Una Sinnott tour guide

04/08/2025

We have a long history of reusing old masonry in Galway. In my latest post, I look at the city's marriage stones, which provide an interesting glimpse into our past

Galway's marriage stones are a fascinating reminder of the city's history. Here's a quick look at what they are and where to find them.

30/07/2025

Get to know the City of the Tribes with a walking tour all about the 14 Tribes, the powerful merchant families who once ruled Galway, and find out how their legacy is still celebrated in the city today

Uncover the captivating history of Galway and get to know the City of the Tribes in this 90-minute walking tour.

26/07/2025

The TIthe Applotment Books are a valuable resource to identify where in Ireland your ancestors lived, and who the head of the family was, in the decades prior to the Great Famine. Here’s everything you need to know about them

The TIthe Applotment Books are a valuable resource to identify where your Irish ancestors lived in the decades prior to the Great Famine.

23/07/2025

Discover Galway with a private walking tour, taking in the city’s cultural highlights, medieval landmarks, and more!

I am available for private walking tours of Galway for groups, couples or individuals, with an itinerary tailored to meet your specific needs or interests.

20/07/2025

Are you interested in finding your Irish ancestors? Here’s everything you need to know to get started

If you want to learn more about your Irish family history, but don’t know where to begin, this guide will show you the main records you need.

16/07/2025

I am now taking bookings for my walking tours of Galway - let’s explore the city together and discover some of the fascinating stories behind Galway’s great landmarks! Find out more 👇

There is no better way to get to know Galway city than with a guided walking tour, led by a professional local tour guide

11/07/2025

How did Galway get its name? Here's a look at the legend of Galvia, the princess said to have drowned in the River Corrib, and how her story eventually inspired the naming of Galway

Galway is a byword for arts and music, festivals and craic. But what does the name Galway mean? Well, it's complicated.

28/02/2025

Pádraic Ó Conaire is one of Ireland’s most significant writers in the Irish language, and was a key figure in the Irish language revival of the early 20th century. During his short life he wrote 26 books, 473 short stories, 237 essays, and six plays.

Ó Conaire was born Patrick Conroy 28 February 1882, in his family's home and bar overlooking Galway Harbour, which now houses Ruibín restaurant. Surprisingly, Irish was not his first language, and some of his most celebrated works were written in England.

Orphaned at 11, Ó Conaire spent several years in Ros Muc in the Connemara Gaeltacht, where he learned Irish, and as an adult, he moved to London, where he became involved in the Gaelic League, taught Irish to other ex-pats, and married and had four children. He eventually returned, alone, to Galway.

Ó Conaire was influenced by Russian writers of the early 20th century, and many of his characters were marginalised by their circumstances or their own poor choices. Nora Mharcais Bhig, one of his best-known characters, was an emigrant whose choices and circumstances led her to alcohol abuse and prostitution.

Unfortunately, like his protagonist Nora, Ó Conaire turned to alcohol for comfort. He died, aged just 46, in Dublin in 1928.

A statue of him was unveiled in 1935 by Eamon de Valera, later president of Ireland; this limestone statue was in Eyre Square until the mid-2000s. The original statue is now on display in Galway City Museum, with a replica bronze statue in Eyre Square.

24/12/2024

Happy Christmas everyone! For the day that's in it, let's talk about Galway's patron saint - St Nicholas, the 4th century Bishop of Myra who is better known today as Santa Claus.

Both St Nicholas' Collegiate Church (built 1320) and Galway Cathedral - officially the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St Nicholas (completed 1965) - are dedicated to him.

St Nicholas was born in Lycia in the late 3rd century, and as an adult became a priest and, later, Bishop of Myra, now in Türkiye. He was known for his generosity in life - orphaned at a young age, he distributed his parents' wealth to the needy, often by secretly giving gifts of money. According to one legend he paid for the dowries of three impoverished young women by leaving gold coins in their home while they slept.

After his death and canonisation, St Nicholas became a hugely popular saint throughout Europe. His body was removed from his burial place in Myra in the 11th century and reinterred in Bari, Italy. His remains (or at least some of them) are also believed to be buried in Jerpoint Abbey in Co Kilkenny, brought there by returning crusaders who had also stopped in Bari.

Because of his popularity, St Nicholas became the patron saint of many places, including Galway - a perfect choice for a maritime city as he is the patron saint of both sailors and merchants.

Nicholas is also the patron saint of, among other things, students, brewers, prisoners, toymakers and, famously, children.

St Nicholas was known in The Netherlands as Sinterklaas, where he was believed to reward good children and punish naughty children on his feast day - December 6. While similar legends existed in other northern European countries, it was Sinterklaas that gave us the modern, anglicised name for this kindly festive figure - Santa Claus.

I hope you have a lovely Christmas, and that Old Saint Nick is good to you tomorrow. 🎅

22/09/2024

The Nuns' Church at Clonmacnoise is a real hidden gem. This 12th-century Hiberno-Romanesque church built by Derbfhorgaill, daughter Murchad Ua Maeleachlainn, king of Meath, and wife of Tighearnán Ua Ruairc, King of Breifne.

In 1152, during ongoing unrest between her husband and Diarmait Mac Murchada, King of Leinster, Derbfhorgaill was abducted by Mac Murchada. She returned home after being held for a year, and built this church about 25 years later.

The enmity between the two men - made worse by Mac Murchada's abduction of Derbfhorgaill - eventually led Mac Murchada to seek support from Richard II of England. That support came in the form of Richard de Clare, the Norman knight known as Strongbow, and paved the way for the Norman Conquest of Ireland.

The Nuns' Church is just a short walk from the main monastery complex at Clonmacnoise. You can follow the ancient pilgrim path through the monastery and new graveyard, and down a country road, and it's well worth the effort.

17/06/2024

The 11th/12th century round tower in Roscam is part of an ecclesiastical complex that was originally built in the c5th century, but nothing of the original monastery remains. Roscam was raided by Vikings in 807. Very little is known of the early history of the monastery, but it is associated with St Odran - brother of St Ciaran of Clonmacnoise - who is regarded as Ireland's first martyr. Odran was an acolyte of St Patrick and sacrificed himself to save his master when their coach was ambushed by assassins.

24/09/2023

Charles Bianconi, born in 1786 in Tregolo, Italy, is widely credited with bringing public transport to Ireland. Bianconi moved to Dublin in 1802, where he worked for a time as a print seller. His job led him to travel around Ireland as a salesman, and he eventually settled in Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Bianconi regularly travelled on foot with his wares in a box strapped to his back. He soon saw the need for a better means of transporting both goods and people. Following the collapse of Ireland’s mail coach service in 1815 he set up a coach service transporting passengers, goods and mail between Clonmel and Cahir. The service proved very popular, shortening the journey between the towns to just two hours.

Over the following 30 years, Bianconi expanded his business and at one point had 100 coaches servicing towns and cities across most of the country. When rail was introduced to Ireland in the 1850s, potentially threatening his business, he invested in the new transport and adapted his own services to focus on areas not served by rail.

Bianconi was a popular figure in 19th century Ireland, both for his work connecting the country and for his civic mindedness. He set up a soup kitchen to feed the people of south Tipperary during the Great Famine, and was a friend and ally of Daniel O’Connell. He also served on the local council and Poor Law Board of Guardians and was twice elected Mayor of Clonmel.

Charles Bianconi died at his home in Boherlan, Co Tipperary on 22 September 1875. He is buried in Boherlahan parish church, which was constructed on land he donated to the Catholic Church.

Images: Charles Bianconi; Bianconi’s first car serving Clonmel and Cahir; and a later 19-passenger coach, known as a long Bian.