This photograph of that part of the Woodquay market at the corner with Eyre Street, was taken c 1890. It was here that country women gathered to sell their eggs and country butter. The market had a long tradition in Woodquay even at that time.

In her book Old Galway, Professor Donovan O’Sullivan mentions the market in Woodquay where wood and timber, brought down by boats, were sold. She wrote that the natives brought in turf, wood wattles, frieze lyncloth (linen cloth), broad cloth, corn, grain, honey and poultry.”

In 1840, Reverend Peter Daly complained: “That the establishment of a turf and vegetable market in Market Street and Lombard Street is a great annoyance to the public, and that we strongly recommend to the Mayor and Magistrates the propriety of having the persons accustomed to take standings there for the sale of these articles, to be removed to the neighbourhood of the Wood Quay, the New Bridge and Gas Works, where there appears to be an abundance of spare room, which might be occupied by those persons with infinitely less annoyance to the public.”

Like most towns and cities in Ireland, Galway had a lot of fairs and markets. They were a vital part of life and the economy of the city, helping to feed the local population and provide much needed cash for farmers in the hinterland.

Eyre Square was the location of many of these events. Hay was an essential commodity and the Haymarket was a major event in the days when people travelled on horseback or in horse-drawn carriages. Cart loads of hay usually began to arrive on Friday evening, and on Saturday morning the Square seemed to be covered in hay and there was very little space for doing other business. Young local boys often followed these laden carts as they made their way into town, and pulled armfuls of hay from the load, which they would subsequently sell to neighbours who had chickens, for a few pennies. The Haymarket began to decline when motorised transport arrived. Horse fairs were significant events in the Galway calendar, and regularly filled the Square.

This photograph was taken by Helen Spellman in the early 1960s and shows Prospect Hill all decorated with banners and flags. There appears to be the beginnings of a religious procession at the very top of the hill, which presumably was the reason for all of the colour.

Prospect Hill was so called because of the wonderful view of the city one had from the top. It was on the route of the main road (Bóthar Mór) into the city.

For a few years in the 1950s, it was the scene of the annual Soap Box Derby. An Tóstal was a festival organised at the time to promote various forms of Irish culture, and to extend the tourist season, and Prospect Hill was an ideal and very popular location for these soap box races. In May 1957, an estimated 4,000 people came to watch and such was their enthusiasm that the large number of stewards, assisted by the gardaí, radio vans, and rope barriers, had great difficulty in keeping the course clear of spectators. All kinds of homemade soap boxes would come hurtling down the left side of the hill and everybody wanted to see them and be part of the excitement. For the record, the 1957 championship was won by Maurice Connolly from Threadneedle Road, with Eamonn Walsh from Fairhill in second place and Kevin McMahon from Munster Avenue in third.

Grace Henry was born in Aberdeen in 1868. She studied art in Paris where she worked with Andre Lhote. It was there she met the Irish artist Paul Henry, and they married in 1903. They returned to Ireland to paint. In 1912 they went on holiday to Achill Island, and ended up staying there for eight years. They both painted a lot on the island, but also in other areas in the west. Her work was very influenced by Paul in those years. Eventually they moved back to Dublin and, in the late 1920s, they separated. They continued to paint and each developed a major artistic reputation. Grace died in 1953.

This painting of hers, which probably dates from the Achill period, is titled Claddagh Market. It is of interest because there are so few historical paintings of Galway. In this picture she uses expressionistic colour and fluid painterly brushwork. The image is simplified and veers slightly towards abstraction. This painting is currently on show in a retrospective exhibition in the Jorgensen Fine Art Gallery in Dublin and we show it courtesy of the AIB collection. It is a very good example of Grace Henry’s work.