The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-12-22

On approaching Galway after
scamper through Connemara the tour
list feels that fortnight or three
weeks could be advantageously spent
in this section Of the country. The
train skirts Lough Corrib for con-
siderable distance before reaching
Galway. Aughnamure Castle, a ruin
of the sixteenth century, consisting of
massive tower, surrounding out
works and banquet hall, is we'll
worth visiting. 1t was the stronghold
of the once formidable O'Flaherty
sept, long the scourge of the Anglo
Norman Galwegians. Lemonfield
close by, is still held by the same his
toric family. An interesting visit is
also that to Cong Abbey and the an
cient Christian remains, says John
Woods in the Providence Visitor.
AS the train approaches the old his
toric town of Galway, it presents any
thing but an attractive appearance;
it rather strikes one as what it really
proves to be on closer inspection,
quaint, peculiar, dilapidated town.
Eyre Square, right in front of the
station hotel is a comely place, and
would tend to give one a far different
impression of Galway, from what an
inspection of the remainder warrants.
This square is surrounded by the prin-
cipal buildings in the city. 1t is a
quiet, inviting place to sit down on one
of the park benches Of summers af-
ternoon, under the luxuriant foliage
of one of the spreading trees.
Galway is called the 'City of the
Tribes" In the 18th century it was
given to Richard de Burgo, at which
time a number Of Anglo Norman fam
lilies settled in the town, thirteen in
number. 1t was to the descendants
of these clannish families that the
Cromwellians gave the name of
'Tribes." Many of the names of these
families are still found in the town
Blake, Bodkin, Browne, Darcy,
Joyce, Kirwan Lynch, Morris, Martin.
Galway is unquestionably the most
stagnant town in Ireland. Though
situated on magnificent bay. which
might easily be made high road Of
commerce, affording accommodation
for the largest steamers, it has none
Of the prosperity which commerce
brings, none of it appearing IN either
the town or the harbor.
Some immense storehouses which
were erected some years ago, when a
company proposed to start line Of
ocean steamers to compete for the
American trade and travel, are slowly
going to ruin for the want of care and
occupancy.
After making all these preparations,
this transatlantic line was never start.
ed, because the government opposed it
at the instance of the Liverpool ship
ping industry; also because the large
lines threatened to carry passengers
and freight at so low rate that the
promoters of the new line saw that It
would be case of starvation from the
outset, and so they abandoned the prof.
ect long before losing all their money.
This port is the nearest roadstead to
Canada or the United States, being
only 1886 miles from st. Johns, New
foundland; 2165 from Halifax, and
1886 from Boston. Transportation
would be much quicker to this port
and mails would be landed 12 to IA
hours earlier.
AS prosperous, mercantile COM
munity Galway had important trade
connections with France and Spain in
past ages, and it is to this intercourse
that the foreign appearance of good
many of the old houses may be traced.
Hence the reference to the old Span
ish part of the town. And, in truth,
the visitor in exploring the city meets
with back streets and lanes, which re-
call streets in Spain or southern
France. There is similarity of archi-
lecture; some of the houses retain fan
tastic ornamental carvings, and many
of the older buildings have courtway
in the center with a gateway opening
into the street.
In stroll through the city the sight
seer's attention is first attracted by
Lynch's Mansion, a conspicuous OBJ
ject of olden times, in the shape of
merchant princes abode. The mason
ry, the enriched windows with carved
dripstones, the arms of the Lynch
family, and a carved stone represent
ing monkey and child-all tell of the
opulence that took pride in embellish-
ing the residences Of former days. The