Galway

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Galway
Gaillimh
Galway
Galway (Ireland)
Red pog.svg
Coordinates 53 ° 16 ′ 19 ″  N , 9 ° 2 ′ 56 ″  W Coordinates: 53 ° 16 ′ 19 ″  N , 9 ° 2 ′ 56 ″  W
Symbols
coat of arms
coat of arms
Motto
"eulogy Ejus Manet In saecula Saeculorum
your praise endures forever "
Basic data
Country Ireland

province

Connacht
county Galway
ISO 3166-2 IE-G
height 0 m
surface 50.6 km²
Residents 79,504 (2016)
density 1,572.2  Ew. / km²
Telephone code +353 / 91
Website www.galwaycity.ie (English, Irish)

Galway [ ˈgɔlweɪ ] ( Irish Gaillimh [ ˈɡalʲɪvʲ ]) is the capital of County Galway in the Connacht Province of the Republic of Ireland . Galway and the Croatian Rijeka are the European Capitals of Culture in 2020 .

geography

The city is located on the west coast of Ireland on the northeast bank of Galway Bay . The Corrib River, which is heavily exposed to the tidal range , flows through the city and flows into the bay.

Galway
Climate diagram
J F. M. A. M. J J A. S. O N D.
 
 
108
 
7th
2
 
 
65
 
8th
2
 
 
104
 
10
3
 
 
52
 
12
5
 
 
91
 
14th
7th
 
 
76
 
17th
10
 
 
58
 
19th
12
 
 
115
 
19th
12
 
 
114
 
17th
10
 
 
132
 
13
7th
 
 
107
 
10
4th
 
 
124
 
9
3
Temperature in ° C ,  precipitation in mm
Source: Met Éireann
Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Galway
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Max. Temperature ( ° C ) 7.3 7.8 9.5 12.4 14.2 16.9 18.8 18.6 16.8 13.2 10.2 8.9 O 12.9
Min. Temperature (° C) 1.8 2.0 3.2 4.7 6.6 9.9 11.9 11.6 10.1 7.0 4.4 3.0 O 6.4
Precipitation ( mm ) 108 65 104 52 91 76 58 115 114 132 107 124 Σ 1,146
Rainy days ( d ) 19th 13 23 12 19th 17th 16 19th 20th 22nd 19th 23 Σ 222
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
7.3
1.8
7.8
2.0
9.5
3.2
12.4
4.7
14.2
6.6
16.9
9.9
18.8
11.9
18.6
11.6
16.8
10.1
13.2
7.0
10.2
4.4
8.9
3.0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
N
i
e
d
e
r
s
c
h
l
a
g 		108
65
104
52
91
76
58
115
114
132
107
124
  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Source: Met Éireann

Place name

The name of the place is derived from the Irish name of the only 15 kilometers long river that connects Loch Corrib with Galway Bay (Cuan na Gaillimhe) . In English the river is called the River Corrib after the lake , in Irish the river is called Abhainn na Gaillimhe or An Ghaillimh which literally means "stony river" or "the stony one". The original settlement in today's Claddagh district was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe ("fortress at the mouth of the Stony River"), later this expanded to Cathair na Gaillimhe ("the city on Gaillimh"), or Gaillimh for short .

In the first half of the 20th century, Irish was still the main vernacular in Galway. This shifted massively in favor of English in the second half of the century, also due to the university building, so that the city is largely English-speaking today. The English name was previously spelled Gallive , which is the phonetic rendering of the Irish name. The current spelling Galway was later adopted . The inhabitants of the place are called Galwegians in English (in analogy to Norway / Norwegians) .

history

Map of Galway from 1651

The area was first settled when a monastery was built in Roscam, on the outskirts of the city, of which the 10 m high stump of a round tower , some gravestones and two portholes have been preserved. The place was sacked by Vikings in 807, so very early . Nothing is known of their further history.

In 1124 a fortification was built near the small fishing village. In 1232 Richard de Burgh occupied the village and expanded it next to Athenry into a Norman outpost in the west of Ireland. The town charter in 1396 by Richard II. Granted, and fourteen Anglo-Norman noble families who Tribes of Galway ( Tribes ), directed the trade and the fortunes of the city. The names of the families were Athy , Blake , Bodkin , Browne , D'Arcy , Deane , Ffont , Ffrench , Joyce , Kirwan , Lynch , Martin , Morris and Skeritt . The city was then subjected to constant attacks by the Irish clan of the O'Flahertys who lived in the surrounding area , and all locals were temporarily prevented from entering the city.

English influence declined in the 15th century, while trade ties with Spain and Portugal intensified and the city's wealth increased. In 1473, Galway was destroyed by a major fire, but rebuilt. Cromwell's troops conquered the city in 1652, and William of Orange did not spare it in 1691 after his victory against James II in the "War of the Two Kings".

population

With 79,529 inhabitants (as of 2016), Galway is the most populous city in the county of the same name ( County Galway ) and in the entire west of Ireland. The city has experienced rapid population growth since around 1990 and is home to two universities, so the average age is relatively low. During the same period it also gained significant economic and cultural importance.

politics

mayor

Galway's Mayor is elected annually in June by the City Council. The names of the last public officials (as of 2013) are:

  • 2009–2010 Declan McDonnell (independent)
  • 2010–2011 Michael Crowe ( Fianna Fáil )
  • 2011–2012 Hildegarde Naughton ( Fine Gael )
  • 2012– 0000Terry O'Flaherty (independent)

City Council

The City Council is elected for five years. The last election took place on June 5, 2009. The distribution of seats in Galway City Council :

Political party Labor Party Fine Gael Fianna Fáil Non-party
Seats 5 3 3 4th

Town twinning

Galway has twinned or friendship agreements with the following cities :

* Friendship agreement

Economy and Infrastructure

Horse tram in Eyre Square, circa 1880s

Road traffic

There are five national routes to Galway: the N17 from the north ( Tuam , Sligo , Donegal ), the N6 from the east ( Athlone , Dublin ) and the N18 from the south ( Shannon , Limerick and Cork ). Plans call for the roads to be upgraded to motorways between 2010 and 2020. The M6 motorway (Ireland) was completed in November 2009 and cuts the travel time to Dublin from around three to two hours. There are two toll booths on the way . The M17 motorway (Ireland) towards Sligo and the M18 motorway (Ireland) towards Limerick have been in operation on sections of the route since 2017. Once the Gort and Ennis bypasses (in future M18) have been completed, travel time to Shannon Airport will be around 45 minutes. It takes just over an hour to get to Limerick. The formerly international Galway Airport, which was closed in 2013, is located approx. 6.5 km northeast of the city.

Various bus companies such as Bus Éireann , GoBus or Citylink ensure regular services with larger cities and airports.

Rail transport

There are two rail lines that operate to and from Galway. On the one hand the route to Dublin, and since 2010 the route to Limerick has been used again (after 34 years there was no passenger train between Ennis and Athenry). The rail connections are maintained by Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail). The train station is located near the center on Eyre Square.

The 2018 offer includes 9 pairs of trains between Dublin and Galway on weekdays and 6 pairs of trains on Sundays and public holidays, 5 pairs of trains between Limerick and Galway on weekdays and 4 pairs of trains on Sundays and public holidays. In addition, there are 2 pairs of trains between Athernry and Galway on weekdays.

Until 1935 there was also a connection to Clifden via the Connemara Railway .

air traffic

After the last remaining airline, Aer Arann , ceased traffic to Galway Airport at the end of October 2011 , it was no longer served by scheduled flights. In November 2013 the license for flight operations expired and the Galway City Council decided to buy the airport grounds and give them another use.

Alternative airports nearby include Shannon International Airport and Knock Airport .

Culture

Galway will be European Capital of Culture in 2020 together with Rijeka (Croatia) .

Education and Research

Galway has the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) and the National University of Ireland, Galway . Public libraries are available to the population. Galway also has several language schools.

Regular events

Annual cultural events include the Galway Early Music Festival (May), the Galway Film Fleadh (July), the Galway Arts Festival (July), the Galway Races (August), the Galway International Oyster Festival (September) and the Baboró ​​Galway International Arts Festival for Children (October).

The Cuarth Millennium music festival takes place every 3rd September .

music

Several works with the title Galway Girl refer to the place Galway. The best known are two songs. Steve Earle released his song in 2000, which he was inspired to write while staying in Galway. In 2008 the song became a number one hit in a cover version by Sharon Shannon and Mundy and became the best-selling single of the year in Ireland. Ed Sheeran released his own song Galway Girl in 2017 , which became an international hit. Galway also has a big busker scene.

Theaters and museums

  • The Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe theater cultivates Irish culture and language.
    The Town Hall Theater offers a varied and interesting program. Small ensembles and solo artists perform in the smaller Town Hall Studio .
  • The Galway City Museum is located on the Spanish Arch.
    It presents the rich archeology, monuments and history of the city in several exhibitions.
  • The Fishery Watchtower Museum , a building from the mid-19th century, is located directly on the Corrib River . In 1999 it was officially opened as a museum.

Buildings and more

Interior of Saint Nicholas Anglican Church
Galway Catholic Cathedral
Galway: harbor with cathedral in the background and Spanish Arch (right)
Eyre Square ( An Fhaiche Mhór )

The town square is located near the train station and has been structurally redesigned in recent years and completed in early 2006. In addition to the large monument to the Galway Hooker , it now offers many smaller lawns and benches that are used by many people for sitting, playing, juggling, skateboarding, etc. The many trees provide pleasant shade. The streets around the square are only passable on two long sides, but offer good connections to the bus network and the nearby train station.

Spanish Arch ( An Póirse Caoch )

Archway, Blake's Castle In the harbor, near the city center, the visitor will find a memorial stone on which it is claimed that Christopher Columbus, a Genoese sailor, got the tip here to sail west.

Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas ( Eaglais Choláisteach San Nioclás )

Today's Anglican Church is the largest continuously used medieval parish church in Ireland and was built in 1320 in honor of the patron saint of sailors and merchants, St. Nicholas, consecrated.

Cathedral of the Assumption and St. Nicholas ( Ard-Eaglais Mhaighdean na Deastógála agus San Nioclás )

The Catholic Episcopal Church with its distinctive dome, completed in 1965, almost made the city bankrupt when it was built. The architecture of the building is controversial, as is former Bishop Eamon Casey .

Shop Street ( Sráid na Siopaí )

Shop Street is Galway's main shopping street. In 1999 it was completely redesigned and converted into a pedestrian zone.

Lynch's Castle ( Caisleán an Linsigh )

The castle, built in the 16th century, is decorated with coats of arms and has been the seat of a bank for several years. The castle was the residence of the Lynch family at that time, which was the majority of the mayors between 1480 and 1650. The mayor James Lynch was distinguished by his special sense of justice. According to tradition, he once condemned his own son for the murder of a young Spanish nobleman who was staying in Galway as a guest and who had become a rival for a girl's favor. Since no one in town wanted to carry out the death sentence, he personally hanged him and then retired to a monastery. The term lynching is often mistakenly associated with this event .

Salthill ( Bóthar na Trá )

Salthill is Galway's entertainment district. Here you will find hotels and pubs, in particular amusement arcades and nightclubs, along the beach. Nightclubs in Ireland are dance halls whose license does not end with pub curfew. In particular, Salthill is not a red light district, as you can find it in Germany, as these are prohibited under Irish law. The Leisure Land sports and leisure park is also located in Salthill . There is a marine aquarium which is home to animals found in Irish waters. The park that was created by the International Organization of Organ Donors is worth mentioning. It consists of a circle of steles, called the Circle of Life, and a pond around which boulders from five continents are grouped. The boulders come from places that are related to organ donation, such as the area of ​​the Groote Schuur Hospital in South Africa, where the first successful heart transplant was carried out in 1967 by Christiaan Barnard . This initiated the development of organ donation.

Salmon Weir Bridge ( Droichead na mBradán )
River Corrib with the Salmon Weir photographed from the Salmon Weir Bridge
Estuary of the Corrib in Galway

The Salmon Weir Bridge spans the Corrib River between the courthouse and cathedral . From mid-April to July you can see schools of salmon on their way up the Corrib River.

Claddagh ( To Cladach )
Claddagh ring

The Claddagh is a former fishing village across the Corrib. This can still be seen today in the striking buildings with largely small, one-and-a-half-story houses, which clearly stand out from the surrounding area. Without exception, the original huts were replaced by today's buildings in the early 1930s. Claddagh had its own monarchy and was independent from the English-ruled Galway.

Known beyond Galway's borders is the Claddagh ring , a friendship ring in which two hands hold a heart with a crown. This ring can be found in Galway's jewelry stores. The symbol of the hands holding the heart with a crown is also featured on the cover of the album In the City of Light (1987) by the band Simple Minds . Also in an episode of the American television series Buffy - The Vampire Slayer , the ring is given to Buffy on her 17th birthday.

media

There are two free local newspapers, the Galway Advertiser and the Galway Independent . The Galway Bay FM radio station reports on local events.

Pubs and restaurants

McDonagh's Seafood

Galway has a large number of pubs typical of Ireland. Quite a few of them offer live music every day, or at least regularly, from traditional Irish music to modern pop.

Because of its coastal location, there are many restaurants in Galway that offer seafood dishes. There are also foreign restaurants, especially with Italian and Chinese cuisine, and small take-away shops.

Personalities

sons and daughters of the town

Connected to the city

  • Mike McCormack (born 1965), Irish writer; studied, works and lives in Galway

literature

Current

history

travel

  • Ralph-Raymond Braun: Ireland . 4th edition. Erlangen 2004, ISBN 3-89953-162-0 , pp. 432-443.
  • Ireland . Dorling Kindersley Vis-À-Vis, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-928044-28-1 , pp. 202–203.

Web links

Wiktionary: Galway  - explanations of meanings, origins of words, synonyms, translations
Commons : Galway  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wikivoyage: Galway  Travel Guide

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Hanah Bethke: It could be much worse faz.net, February 18, 2020, accessed February 21, 2020
  2. ^ Galway City Council: Town Twinning. Retrieved July 29, 2018 .
  3. ↑ BreakingNews, November 5, 2013 (accessed December 2, 2013)
  4. ↑ European Capitals of Culture - Creative Europe - European Commission. Retrieved July 29, 2018 .
  5. ↑ GMIT website
  6. ^ Homepage Galway City Museum
  7. ^ President Higgins launches refurbished fishery watchtower. fisheriesireland.ie, accessed April 11, 2018