The Story of the Bells of St Nicholas

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

The Collegiate Church of St Nicholas, dedicated to St Nicholas of Myra, patron saint of children (better known as ‘Santa Claus’) and of mariners, is the largest medieval parish church in Ireland in continuous use as a place of worship. Though there is some disagreement about when it was built, it was finished by 1320. The building was extended by the Lynch and ffrench families when the 14 tribes were at the peak of their power during the 16th century. Christopher Columbus prayed there during a visit to Galway in 1477, and the building suffered the iconoclasm of Cromwell’s troops, who used the church as a stable after the siege of Galway in 1652. Today it occupies the centre of the city, renowned for its annual Christmas carol service, which is attended by the mayor and members of the city council, and members of the corporation, all in robes, preceded by the symbols of the city; its silver sword and mace.

The Holy Night Statue in Manchester’s great cathedral -

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Mary Johnson is a frequent reader of the Old Galway page, and at times makes some good comments. She was not impressed at my description of the first ‘crib’ set up by St Francis of Assisi at Greccio, on a snowy December night in 1223, more than 780 years ago. She felt the description of the Virgin was as sweet as barley sugar. Instead she wrote about her visit to Manchester’s cathedral and Josefina de Vasconcellos’ moving sculpture. Here is what she had to say:

No Recipe

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Gerry Galvin was born in Drumcollogher, Co Limerick in 1942 and now lives in Oughterard, Co Galway. He is a chef and former restauranteur at the renowned Drimcong restaurant, and is the author of two cookbooks, The Drimcong Food Affair and Everyday Gourmet. He is a columnist for Organic Matters magazine. His poetry and short stories have been published widely in newspapers and magazines in both the UK and Ireland. This poem is from his latest collection No Recipe (Doíre Press, €12).

The Irish Boycott

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

The preservation and the teaching of the Irish language has often provoked a passionate defence, no more so than on the island of Tawin. At the beginning of the last century a fierce row erupted when local people felt that Irish was not being taught in their local school, and took matters into their own hands. Children were kept away from the school, and money was raised to have them taught separately in their own language. It became a cause celibre attracting the support of such nationalist figures as Roger Casement. The story has been well told by Nollaig Mac Congáil in the current issue of the Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society (Volume 62) which I will come back to next year.

The Wild Banker - Gilles McBain

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Last October 7, the renowned playwright and short story writer John Arden celebrated his 80th birthday. The occasion was commemorated in the Town Hall in the appropriate way. Actors read extracts from his plays, musicians played, and John, with his valiant partner Margaretta D’Arcy, performed. It was a memorable evening. Film director Bob Quinn could not contain himself. He brought the house down by singing the following ditty, which would make a good party piece this Christmas.

A royal tribute to the 'Poet of the Piano'

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Every Sunday evening during the month of August, a pianist is invited to play Chopin's piano. The piano is not a shiny, black grande, but an honest-looking, workman-like upright. The sort you'd see in any home where someone was learning to play this majestic musical instrument.

CA Lejeune, the Observer's first film critic, enjoys a very brief encounter with Marlene Dietrich

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

My friend John Kilkelly from Ballina gave me this beautifully observed article on the difficulties endured by journalists and the film studios trying to placate a famous star.

The challenge of Crusheen Bridge

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Not everything was wasted during the Celtic Tiger years. Galway has benefited greatly from the motorway to Dublin, as well as the Gort by-pass, which gives motorists a clear run to Limerick on the impressive M18. No one will be sorry to see the end of the Crusheen right-angled turn under an impossible railway bridge. Artics needed the whole road to make the turn, causing delays and gasps of incredulity at the narrowness and the danger of it all.

Winter dry skin rescue with Voya

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Is your skin feeling the effects of winter exposure? Even the most cared for skin can end up rebelling against winter elements of wind, central heating, and cold, harsh weather. Voya’s new Time to Shine body buff will rescue your skin and deliver skin radiance. This hard working body four-in-one buffing scrub tackles cleansing, toning, skin balancing, and dead skin removal, bringing a new level of softness and suppleness to your skin.

Massive reductions at B&Q New Year sale

Thu, Dec 30, 2010

Shoppers will see up to 60 per cent off all kitchen doors and drawer fronts, up to 60 per cent off all Cooke & Lewis bathrooms suites and shower enclosures, and up to 60 per cent off all Cooke & Lewis modular bedroom doors and drawer fronts in the B&Q New Year sale. Also until January 10 customers will receive an additional 15 per cent off if they spend €100 or more — excluding delivery charges — in one transaction in any of these departments.

Sales fever

Thu, Dec 23, 2010

Christmas is almost upon us. While we are all getting ready to celebrate this special occasion and enjoy some quality time with family and friends at the back of some of our minds are thoughts of the next major event in the festive calendar - the Christmas sales.

La Maison Chic celebrates twenty five years of Marian’s boutique with a new design

Thu, Dec 23, 2010

Celebrating 25 years in Galway city, Marian’s is saying thank you and inviting customers to call into the newly refurbished store to collect a free gift.

Christmas survival guide

Thu, Dec 23, 2010

Family pressures at Christmas
It can be easy at Christmas to get caught up in this maelstrom of emotions and begin to expect that because it is Christmas all tensions and family disagreements should be forgotten. While Christmas is often a time of forgiveness and coming together, the pressures on families to have a wonderful time, free of stresses and full of fun, can be too much.

It can be easy at Christmas to get caught up in this maelstrom of emotions and begin to expect that because it is Christmas all tensions and family disagreements should be forgotten. While Christmas is often a time of forgiveness and coming together, the pressures on families to have a wonderful time, free of stresses and full of fun, can be too much.

How to get the best from your wines

Thu, Dec 23, 2010

Over the last few years we have seen a massive growth in the supply of wines from all over the world, some good, some not so good. We have seen changes like screw caps, initially scorned by all, now accepted in homes and restaurants all around the world. One curious fact about screw caps is that they have been accepted more readily by women, while men still hanker after the traditional corkscrew. Personally, I have only had one bad wine from a screw cap, but several from bottles with corks.

Raven Terrace

Thu, Dec 16, 2010

This evocative photograph of Phil Coyne’s Claddagh Bar was originally taken about 40 years ago. The shawled lady was Biddy (or ‘Bideen’) King from the Claddagh. The bar was situated on the corner of Raven Terrace, where McGuire’s shop is today. To the left of the pub was a sweet shop, which was owned by two sisters, Hanna and Sheila Gannon, one of whom wore mini-skirts long before they became fashionable. To the left of that again was John and Annie Connolly’s bar. They also kept lodgers, and one of those who stayed there was Edward McGuire who was a mechanic in Higgins’ Garage. His wife to be, Ethel Corbett, worked around the corner in George Gay’s furniture shop, and when they decided to get married, they bought Connolly’s and changed the name to McGuire’s Bar.

Christmas shopping without the tears

Thu, Dec 16, 2010

Christmas has crept up again. A time for joy to the world, and peace among men or, conversely, of panicked late night shopping, and the anxiety that accompanies the realisation that you have exactly seven minutes before shops close. It's Christmas Eve, and you are empty-handed (aside from, if you are like me, a few little presents that you accidentally got for yourself). That perfect gift has eluded you once more, and all the time you thought you had, as you browsed nonchalantly, has vanished into the ether. Aimless wandering is one thing, but the real challenge comes when setting out with a specific, particularly hard to please person in mind. This can lead to blind panic, often resulting in decidedly bad choices. I aim to, at best, give something of practical use to the recipient, preferably something that they wouldn't buy for themselves, or, at the least (and this is perhaps the last refuge of the desperate), to knock a laugh out of them. Some notable failures include impulsively bought jewellery, assorted DVDs (which now lurk, mockingly, on the shelf, still clad in their original cellophane), and a festive geansaí, which, upon opening, was immediately earmarked for return. One year out of frustration and laziness I bought a friend a book that I suspected she would never open, but that I wanted to read. After an appropriate waiting period I 're-gifted' it to myself, and everyone was happy – I got the brownie points and the goods. This year I hope to avoid the blunders of the past, and furnish my nearest and dearest with things that will, without hyperbole, change their lives for the better.

Ireland has not sunk so low into the depths of depression that we are obliged to give each other canned goods and toilet roll. Yet. With this in mind I paced the streets, paying particular attention to quirky, Irish-made things. A stall, helpfully named 'Galway Made' in the Eyre Square market seemed like a good place to start. Three Galway-based artists share the stall, and all have high quality, imaginative work. Wicked Candles produce wax wall-hangings and vases (€22), tealight holding wax lanterns, as well as the more traditional hand-poured candles (€6-20). Blankbeauty do retro crockery – fine china cups and saucers, mugs (€8), jugs and serving dishes with 70s vintage designs. And Aoife McGough of Seodra Bán makes jewellery from (cow) bone, and also offers classes where you can make your own piece, design and fashion it with your own fair hand in a one-day class (€65 per person, €120 for two people), and vouchers are available if you know anyone who has a deep-seated, though as yet unfulfilled desire to make their own jewellery (www.seodraban.ie and www.bonecarving.ie).

How to dress for your party age

Thu, Dec 16, 2010

It can be difficult to decide what to wear for the party season when the shops are awash with everything from one-shoulder jewelled cocktail numbers to embellished shift dresses. The little black dress is the easy option, but if you want to try something new here are other style ideas that can be mixed with high street and designers pieces.

A most important test

Thu, Dec 16, 2010

We live in a colourful world with rainbows of colour everywhere we look. The hair colour business is no different, with an array of shades available to the client. Blondes, coppers, browns, brunettes, or reds in highlights, lowlights, slashes or splashes of colour or all over — clients are spoilt for choice.

Notes for the season

Thu, Dec 16, 2010

If you find yourself with your hands covering your ears and looking like that deranged subject in Edvard Munch’s famous painting, you have probably left your tricky gifts for last. Brown Thomas has six solutions below:

Solution: The Brown Thomas gift card for the woman in your life who appears to have everything, never fear! She hasn’t. There is always one thing she aspires to have, but guilt, budget, logic, and often common decency prevent her from buying for herself. Give the gift of freeing her of those constraints. Every woman knows a gift card is not real money, and we do not feel even slightly guilty using them (as opposed to cash, which we still use, but we feel guilty).

Christmas presents for foodies and cakes for everyone

Thu, Dec 16, 2010

In the aftermath of the boom times, most people have all kinds of toys in the kitchen, many of which remain unused and perhaps even unopened. So many gadgets seem like a great idea at the time, but do you really need 50 cookbooks, or three different types of garlic crusher, or a beetroot slicer? The first thing to consider if buying such an item is, would I use this myself, and also to ask the shop it if can be returned after Christmas if the recipient wants to do so.

E-paper

Read this weeks E-paper. Past editions also available from within this weeks digital copy.