:The memorial stone in Galway has been there for five years or more - it's a sort of curled up granite representation of a galleon, about the size of a soccer-ball. Some crusty used to spray paint it every year with a rant about the destruction of the native Americans. Whether or not the story of his visit to Galway (Columbus, not the crusty) is true, it is not far-fetched: prior to the plantation period Iberian links with the south and west coasts of Ireland were very strong; the west coast was used as a base by Spanish and Portuguese boats for their Newfoundland fisheries from the 15thC.; prior to it's destruction in the Desmond Wars in 1580, Dingle was described as a Spanish built town. And I think it's documented that Columbus had an Irish pilot on board during his Caribbean voyages. What article does this discussion link to?