Claregalway, County Galway

Where the story begins…

An archaeological dig in 2011 revealed that a settlement in Claregalway (around the site of the Castle) was the beginning of urbanisation in the county of Galway. It would appear that even a millennia ago, Claregalway was bustling with human activity. The famous Claregalway Friary—the first Franciscan Friary in Connacht—was built in the early 13th century, establishing Claregalway as a religious hub for east Galway. The beautifully restored Claregalway Castle has withstood many battles over the centuries, helped by its strategic position on a curve in the River Clare. Boasting a recently refurbished western face, the magnificent Nine Arches no longer bridge the river, but remain an attractive landmark in Claregalway village.

Modern day Claregalway is a vibrant hub, still bustling. As described by artist Alan Hounihan, “any landscape is a work-in-progress subject to the continual processes of physical change. Even a farmed or managed landscape is a constantly changing canvas, a palimpsest shaped by human needs and work to which each generation adds a new layer.” The ‘layer’ added by the 21st century community in Claregalway is colourful, bustling and optimistic. With the growing urbanisation of Claregalway, and the covering of layers of history with modern amenities however, it is very easy for the unique past of Claregalway to be forgotten or lost. The History of Claregalway section below has been curated by Claregalway Historical & Cultural Society and we welcome any and all contributions.

 


 

History of Claregalway

In 1999, Claregalway Historical & Cultural Society initiated a FÁS sponsored scheme which began the enormous task of documenting Claregalway’s local history, which is provided here with kind permission from the society.

 

 


 

Fifteen years ago in Claregalway

These local stories are taken from the February 2010 Nuacht Chláir archives. Check out the full archive, dating back to 1996, here.

 

Posted on in Features

Tagged:

Director: Neil Blomkamp Starring: Sharlto Copely, Jason Cope Rating: 15 When District 9 was released in cinemas last year, it was a very pleasant surprise. The film managed to draw me in right from the get go, and its original premise works just as well on DVD.

Posted on in News

Tagged:

Claregalway National School Parents Association is hosting a Secondary School Information Evening on Wednesday 3rd of March from 7pm–9pm. At the time of going to press, seven secondary schools are planning to attend including St Endas, St Marys, the Presentation Galway, Taylor’s Hill, the Mercy, Athenry Vocational and Jarlaths in Tuam. All parents and guardians are welcome to… Read more »

Posted on in News

The Saw Doctors are putting the finishing touches to their new album at the Westmeath recording studios once used by Michael Jackson – and they are making the final preparations for their first Australian tour in 17 years. The band are completing their new studio album, the succinctly titled The Hazard is back in The… Read more »

Posted on in Features

Tagged:

Developer: Naughty Dog Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Rating: 16 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the sequel to 2007’s fantastic ‘Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune’. Naughty Dog are veterans in the videogame industry, having previously started such lucrative franchises as ‘Crash Bandicoot’ and ‘Jak & Daxter’.

 

History Snippets

Next time you’re stuck in traffic coming into the village from the Galway side, see if you can spot these odd stones in the wall.

The long cut stones were taken from the original Nine Arches during its restoration, and used to rebuild this wall (just before the bus lane ends).

This cottage belonged to the Skerrets in the 1970s. Michael Skerret was a carpenter who specialised in making horse and donkey drawn carts and wheels, and his sister Maggie was a dressmaker. Now on the site is Hughes Supermarket, at the busy N17/N18 junction.

Pictured is Hughes’ original house, supermarket and post office (formerly a weaver’s cottage). Keep an eye on Hession’s chimney in the left of the photo to see the transformation from the 1970s to present day.

 

Anything you’d like to add? Get in touch or submit stories and photos here.