Galway's Own

Galway's Own Galway's Own is a historical and contemporary magazine capturing people, events, and activities in Galway

Paddy Fahy’s Pub Soccer Team 1973-74. They reached the final of the Pub Soccer league but were beaten by Shaughnessy’s o...
11/12/2023

Paddy Fahy’s Pub Soccer Team 1973-74. They reached the final of the Pub Soccer league but were beaten by Shaughnessy’s of Forster Street. The photograph was taken on the Jesuit’s Pitch. Front row from left: Paddy Fahy, Pat Browne, Christy McPhilbin (Captain), Gay Ryan, ( ? ), Patsy Sweeney. Back row from left: Paddy McDonagh, Pat Traynor, Willie Laffey, Mike Feeney, Paddy Norman, Joe Dodd

Martin O’Reilly was an extraordinary man and an extremely talented piper. O’Reilly was born in Galway City in 1829. The ...
11/12/2023

Martin O’Reilly was an extraordinary man and an extremely talented piper. O’Reilly was born in Galway City in 1829. The exact location of his home is not known for certain, but it was possibly in Sickeen or Eyre Street; some say it was on the junction of both streets. He suffered from blindness from birth or shortly afterwards. Nevertheless, this didn’t affect his wonderful talent as an Uilleann piper. He operated a small dance hall in Sickeen for a number of years. There is an old stone building with a ‘later galvanized’ roof located there and according to tradition, this was the actual dancehall. Past generations of local people mentioned this was O’Reilly’s place in the late nineteenth century. While the building is small, one must remember that it was a time when dances ‘Hooleys’ could be held in kitchens. It was said long ago that in order to dance to the music of the piper, one had to place a coin in his hat, ‘Pay the Piper’. The amount of money given determined how long one could dance. According to one source, his dance hall was eventually closed down by the clergy because it became a meeting place for young men and women. However, another report blames emigration for a decline in pipe music. Nevertheless, the result was the same for O’Reilly; he fell into abject poverty as piping was his only source of income. He had to seek refuge in the workhouse on a number of occasions in order to survive.

Read more of this story at www.galwaysown.ie

11/12/2023

You're very welcome to the Galway's Own page, formerly St Patrick's Parish Magazine, a historical but also a contemporary snapshot of people, events, and activities that happen and have happened in and around Galway City. It is a non-profit venture that seeks to capture stories of people and events that might otherwise go unreported and unrecorded.

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