Prospect Hill Steam Roller: This Steam Roller was once a prominent feature of Prospect Hill. It was located in front of the old County Buildings, close to the Western Hotel. Over the years it became a landmark on Prospect Hill and many visitors had their photograph taken beside this relic of the past. It dated from 1925 and was in use until the 1960s when it was decommissioned. The steam roller was used to tar the main road in Salthill for the first time in 1928. In fact, it was used to tar all of the roads in the city during that period because they had fallen into a terrible neglectful condition. This was a major cause for concern for Galway Urban Council, therefore it was vital to purchase the steam roller in 1925. There was another concern after the tarring was complete as some people were afraid that horses would slip and fall on the newly tarmacked roads. One of the drivers was Gerald Fitzgerald from St Bridget’s Terrace. The Steam Roller was put on display after it went out of service. It was removed during the rebuilding of County Hall in the late 1990s. The question of it being restored and retained was raised during a council meeting on 12 September 1997. The then County Manager agreed that the Steam Roller should be restored, but was concerned about the cost. It was hoped to make it a joint venture with some concerned body. The Steam Roller has since been restored and is in safe keeping at the moment.
Oldest Man in Galway: According to an ancient record the oldest man ever to have lived in Galway was 220 years old when he died in 1580. His name was Conor King and he lived on the Aran Islands. This man claimed he could remember when there were only three stone houses in Galway. He also remembered that there was a small chapel where St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church (1320) stands today. There is a suggestion that there was an earlier smaller church on that site. It was said that Conor King killed ‘a beef in his own house every Christmas for 180 years’.
Bohermore Road: Bohermore (Big Road) is possibly the oldest road in Galway, bother, meaning road, is derived from the Irish word, ‘Bo’ meaning cow. In circa AD 908, Cormac Mac Cuilleanain, a medieval chronicler recorded how the word ‘bother’ may have evolved stating it was a roadway that, ‘Two cows fit upon it, one lengthwise, the other athwart, for their calves or their yearlings fit on it along with them’. According to some sources many roads in Ireland owe their origins to pathways created by cattle going back some two and three thousand years. Although the Bohermore Road was supposedly called the ‘Kings Highway’ for a short time during late medieval times, it reverted back to its ancient name after a period. The Bohermore Road today is one of the busiest in the West of Ireland. One can only wonder at the extraordinary amount of history that this road has witnessed over the centuries.
Veteran War Boat: This old Veteran war boat has been moored at Lough Atalia for the past number of years. While many people don’t give it a second glance, the boat has an interesting history. One source maintains that it saw service during both the Great War (1914-18) and World War II (1939-45). During the Great War, it was supposedly used to carry troops or ammunition across the English Channel. Following the war, the boat when into civilian service and was used in this capacity throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Shortly after World War II began the boat was utilised again to help the military and naval services. It was used during the Dunkirk evacuation, code-named Operation Dynamo, also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk. This was the evacuation of thousands of Allied Troops fleeing France after the country had fallen to the German army. Operation Dynamo took place between 26 May and 4 June 1940. The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, called the action in France a ‘colossal military disaster’, saying ‘the whole root and core and brain of the British Army’ had been stranded at Dunkirk and seemed about to perish or be captured but for the action taken by the navy and, indeed, the hundreds of civilians who came to the rescue of the troops in every type of vessel that one could imagine.
Medieval Doorway: This fine and unusual late medieval doorway is located along Shop Street. The lintel over the doorway contains some interesting, but now almost discernible low-relief carved decoration. It has the IHS monogram displayed on the central capital. There are two main interpretations associated with this monogram: (1): Jesu Hominum Salvator, meaning ‘Jesus Saviour of Mankind’. (2): In Hoc Signo, meaning ‘In this Sign Conquer’. This could suggest that it was once the doorway into a religious house. The panel above the doorway contains some very important carvings. These include the Coats of Arms of the Athy, Lynch and Penrice families. Athy and Lynch were two of the famous Tribes of Galway. While the Penrice family do not rank among the tribes, they were certainly prominent kinfolk in old Galway and are well-represented on tribal remains around the city. There are also two Merchant’s Marks or Tradesmen Guilds on either side of the coats of arms. The panel on the left displays a Rose Tree with the arms of the Blake family tucked in neatly below. It appears to have three dates: 1594 – 1616 – 1751. The 1616 date is carved on the capitals on each side of the doorway with initials as follows: 16 above NL – 16 above CM. It has been suggested that it may not be a date, but merely a street number. The doorway is a wonderful legacy from late medieval times and a hugely important part of Galway City archaeology. Sadly, it is totally neglected as one can see from the photograph. There are cables and wires protruding from almost everywhere, with some even attached to this important protected structure. There are weeds growing across the panel and unsightly graffiti on the modern doors in front. It is not the only archaeological structure where cables and wiring are obstructive; there are others around the city. This is something that should be addressed by those responsible. Cables and wiring are necessary but should be discretely placed, not protruding across these wonderful examples of late medieval archaeology. These are features that should bring pride to the city. It would have been a worthwhile project for Galway Capital of Culture 2020. Perhaps, it could be addressed in 2021.
St Patrick’s Avenue: St Patrick’s Avenue was once an attractive residential avenue located just off Eyre Square. It is an old avenue with many houses dating from the early nineteenth century. Some of the houses are now boarded-up, which is causing worry for many local people. Why are they boarded-up? Why aren’t they being renovated and redeveloped as housing in the city centre; after all, there is a very real housing shortage. There are some who believe that nineteenth-century houses are not really important and therefore they are not being protected. Galway has lost many of these houses over the past number of years, surly we are not going to allow this entire nineteenth-century avenue to disappear. There were many important families living on this avenue since its foundation, including the Nugent family. They ran a stone masonry business from the avenue throughout the nineteenth century. They built O’Brien’s Bridge; Church of St Ignatius, Sea Road; Mount St Mary ‘Bishop’s Palace’, Taylor’s Hill, Walls and Chapels of the New Cemetery. There are many more important structures that they were involved in during the period. Hopefully, those involved will consider the importance of these early nineteenth-century houses in any future planning and redevelopment of the avenue.
Beatle Mania: Brod Ward and Tommy Nevin ran the very famous dance venue the ‘Hanger Ballroom’ in Salthill during the 1950s and 1960. During that period Albert Reynolds (who later became Taoiseach) owned a number of dance halls. He also booked bands to play at different venues. One day Brod received a phone call from Reynolds asking him if he was interested in booking a young group for the Hanger. Reynolds told him that they were fairly good, but he would have to charge 10 shillings for entry to the dance. Brod was not impressed with the price as it seemed to be clearly an overcharge and more or less, told Reynolds that he was out of his mind. Brod was a bit shocked to see the Beatles shot to world fame a few weeks after he had refused to give them a ‘gig’ in Galway. Brod became known as the only man who ever refused the Beatles. This was something that people would always mention to him amusingly in the years that followed, not that he ever needed to be reminded. The Beatles played in Dublin on 7 November 1963 and this was their only performance in Ireland. Among the great stars who performed in the Hanger were Roy Orbison and Chubby Checker, so Brod can be forgiven.
Blackrock Rocking Horse: The Rocking Horse in the Blackrock Drapery Shop on Williamsgate Street attracted the attention of children from all over Galway. The rocking horse was ideal for mothers and indeed their children when shopping. The mothers could take their time looking at clothing, knowing that the children were occupied on the horse or waiting eagerly for their turn. It was a time before access to other forms of entertainment was available to children.
The Rocking Horse was in the shop for over fifty years until the fire of 1971 that destroyed Blackrock and a number of other businesses. Luckily it was salvaged from the fire by one of the men who worked in the shop at that time. The Blackrock Rocking Horse is a real link to Galway’s social history.
