James Hardiman, the celebrated Galway scholar and historian was born 240 years ago in Westport, County Mayo. He played a significant role in nineteenth century Galway. It is now over 200 years since he wrote his very famous book, The History of Galway (Full Title: The History of the Town and County of the Town of Galway). James Hardiman was the only son of Richard and Margery Hardiman nee Hill. During his childhood, the family moved to Galway where his father opened a shop. James had intended to study for the priesthood, but these plans changed after he lost his right eye in an accident. Hardiman was educated in Galway and later went on to study law in Dublin. In 1809, he entered King’s Inn and five years later was admitted as a solicitor. Apart from his profession as a lawyer, Hardiman also became a writer. He spent fifteen years working as a sub-commissioner for the Commissioners of Public Records in Ireland. This work allowed him access to records that were so important to his 1820 History of Galway. This was his first major work and he used a variety of sources when compiling the book. These included records in Trinity College, Dublin; Record Tower, Dublin Castle; British Museum; Bodleian Library, Oxford; Irish Annals and of course, the records of the ancient town of Galway. It is believed that these early corporation records were held by the Blake family in Menlo Castle. Hardiman was given the records by the family which possibly saved them from being destroyed in the disastrous fire that later gutted the castle in 1910.
Hardiman eventually handed most of these manuscripts over to Queen’s College Galway. The name was later changed to University College Galway and this great seat of education became the National University of Ireland, Galway before finally becoming University of Galway. His History of Galway contains facsimiles of primary sources such as charters, maps, engravings, lists of civic officers, and a wealth of genealogical evidence. Hardiman traced the history of Galway from the earliest times to the post-Act of Union era. It was an ambitious and pioneering work and remains a testament to his scholarship. This remarkable book is almost like a bible for historians in Galway. The book is also valuable because it contains important information from documents that were destroyed in the Four Courts during the civil war in 1922. In 1926, Tom ‘Cork’ Kenny (Editor) published an extensive series of articles from Hardiman’s History in The Connacht Sentinel bringing a great awareness to the book. The Connacht Tribune republished the book itself for Christmas 1927; and did so again in 1958 and 1985. In 1975, his son, Des Kenny, of Kenny’s Bookshop and Art Galleries Ltd published a facsimile of the first edition.
As a lawyer, the iconic Galway Courthouse was a hugely important edifice for Hardiman. Following the opening of this building on 1 April 1816, he wrote a glowing account and description of the courthouse. He included this account in his History of Galway. He also recorded a description of Galway Jail, which opened on the opposite side of the River Corrib in 1810. Furthermore, he was an active member of the Royal Irish Academy. In 1822, Hardiman edited the Annals of Innisfallen and added a topographical index. He also collected and, indeed, rescued many examples of Irish traditional music manuscripts. It is believed that his father, as a youth, was acquainted with Turlough O’Carolan, the famous blind harper. This connection may have later influenced James Hardiman when he produced the Irish Minstrelsy, a collection of Irish poetry and songs in 1831. This was an attempt to establish the antiquity of Irish verse, which he felt was equal to that of Rome or Greece. He hoped that this work
would offer abundant evidence of the richness of Gaelic culture.
A year later, in 1832, he built a house on Taylor’s Hill. This is referred to as Taylor’s Hill House on a map of the period, later mentioned as Ardmore House. He owned a second house in the same area called St Helina. He is also recorded as having a house in Eyre Street. It was mentioned that he lived in Eyre Square for a time, but there is no evidence to validate this claim. During the 1830s, he was described as leading a ‘professional and scholarly life’ between Dublin and Galway, with some visits to London. He was made an honorary member of the Galway Commercial Society. The society was based in High Street and represented the Catholic Nationalist viewpoint. In November 1838, Hardiman was a guest at a special dinner hosted by the Bishop of Galway for the leading nationalist, Daniel O’Connell. In 1839, Hardiman provided land for a school at Errew in the parish of Ballyheane, County Mayo. It seems that he had inherited the land from his mother’s family and is reported as having laid the foundation stone for the school. He also laid the foundation stone of the Augustinian Church in Middle Street, Galway on 28 August 1855.
Hardiman was described as a courteous and mild-mannered man. His extensive research was widely acknowledged; and he was mentioned in the House of Lords in 1834. In 1840, Hardiman became a founder member of the Irish Archaeological Society. In 1843, he donated a translated copy of the Statute passed at Kilkenny in 1366. In 1846, the Irish Archaeological Society published his edited version of A Chorographical Description of West or h-Iar Connacht. This important work was written in 1684 by the great Gaelic scholar, Roderic O’Flaherty. Also in 1846, Hardiman became a founding member of the Celtic Society. He was also a founding and prominent member of the Royal Galway
Institute (forerunner of Galway Chamber of Commerce). He was instrumental in securing the institute’s royal charter from Queen Victoria.
On 2 March 1839, The Galway Advertiser (old) published a glowing tribute to Hardiman. It stated that his name would extend far and wide, not merely in Ireland, but also across the world. The following is an extract from the tribute:
“It may be as the waves of the Institution spread over the ocean of science. How many as yet unborn, whose talents and tastes for science and literature, that might otherwise lie dormant in embryo, will be ushered into active existence, nourished, cherished and matured, within the atmosphere of the Royal Galway Institute”.
He donated 1,000 volumes (manuscripts) to the institute’s library, which they said were proof that he was the ‘venerable patriarch’ and benevolent founder. Following the opening of Queen’s College Galway (UoG) in 1849, Hardiman accepted an appointment as Librarian from its first president, Joseph Kirwan. He also acted as law agent for the college. The James Hardiman Library and associated buildings at the university is named in his honour. After the Railway Hotel opened in 1852, the Royal Galway Institute held their annual dinners there. This iconic building at the end of Eyre Square also now bears his name, ‘The Hardiman Hotel’.
Hardiman enjoyed excellent health until 13 November 1855, when he was suddenly seized by apoplexy and paralysis. He died a few hours later, aged 73 years. It was said that the Royal Galway Institute lost one of its ‘pillars of credibility and Galway lost her oldest Scholar, her distinguished Antiquarian and her honest, erudite and celebrated Historian’. The Institute later expressed and formally placed on record their deep sense of loss experienced by the
death of James Hardiman, who by his ‘indefatigable and fair-minded exertions’ had obtained for them their Charter of Incorporation.
His funeral Mass was held in St Nicholas’ Pro-Cathedral, Middle Street as this was the main Catholic Church in Galway at that time. A huge crowd attended and following the service, his remains were laid to rest in the Franciscan Abbey Cemetery in Newtownsmith. His wife, whose name is unknown, had predeceased him in death. He was survived by his only son, also James Hardiman. A year later, Hardiman’s personal library became one of the most valuable Irish collections ever to go for auction. The auction was held on 26 March 1856 and the contents were sold in 1,648 lots. They included many rare and valuable sets of Irish manuscripts.
James Hardiman achieved great distinction in his adopted city. This was not simply because of his History of Galway, but also because of the many valuable contributions he made to everyday life in Galway. In 2000, the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society erected an engraved plaque in his honour at the entrance to the Franciscan Abbey Cemetery. His History of Galway was re-released in 2020 to mark the 200 anniversary of the original publication.
