Pictures and memories from old Galway

JohnCleary · 14-01-2011 4:42am

Speaking of shops...

Feeny's, lower Salthill. Where Morton's is now (opposite Texaco) - A dingy oul' shop but used to stop there for Ice Cream

And speaking of penny sweets, i'll never forget the corner shop in lower Salthill, at the corner of Devon Park (Accross the road from where the Dentist is now) - used to fork out the pocked money and buy 100 fizzy cola bottles before cycling to a day's swimming at Blackrock as a kid... I was the most popular fella there because of those cola bottles, all the chicks wanted me (sweets) :pac:

Head The Wall · 15-01-2011 4:38pm

JohnCleary wrote: »

Speaking of shops...

Feeny's, lower Salthill. Where Morton's is now (opposite Texaco) - A dingy oul' shop but used to stop there for Ice Cream

And speaking of penny sweets, i'll never forget the corner shop in lower Salthill, at the corner of Devon Park (Accross the road from where the Dentist is now) - used to fork out the pocked money and buy 100 fizzy cola bottles before cycling to a day's swimming at Blackrock as a kid... I was the most popular fella there because of those cola bottles, all the chicks wanted me (sweets) :pac:

Grooming eh?

And I'm not on about combing your hair

Andrea B. · 15-01-2011 4:49pm

Some gaps hopefully filled below in blue.

Originally Posted by axiom32 View Post
on the subject of things still there / unchanged SALLY LONGS is one for ur pub list a mates dad told a tale just last week of buyin a flangan over the bar before heading to the dance hall in salthill park across from Leisureland think it was the Hangar (way way way back)....i asked was it always called sallys thinkin it was a newish name and was informed it was owned at the time by a lady called Sally Long

and for the gone but not forgotten lists of sweet shops i owe money too due to sweet abduction
1. Keoghs in Corrib Park
2. Dooleys in Shantalla
3. Irwins also Shantalla
4. Stop n Shop up road from G n L
5. M
where isupply is now newcastle side of NUIG sorry i mean U.C.G(keepin it retro)
6. The Bon Bon in Salthill
7. Murrays corner of Taylors Hill and St. Marys Road (nile lodge)
8. Codds on Threadneedle rd opp tennis club. This closed early seventies and they moved to Bearna shop in Salthill and also the bicycle shop beside Bal.
There was also Willy Hogans on Threadneedle opposite the Salerno gates and Roddy Hallorans where Mahers is now opposite Enda's school.
9. The mobile shop from Coogan pk
10. Connelleys in bohermore
11. Camerons in bohermore
12. Mill Street Stores

please fill in gaps

fatleomessi · 15-01-2011 7:07pm

5. Mcmanus was the name of the shop on newcastle rd.

chasmcb · 16-01-2011 12:58am

Andrea B. wrote: »

Some gaps hopefully filled below in blue.

I remember Dooley's well as a kid when I'd be visiting my granny in Shantalla. And years later, my first experience of 'independent living' was with two amigos in a "flat" at the back of Murrays in 1978 (yes I'm ancient!). Said "flat" was really a converted shed/warehouse behind the shop with three bunkbeds as one "room" and a long narrow living area/bathroom. We got evicted one memorable morning after inviting a German lad and his girlfriend, whom we'd met in the Cellar, to come back and stay for the night. At some ungodly hour, when the sun had barely peeped over the horizon, in stomped Mr & Mrs Murray to rail against this act of hospitality to foreign nationals in these very words "What do u know about them??? What do we know about them?? We could come in in the morning and find one of them dead of, of, of...a drug overdose!!! Yez are evicted!!!" Up we got out of our beds and packed our stuff and all made our way to the Harbour Bar for an early morning sesh.

errigalclimber · 25-02-2011 4:22pm

Anyone remember Hunter's Caravan Park on the Barna Road, just after the Texaco garage? It's now a municipal park. I'd be pleased to see photos of the Caravan Park in its heyday...

pauljw11 · 25-02-2011 7:11pm

I worked for the summer of 1975 in the petrol pumps in front of Hunters Caravan Park. Their were actually two Hunters caravan parks, belonging to two brothers Tom and Ted Hunter. The first one coming out from Galway (which belonged to Ted Hunter) contained Barna House and was more of a mobile home park, whereas the second one (which belonged to Tom Hunter) was a touring Caravan and campsite. The two brothers had had a falling out and were not on speaking terms. The pumps used belong to Tom Hunter.

errigalclimber · 27-02-2011 4:12pm

Hi Pauljw11, many thanks for your reply.

My cousin from Barna also worked in that petrol station around that time. I had no idea the 'Barna House' caravan park was also owned by a Hunter. My memories of Tom Hunter are of a formidable man - none of the kids on the site dared cross him. The site was in a great location but the facilities were rudimentary - the smell of the toilet block has stayed with me all these years. I remember buying cola bottles in the little shop on site which as I recall was managed by Mr Hunter's wife. Would be delighted to see some old photos of the place in its prime. I recall every summer a the German Rotel used to come for a few days and there was alway great excitement when it arrived. There was little by way of children's entertainment at the site, but there were swings which I loved.

Sponge Bob · 27-02-2011 4:36pm

Back in 1997 Ming the Merciless found himself running in an election in Galway. He was :cool: 'introduced' :cool: to the world of electoral politics by his then landlord Frank Fahey.

I believe this was his campaign tune in 2011

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZtx0reJdG4

ValerieR · 24-03-2011 10:38am

I don't know if this has already been posted.
Nice website with some old photos of Galway : http://oldgalwaypics.co.uk/Postcard_Slideshow.aspx

Valerie

pauljw11 · 24-03-2011 10:50am

Valerie--thanks for posting that link--I really enjoyed it--Paul

Gadgetman496 · 01-04-2011 8:50pm

paddytheloaf wrote: »

A guy called Des was the main man......Can't remember his last name...??

You are right, his name was Des Pratt and he was the head man outside the Raftery family. Ray Raftery (one of the sons of the brothers that owned it) now works in Curry's (white goods section) near the Omniplex.

Meteoric · 01-04-2011 9:12pm

gadgetman496 wrote: »

You are right, his name was Des Pratt and he was the head man outside the Raftery family. Ray Raftery (one of the sons of the brothers that owned it) now works in Curry's (white goods section) near the Omniplex.

As per this

jraftery wrote: »

John Tony and PJ were the owners he was in charge of the radio/television counter his name was Des Pratt an absolute gentleman worked for us for nearly 40 years he was involved with the start up of the credit union and fostered dozens of children god rest him

As far as I know PJ and Ray are the sons of the man who owned it, the full name was John Raftery and sons and yes Ray now works in Curry's although I've not seen him the last few times I've been there, but I'm not there often

Gadgetman496 · 01-04-2011 9:36pm

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

Thank you. I had completely forgotten about that guy with the monkey. This thread is memory lane heaven!!

If I remember correctly the man with the monkey's was called Johnny Trayers from Tuam. He eventually moved to live in Galway City in Ardilaun Road Newcastle and at the time got hassled by the local residents when he move in there. Some claimed he was operating a brothel.

pauljw11 · 13-08-2011 1:11am

I was not born in Galway City, but I have lived here since 1973. I was sitting in Java's in Abbeygate Street a few days ago, trying to think of what used to be in that end of Abbeygate street circa 1975--I can remember the original Sally Long's, the "remains" of the old Galway Observer office, Lillis' drapery which closed in the last couple of years, there used to be a health food shop at one stage, there was Small's butchers in Newtownsmith--but other than that my mind is blank--can anybody remember!!!

thesandeman · 13-08-2011 2:14am

Sweet shop across from Sallys and the Roaring 20s pub where CP is is all I can remember.
There was a second hand record shop next to Javas but that might be the 80s.

monkeysuncle · 11-09-2011 8:27pm

pseudonym1 wrote: »

YES YES *tears of joy* he had about 4 little monkeys pure crusty - cans of beer and all. He would let you hold them although I was always to shy and ascared! It may sound odd but watching a man in coloured hat with were they chickmonks? playing and lettin them crawl all over him was the coolist and most enthralling thing for a tot - kids today dont know what there missin - *sigh

And kno knos was so trying to think of that the other day!

Lovin this thread :):)

the man with the monkeys was called johnny trayers. he is dead about 20 yrs now. he moved to limerick late 80s early 90s. he had squirrel monkeys and used to charge for pics with them. he also used to sell rabbit shaped balloons . he never drank so the comment about the cans of beer is inaccurate

ErnieBert · 11-09-2011 8:33pm

monkeysuncle wrote: »

the man with the monkeys was called johnny trayers. he is dead about 20 yrs now. he moved to limerick late 80s early 90s. he had squirrel monkeys and used to charge for pics with them. he also used to sell rabbit shaped balloons . he never drank so the comment about the cans of beer is inaccurate

Hi monkeysuncle.

Are you related to the man with the monkeys in Eyre Square?

Just a hunch.

monkeysuncle · 11-09-2011 8:41pm

ErnieBert wrote: »

Hi monkeysuncle.

Are you related to the man with the monkeys in Eyre Square?

Just a hunch.

no just used to help him out during the summer time , we used to travel all over ireland too
were great days ans i have really fond memories of galway during them time. they were hard times and no one had a bob but always got by..

kabakuyu · 11-09-2011 11:21pm

thesandeman wrote: »

Sweet shop across from Sallys and the Roaring 20s pub where CP is is all I can remember.
There was a second hand record shop next to Javas but that might be the 80s.

That sweetshop was Cunninghams and you could buy one ciggie in there for a couple of pence.

kabakuyu · 11-09-2011 11:30pm

pauljw11 wrote: »

I was not born in Galway City, but I have lived here since 1973. I was sitting in Java's in Abbeygate Street a few days ago, trying to think of what used to be in that end of Abbeygate street circa 1975--I can remember the original Sally Long's, the "remains" of the old Galway Observer office, Lillis' drapery which closed in the last couple of years, there used to be a health food shop at one stage, there was Small's butchers in Newtownsmith--but other than that my mind is blank--can anybody remember!!!

Sallys became the Salmon Weir and then kaylems for a while.Where Cps is now was O'Deas pub, then the Roaring 20's and then "Cosy Nook" for a while>
Javas was Horans butcher shop and there was also Mcgraths butcher shop where Martin Feeney's is now.On market street you had Cosgroves sweet shop(ran by two old ladies) Cawleys Secondhand Clothes shop(now art gallery)and Jim Watsons(electricial repair shop,now barbers) accross the road you had Fordes Paint shop and Connellys undertakers.

bodhrandude · 12-09-2011 12:15am

Was there also a place called Trends in Salthill, I remember it was popular with the students on Tuesdays, no Im getting mixed up, it was called Ruby Tuesdays, some of my student friends in the early 90s used to go there and to O Reillys Bar beforehand, which was a bit of a dive but was kinda like Sally Longs with its preference to heavy rock and metal music, I think it got burned down but cant remember the date.

bodhrandude · 12-09-2011 12:25am

thesandeman wrote: »

Sweet shop across from Sallys and the Roaring 20s pub where CP is is all I can remember.
There was a second hand record shop next to Javas but that might be the 80s.

Mid 90s, cant remember the name but a grey haired fellah used to run the second hand record store, got some nice trad vinyl records in there.

xtradel · 12-09-2011 9:50am

bodhrandude wrote: »

Mid 90s, cant remember the name but a grey haired fellah used to run the second hand record store, got some nice trad vinyl records in there.

His name was Padraic and ironically for a guy that ran a second hand store he actually didnt have a second hand

JohnCleary · 12-09-2011 11:29am

bodhrandude wrote: »

Was there also a place called Trends in Salthill, I remember it was popular with the students on Tuesdays, no Im getting mixed up, it was called Ruby Tuesdays, some of my student friends in the early 90s used to go there and to O Reillys Bar beforehand, which was a bit of a dive but was kinda like Sally Longs with its preference to heavy rock and metal music, I think it got burned down but cant remember the date.

There's a bar in Salthill called Trends. It's beside (to the right) of the Bank of Ireland. A very 'local' spot

headmaster · 12-09-2011 12:47pm

Anyone remember a Brendan Glynn, he was an ex galway goalie and used to sell sweets wholesale from a volks van. Is he still in galway, or is he alive at all. Sound geezer

GalwayGaillimh · 12-09-2011 1:35pm

Captain Snack beside the Lisheen, used to love the chips in there!

kabakuyu · 12-09-2011 3:46pm

bodhrandude wrote: »

Mid 90s, cant remember the name but a grey haired fellah used to run the second hand record store, got some nice trad vinyl records in there.

Mike Mcgrath and Padraig Collins, Mike sold the records and Padraig did repairs,the shop was on Market st where the barbers is now.

ErnieBert · 12-09-2011 7:18pm

My mam used to like to buy clothes in shops that no longer exist...
The Blue Claok, Thursdays (both in Abbeygate Street) and Cahills (where the Body Shop is now, I think)

If i was good, she's bring me for a glass of Leed Lemonade and a Snack bar in the Round Table cafe on High Street. Or we'd pop onto Hills sweets shop for a bottler of Cadet Cola and some bullseyes sweeties.

We would often go into Woolworths and Bargain Stores in Eyre Square to buy a toy.

There was always a young 'tinker' singing outside.

It feels like that was 30 years ago. Hang on, it was.

GalwayGaillimh · 13-09-2011 11:13pm

I remember winning £20 on the slots out in the Big Arc when i was like 9 years old and buying a ton of stuff in woolworths with it!

bodhrandude · 14-09-2011 4:56am

ErnieBert wrote: »

Robbie RIP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scdh7QV7WEM&
feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1xNCK-uTas

I thought I would add to this, another shorter briefer clip of that great and much missed busker Robbie, the man with the golden voice. The last clip is his cameo in the 1988 Irish film The Courier starring Gabriel Byrne.

tracie2000 · 23-01-2012 11:29am

gadgetman496 wrote: »

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

Thank you. I had completely forgotten about that guy with the monkey. This thread is memory lane heaven!!

If I remember correctly the man with the monkey's was called Johnny Trayers from Tuam. He eventually moved to live in Galway City in Ardilaun Road Newcastle and at the time got hassled by the local residents when he move in there. Some claimed he was operating a brothel.[/Quote

Hello in writing some short stories about old crime in Ireland, this story caught my attention, if you have any more information in this story could you please forward it in to me I'd be very greatful

<mail snip, contact by Private Messages only>
Thank you.

christg · 26-01-2012 5:45pm

Anyone remeber the lad selling mussels in garlic mayo, he use to sell them from a wooden tool box that he would carry from pub to pub. They were in a little plastic cup and came with a wooden icecream spoon. I think they were 50p each and tasted excellent at the end of the night (as does everything)

pauljw11 · 26-01-2012 5:54pm

And what becameof the traveller lad who used busk (sing) outside Woolworths in the square? Does anyone even know his name.

Also, the blind man who used play the accordion outside Glynn's (the treasure Chest)--I assume he is dead now, but does anyone know his name or anything about him?

Gadgetman496 · 26-01-2012 6:09pm

pauljw11 wrote: »

And what becameof the traveller lad who used busk (sing) outside Woolworths in the square? Does anyone even know his name.

Also, the blind man who used play the accordion outside Glynn's (the treasure Chest)--I assume he is dead now, but does anyone know his name or anything about him?

The blind accordion players name was Hickey (Martin I think). He was from the West.

Gadgetman496 · 26-01-2012 6:11pm

christg wrote: »

Anyone remeber the lad selling mussels in garlic mayo, he use to sell them from a wooden tool box that he would carry from pub to pub. They were in a little plastic cup and came with a wooden icecream spoon. I think they were 50p each and tasted excellent at the end of the night (as does everything)

Jasus, I remember that well but can't think of his name

He had totally gone from my memory until you mentioned it christg

christg · 26-01-2012 6:23pm

How about the pubs closing an hour early during the summer (10:30 I think) because the farmers needed to be in bed.

Or no TV during the day - because people should be working.

Or stopping at the shoe shop before school to buy tacks for your shoes, so you made noise when you walked down the hall

Or the leather sandles that the kids would wear, usually with short pants (when was the last time, besides the beach, you seen a kid with short pants ?)

Or open platform double decker buses - trying to hide from the conductor so as not to pay ?

thesandeman · 27-01-2012 12:40am

gadgetman496 wrote: »

Jasus, I remember that well but can't think of his name

He had totally gone from my memory until you mentioned it christg

Bernard Galligan (sp). Lives out the country now.

Gadgetman496 · 27-01-2012 12:52am

thesandeman wrote: »

Bernard Galligan (sp). Lives out the country now.

That was him alright thesandeman

the happyhammer · 25-02-2012 11:35pm

did'nt we have mary the monkey also,the guy with the teeth was pat stephens of bohermore.what about the guy with the keys.sir james.

the happyhammer · 25-02-2012 11:59pm

the good old days.sent home every time the pipes in the toilet were frozen.( school was in woodquay).

Stevolende · 26-02-2012 5:09pm

claw14 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me who was in the Westside shopping centre. 1st was Tesco. 2nd ????? 3rd Dunnes. There was someone in the middle before Dunnes but cannot remember who

Surely 1st would have been Quinnsworth, think they only got taken over by Tesco's after 1998. Pretty sure the change happened after I got to know town.
I remember the hurdy gurdy player saying at that point that town had seriously lost a lot of what made it indivual/Galway & it's changed a lot since then again.
1998 Galway was the fastest growing town in Europe. I'm assuming it must have finally slowed down now, since there are ghost estates from 5 or so years ago dotted around. I think it had been overtaken as fastest growing a while before.

Don't think I've heard mention of the Chinese Restaurant that used to be upstairs where river island is now. Used to have to cross a bridge to get to the seating area if my memory serves.
Could be that was a latecomer, after the time being discussed.

Or earlier around 90/91 the guy who used to pelt buskers with eggs from one of the roofs on Shop st. Think it's where the chemists down from Easons is now.

I bet the Old Taaffe's Sweater shop is before a lot of people's memory, though family squabbles have only lead to it being a shop front with a painting over the front of it so far.

Gadgetman496 · 26-02-2012 6:05pm

Originally Posted by claw14 View Post
Can anyone tell me who was in the Westside shopping centre. 1st was Tesco. 2nd ????? 3rd Dunnes. There was someone in the middle before Dunnes but cannot remember who

Was it not H. Williams?

-

hairyfairy00 · 26-02-2012 6:11pm

That's Tesco on the Headford Road, the one gadgetman was referring to used to be in Westside! Tesco was there many moons ago, then it was H.Williams and now it's Dunnes Stores.

Sponge Bob · 26-02-2012 6:24pm

hairyfairy is right save that it was not a real tesco but a franchise tesco owned by a dude named Albert Gubay

Stevolende · 26-02-2012 7:34pm

Right, thought Tescos just came in at that point & took over what had been Quinnsworth. This because all the large Dublin Quinnsworths became Tescos at the same time. Don't remember seeing Tescos around before.
I stand corrected though.

Yeah thought it was just that point that what had been a lesser known U.K. firm expanded over here. Not sure when it even got its largescale status in the U.K. it's everywhere now, probably across Europe & the former USSR too from what I recall reading.
Think several U.K. only supermarkets have a much larger corner of the market than they did at the time, but still haven't expanded over here. Morrison's ? Think that was a Northern U.k. firm that's now everywhere across U.K.
but I digress

BeardySi · 26-02-2012 10:43pm

Stevolende wrote: »

Surely 1st would have been Quinnsworth, think they only got taken over by Tesco's after 1998. Pretty sure the change happened after I got to know town.

Tescos were around in the 80's, left Ireland for a decade or so and came back after buying out Quinnsworth in the nineties...

Stevolende wrote: »

Don't think I've heard mention of the Chinese Restaurant that used to be upstairs where river island is now. Used to have to cross a bridge to get to the seating area if my memory serves

Royal Villa

Fuinseog · 27-02-2012 10:10am

Treadhead wrote: »

Tescos were around in the 80's, left Ireland for a decade or so and came back after buying out Quinnsworth in the nineties...

Royal Villa

no wonder they went out of business. i went in once and just wanted a bowl of soup. the place was basically empty and they said a ten pound order minimum.

Paddyfield · 27-02-2012 12:21pm

Fuinseog wrote: »

no wonder they went out of business. i went in once and just wanted a bowl of soup. the place was basically empty and they said a ten pound order minimum.

Royal Villa are trading in Salthill for many years. I think they are in Oranmore too.

Fuinseog · 27-02-2012 1:19pm

Paddyfield wrote: »

Royal Villa are trading in Salthill for many years. I think they are in Oranmore too.

maybe the place on shop street was called ming gardens.

Pictures and memories from old Galway

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