Two new walking trails of Galway city centre, launched this week by Galway City Council in partnership with the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH ) at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, celebrate and highlight the rich archaeological heritage to be found in Galway city centre.
The two routes, launched on Tuesday, take in the many heritage sites and buildings around Eyre Square and the city’s medieval core.
Highlights of the routes include landmarks such as St Nicholas’ Collegiate Church and Browne Doorway, along with more modest buildings including houses and shops. Each self-guided trail takes in a walk of approximately 2.5km and shares information on hidden stories from the past in plain sight.
The Galway City Wonder Wander trails tell two distinct stories of the development of Galway city: the ‘city core’ within the original town walls, with the ancient character of Galway from the 13th century right up to the modern time; and outside the city walls, in Eyre Square, with larger scale buildings reflecting a different character, and the confidence of the growing city in the 19th century – including banks, Ceannt Station, the historic Railway Hotel (now the Hardiman ) and Georgian style terraced houses echoing an ‘up and coming’ Galway city.
Wonder Wander trails are a national initiative designed to celebrate the rich history and heritage of Ireland’s Architectural Conservation Areas (ACAs ) by showcasing some of the historic buildings and places that are valued by local communities.
The Galway City Wonder Wander trails were developed by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH ), part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in cooperation with Galway City Council’s architectural conservation officer.
“The Wonder Wander Trails will be a great way to experience Galway’s architectural conservation areas — from the open expanse of Eyre Square to the character-filled streets of the city core,” said Michael Scott, architectural conservation officer with Galway City Council. “It is hoped that these trails will help people see the buildings, spaces, and details we often walk past every day in a new light, and remind us how Galway’s built heritage shapes its personality and sense of place.”
Minister for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, said the trails will help people to explore the hidden histories behind buildings that we pass every day without fully noticing. “These trails will bring Galway city’s heritage to life and allow people to better understand the built heritage all around us,” he added.
Minister O’Sullivan also paid tribute to local communities involved and encouraged others to come forward, to further expand the Wonder Wander network.
Brendan Dunne, Galway City Council’s senior executive planner for architectural conservation and heritage, said the initiative would help to promote the city’s signficant built heritage. “Eyre Square and the City Core are an integral part of the city’s built heritage and vibrant identity,” he added. “We hope that the trails will underline the importance of Architectural Conservation Area designation in protecting our built heritage and ensuring that Galway continues to be a vibrant and memorable place – for both those living here, and the over 2.7 million visitors who come to our city every year.”
Galway City Wonder Wanders Trails booklets are available free of charge in print across the city including in libraries, Galway City Museum, and the Tourism Office, and can also be downloaded from both www.galwayc
