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Thanks so much to Galway city tour guide and historian Jim Ward who brought a group from Gaeltacht an Eachr\u00e9idh on a fascinating two hour walking tour of Galway City on Bank Holiday Monday morning.<\/p>\n
Jim\u2019s Revolutionary Galway Tour brought to life a bloody period in the city\u2019s history during the War of Independence.<\/p>\n
Even though County Galway rose up against British rule in 1916, Jim reminded us that the city remained loyal to either the parliamentary nationalist or unionist tradition until the War of Independence.<\/p>\n
During the War for Independence or Tan War, Galway city experienced some brutality from Crown Forces and during a two hour walk Jim brought to life the memory of people such as Seamus Quirke, Sean Mulvoy, Michael Walsh, and Fr Michael Griffin, who lost their lives during Ireland\u2019s fight for freedom.<\/p>\n
At the Liam Mellows statue in Eyre Square, he told us that the 1916 uprising occurred outside the city in places like Carnmore, Castlegar, and Clarnbridge. But the city became the scene of atrocities by the Black and Tans in 1920, the bloodiest year of the conflict.<\/p>\n
Jim talked about his own family links to this very dark period in Galway\u2019s history and enjoyed conversations with the participants on our sold out tour.<\/p>\n
We learned some new Irish words, too, including \u201cD\u00fachr\u00f3naigh\u201d (Black and Tans) and \u201clu\u00edoch\u00e1n\u201d (ambush) during the walking tour.<\/p>\n
We visited the train station, the scene of killings by the British forces, the place on Long Walk where the body of city businessman Michael Walsh (murdered by the British) was discovered, and the home of Fr. Michael Grififn, who was abducted and murdered by Crown forces.<\/p>\n
It was a stark reminder of just how troubled a city Galway was just over 100 years ago and the struggle of Galway people for Irish freedom. It is estimated that 54 people were killed in Galway in the 12 months between July 1920 and July 1921.<\/p>\n
Afterwards we adjourned to McGinns in Woodquay for some conversation \u2018as Gaeilge\u2019 and finger food.<\/p>\n
A fascinating insight into just how troubled Galway city was just over a century ago,.<\/p>\n
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