History of Galway

It is uncertain where the name Galway (Gaillimh in Irish) originally came from. However, we do know that na Gall meant ‘foreigners’ in ancient Irish. This leads to the common belief that Gaillimh was ‘the place of foreigners’.

Galway’s humble beginnings were as a fishing village, located on the eastern side of where St Nicholas’s Collegiate Church now stands. In 1124, the erection of Bun Gaillimhe started Galway’s development. Several times during the following century, the castle was destroyed and rebuilt, only to eventually succumb to the Norman influence.

The Golden Age

In 1270, Walter de Burgh began to enclose the settlement with walls, and the medieval city developed within a large encircling wall. In the 13th and 14th centuries, several Welsh and Norman families seeking refuge from the resurgent Irish came to Galway to find protection within its walls. This heralded the commercial development of Galway as an important sea port and centre of trade with mainland Europe.

Medieval Galway grew into a powerful city-state. The city dealt in salt, spices, wine, fish and animal products, and became the next sea port after London and Bristol. Galway achieved status as a Royal Borough in 1396, and in 1484, Richard III of England bestowed mayor status on it.

The blockade

In the early 17th century, Galway was a glorious city. In July 1651, it was besieged by the forces of Cromwell and hence cut off from the sea by units of the world’s strongest army. Blocked from the hinterland and with its population of 6,000 enlarged by refugees running from the advancing English forces, famine was on the cards.

Among the merchant families and clerics, dissent began to form and Galway eventually surrendered to Coote’s battalion in April 1652. Even though the conditions of the surrender were rather liberal, it soon became plain that the people had been fooled and the Dublin Commissioners had other ideas for the city’s fate.

The unbearable weight of a monthly payment of £400, the large scale abduction of women and young girls for dispatch to the Barbados, the confiscation of goods and houses in lieu of the monthly payment as well as the unending attack on all the assets and personnel of the church; all of these led to an unfavourable outlook.

At last, the government became concerned about the ruin being wrought on Galway and in 1656, it looked to speed up the replanting of the town with a Protestant English population. Despite their efforts, and those of Cromwell himself, the plantation did not materialise and Galway was left derelict and in decay.

Later centuries

Throughout the following centuries, Galway did not return to its former splendour. Very little reconstruction took place. The town walls slowly decayed and were demolished, and today there is a lack of Georgian architecture, which is often found to be common in other Irish cities such as Dublin and Limerick.

Nonetheless, the city’s population grew during the 18th and 19th centuries. Descriptions of the city during this time paint a far from flattering picture. But today, Galway offers an unforgettable traditional Irish experience. With its rickety, cobbled streets, filled with street performers and cosy pubs playing a blend of traditional Irish and popular music, there is something here for everyone.