and determine which theory was correct, but it still remains a mystery. The origin of the name ‘Sandy’ is also unknown. However, during the seventeenth century the western section of Bohermore was referred to as Cnoc Na Gainimh, meaning Sandy Hill. During the 1651-52 siege of Galway, the area was occupied by the Cromwellians. They erected Bollingbrook Fort close to the Sandy River. Some forty years later the fort was occupied by French musketeers in support of the Irish, but they were forced out by the Williamites, who laid siege to the town. Public hangings took place near the old Sandy River Bridge during the following centuries. There was another bridge on the old Headford Road and there were stories of horses refusing to cross it because of ghosts?
The Galway Waterworks was built on the Sandy River during the 1880s. The Galway Textiles (Cotton Factory) was located on the old Sandy Road and utilised the water power of the river for many years. A number of place-names evolved from the river including, Sandyvale, Sandyview, Sandy Road; there was also a soccer team named Sandy Rovers during the late 1940s.
During the nineteenth-century women from Castlegar did most of their washing at Poulavourleen, where the Sandy River runs underground. This included clothes, utensils and even the children. A story was told many years ago about a child who fell into the river and disappeared underground. His body was never recovered. In the years that followed, his broken-hearted mother continually returned to the spot where her son was lost and could be heard crying out in Irish for her little sweetheart. The place became known as Poll an Mhuirnín, which some translate to ‘Stream of the Sweetheart’ and the river was called this by past generations in that area.
Another tragic story occurred in May 1946 when a seven-year-old boy named Thomas Hosty drowned. Thomas was the son of Edward and Margaret Hosty of Cooke’s Terrace, Bohermore. He was a very popular child and was so strong for his age, that his friends called him ‘Tarzan’. However, the neighbours called him, ‘Alarm Clock Thomas’ because he was a very early riser and would knock on their doors telling them to get up for work. On the day of the tragedy, Thomas and his sister Mary went to visit the Castlegar Grotto with their mother. While at the Grotto, Thomas told his sister and some other children that Our Lady was laughing and smiling at him. He continued talking about this vision all the way home. Later that evening the children went down to the Sandy to play. There were beautiful yellow flowers growing at the waters-edge. Thomas decided to pick some for Mary so she could put them on the altar in the Convent of Mercy where she attended school. There were also water lilies growing in the river and Thomas may have attempted to reach them. A few minutes later the children heard Thomas calling out as he had fallen into the river. Mary and the others ran to try and help him but were unable because he was caught in a whirlpool of water. They tried using strong rushes and were still unable to reach him. Some of the older boys who were playing football also ran to help but failed because of the swirling water. It was absolutely terrifying for the children as Thomas disappeared into the whirlpool of water. Mary was hysterical and ran to the bridge to try and look for him. Soon adults and the Guards arrived and began a search of the river; however, there was no trace of Thomas. Sometime during the night, the neighbours and family friends decided on another search. They brought Mary with them so she could point out the exact spot where Thomas had disappeared. When they arrived, Thomas’s little body was lying close to the riverbank in the same place where he had been lost earlier. His father, with the help of a neighbour, carried him back to the house. The family was devastated and people from all over Galway were shocked as news of the tragedy spread. Thomas was laid out on the kitchen table, which was covered with a white tablecloth. The words, ‘Suffer Little Children To Come Unto Me’ was embroidered on his white habit. On the day of the funeral children from all the schools in Galway gathered outside his home as the coffin was carried shoulder high to the end of the street. From there a hearse took his remains for the funeral Mass after which he was buried in Rahoon Cemetery with his grandparents.
Although the Sandy River is situated close to the town, it was somewhat remote until the Bohermore Housing Scheme was completed in the 1930s. The river was utilised immediately as a swimming amenity and became a hive of activity attracting children from the area. On summer evenings the mothers would sit on the bank of the river knitting and exchanging news and gossip. There is a story about a local man who always entered the water at the Terryland Bridge and floated on his back entirely nude all the way down to the Sandy Bridge. As he passed, the women would turn away, ‘without dropping a stitch’, and continue talking. The women also kept an eye on the boys who sometimes had to chase cattle away from the river bank so they could go fishing and swimming. However, this was usually followed by the boys being chased by farmers looking for their cattle. The Sandy was a noted place for fishing and the older boys and men said that trout, perch, pike and an abundance of eels could be caught there. The boys who didn’t have fishing rods had to use hand-held lines or a stick with a piece of ‘gut’ and hook attached.
The Sandy Road Bridge provided an excellent vantage point over the river. Some boys actually jumped from the bridge into the water. This was extremely dangerous as the water was not very deep and one could be sure that an old bike, pram, or some other discarded object would be lying on the riverbed; these were in addition to large stones. The ‘dare-devils’ sometimes surfaced covered in bloody cuts, but would never admit to having hit the bottom. For the not-so-fool-hardy, there was a huge rock in the river. It was located a short distance upstream from the bridge and provided an ideal diving platform. There was always a contest to see who could swim from bridge to bridge. Almost everyone from Bohermore learned to swim in the Sandy. The younger lads were always nervous of the older boys in case they were grabbed by the hands and legs and thrown out into the river; however, this was a great incentive for learning how to swim. Some of the boys had swimming togs, and some didn’t, but this never stopped anyone from going for a swim. One boy who didn’t have swimming togs improvised and gave everyone a great laugh when he appeared in nothing but a Five Star Supermarket bag. He had punched holes in it for his legs and then holding the handles, jumped into the water. How long the bag lasted is not known, but it was definitely only a few minutes as the other boys jumped into the water shouting, ‘let’s see what he’s got in the bag’.
The boys swam on the Bohermore side of the bridge, while the girls used the opposite side. There was an unwritten law that none of the boys would swim on the girl’s side and it was generally observed. They really were long hot summers in those days and sun block ‘factors’ were unknown. The river was dredged during the early 1950s and this deepened and cleaned the river which suited the swimmers. Some of the boys who swam in the Sandy included John Browne, James Browne, Pete Laffey, Paddy Folan, Pat Stephens, Pat Hannon, Joe Hannon, Frannie Holmes, Cyril Holmes, John Joe Quinn, Mickey Connor and Paddy Grant. These lads called it ‘Paradise River’ and this is exactly what it was to them. Every day after school they would rush down to the river where great adventures began. Swimming and water games provided the evening entertainment while fishing occupied them at night. It was often midnight before they returned home. The boys sometimes built ‘rafts’ with timber and ropes, all ‘acquired’ from sheds around Bohermore. While there was great excitement and fun at first, the rafts were very dangerous as they had a short life-span. Some of these adventures were inspired by stories such as ‘Davy Crockett and the River Pirates’. Others made ‘canoes’ and paddled up to Cooper’s Cave, a famous landmark at that time. They would then have a picnic of jam sandwiches they brought with them. It seems that these canoes were well-made and the boys would be gone all day. Following the foundation of Galway Hibernians Soccer Club during the early 1940s, the players would go down the Sandy for a swim; it was better than a shower and much more fun.
The Sandy River was also great for hygiene purposes. One boy, now an adult said, ‘Saturday evening was wash night, the lads would bring down red carbolic soap, some brought a towel, while others simply waited until they were dry before putting on their clothes’. There was always great excitement on Saturdays and Sundays as people who finished work for the weekend made their way to the river. The place was packed with young and old alike, ‘It was our Salthill, for the summer months and you would hardly get a wet day’. On Sundays when money was available the children would go to Geraghty’s Shop in Grealishtown to buy ice pops, ice cream and an assortment of sweets for a picnic down by the river. It was a place where one generation overlapped another.
Joe Reilly remembers the Sandy River of his childhood: ‘Midweek during Summer holidays a group of lads from the terraces would go as far as the Waterworks fishing for eels’. They used forks ‘acquired’ from their mother’s kitchen and tied them onto the handle of a brush or stick. This activity provided many hours of adventure as they moved along the river bank in search of the eels. The secret was to get as close to the river as possible, assume a steady stance, avoid movement or casting shadows; then once in position quickly launch your homemade harpoon. Joe remembers one particular man who was great fun to have around in those days, he was always ‘making faces with his false teeth, one day his teeth fell out of his mouth and floated over the dam, what a laugh, we never found them’.
Sadly by the close of the 1970s, the river was falling into neglect. A second drainage scheme skimmed the bed of the river leaving it too muddy for any activities, including swimming. The development of the Sean Mulvoy Road was another factor as it divided Bohermore and the river. The development of the area close to the river changed everything as shops, businesses and apartments began appearing. For those who experienced these days of fun and adventure, it is lonely to stand on the old bridge and remember times past. James Browne of Bohermore who spent many happy years down the Sandy made a very true and fitting comment when he said that ‘Everything has a beginning and an end. Time and age caught up with us; and the old Sandy River’. The river brought great enjoyment to most people and this is acknowledged in the following song which was written by Eamonn Holmes on 17 May 1976. Eamonn was a very talented man and wrote songs on various topics and events. He was obviously a man with a great love of the Sandy River and, indeed, of Bohermore.
Sandy River
There’s a little river flowing
From the Corrib to the sea
Underground way out its going
And its end we never see
But my heart keeps growing fonder
As I watch it from my door
For the little Sandy River
And the pride of Bohermore.
Now the little Sandy River
Flows up north from Galway town
By the parish of St. Patrick
Bohermore of great renown
Home of boxers, home of hurlers,
Soccer players by the score
Who bring fame to Sandy River
And the pride of Bohermore.
In the evenings by the Sandy
As the sun sinks in the West
You may watch the boys in training,
For the coming soccer test
You will see young children playing
And hear merry laughter soar
Round the banks of Sandy River
And the pride of Bohermore.
God be with you Sandy River
May you still keep flowing on
When I leave your shores forever
And life’s happy days are gone
May the boys still round you gather
And bring fame forever more
To the little Sandy River
And the pride of Bohermore.
Sandy River, Winding River
Where we oft-times swarm and strayed
Sandy River, Happy River
Where out soccer heroes played
You’re the dearest spot in Galway
And we love you more and more
You’re a little bit of heaven
And the Pride of Bohermore.