Underground Galway?

JohnCleary

Following from this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055035912

Does anyone know of any tunnels/underground passages in Galway? I need some adventure!

po0k

Not that I know of, bar sewers and service access.

Why not fly to Toronto?

yaledo

- There was a souterrain on the grounds of Dangan house. about 10m long... it's about 9 years since I saw it though, and it was overgrown with nettles.
- If you turn right at Neylands shop in Kilcolgan, you come to a big burned out house called Tyrone house. You can go down into the basement where there is some grafitti from 60 years ago, there is a small souterrain there too, but I don't know if it is accessible. Be very careful if you are exploring this place, there are holes you can fall into.
- There used to be a railway tunnel for the clifden line... The exit was at the small park behind Lidl. Have heard of people being down in it 15 years ago, but never saw any sign of it myself.
- There used to be rumours (hundreds of years ago) of a tunnel under the river for escorting prisoners, between the courthouse and the gaol (near where the Salmon Weir bridge is now).
- I believe that Park College (leaving cert repeat school type place on Forster St.) has classrooms in the basement which extend well out under the street. It's a reasonable guess that a lot of buildings in Galway city centre have (or had) similar basements out under the street. If you know someone who works in a business in the city centre, ask them about it. (and post here if you find anything interesting)

Exploring hidden places in Galway might best be done in a kayak. Some of the canals find their way to places that streets don't. Head upriver a mile, and you get the hidden lakes (entrance marked by an iron bar among the reeds on the right, at the start of the long straight after corrib village) head upriver another 3 miles (keep left at glenloe abbey) and you find a long canal leading into Madden's Nurseries (entrance on the left, can be difficult to spot). There is the remains of an old railway bridge here (from the clifden line)

ARGINITE

Their are a few small ones, out beside the dock the railway bridge over the lough atalia road and a few other railway bridges around their. Also the bridge beside the science an technology building in NUIG.
Really only bridges in Ireland, unless you take a trip to dublin and go to the port tunnel

Karl Hungus

There's supposedly a lot of underground passages beneath the Cathedral, and St. Annes in Salthill has a lot of secret passages, most of which aren't sealed.

hoody

I used to work in the Cellar Bar, which is on the site of Lynch's castle (I think, apologies if I'm completely wrong), and the store for the spirits, which is located off the dancefloor in the downstairs area, was actually a dungeon at one time. You could still see some of the iron bars from whenever. Spooky spot at night too.

As well, there is also some tunnels under UCHG, mainly for maintenance purposes. One particular one connects the boilerhouse with the hospital basement, and the story goes that an alcoholic maintenance man used to spend his days hiding in this tunnel (it's quite large), drinking himself into a stupor. Despite the sauna-like heat down there.

Also, there's an urban legend that most UCHG workers might have heard of, that the Nurse's Home Building - the old one with the clock in the middle - has a tunnel connecting it to some parts of NUIG, which would have been used for the discreet transportation of cadavers some time ago.

Barry.Commins

There's an underground passage connecting the Convent and the School on St. Francis Street (between the town hall and Eglington Street). It goes directly under the road.

I was in there once about 15 years ago when my father's aunt was a nun in that convent (can't remember the convent's name, or the school's for that matter).

Not alot of people know that...

sgthighway

There is a tunnel in the Ringfort in Ballybane. Located in Monivea Pk. behind the Ballybane Shopping Centre.

Railway Tunnel behind Tonerys Bar. Bring a pair of Wellies and watch out for the Winos.

Coopers Cave is down at the back of Glenburren Pk., Tuam Rd.

There is a Danes Hole in Oughterard. This was a very long tunnel once upon a time.

I heard about the tunnel from the Hospital to the College too.

Common sense tells you don't go to any of these places by yourself and always tell people where you are going and when you are coming back.

JohnCleary

yaledo wrote:

Exploring hidden places in Galway might best be done in a kayak. Some of the canals find their way to places that streets don't. Head upriver a mile, and you get the hidden lakes (entrance marked by an iron bar among the reeds on the right, at the start of the long straight after corrib village) head upriver another 3 miles (keep left at glenloe abbey) and you find a long canal leading into Madden's Nurseries (entrance on the left, can be difficult to spot). There is the remains of an old railway bridge here (from the clifden line)

Have you a boat on the Corrib?
I've been on the water a few years. Hidden lakes is great... Used to plough in there at 20MPH on an inflatable - Serious fun until you land on the reeds!

Maddens little river is cool also. Nice and deep until you get to the old railway bridge, very shallow from there on.... Used to navigate up there on a RIB ~ 35MPH .... One wrong move and its over!

JohnCleary

Karl Hungus wrote:

There's supposedly a lot of underground passages beneath the Cathedral, and St. Annes in Salthill has a lot of secret passages, most of which aren't sealed.

I came across one in St. Anne's when I was really young (Used to go playing in the fields around there before building started) and I found a tunnel, with stone steps. I couldn't get very far, and I was sh1tless scared because we were around 7-8 and had no torch. I wonder where they lead to? Could be a well I guess

Kazooie

Barry.Commins wrote:

There's an underground passage connecting the Convent and the School on St. Francis Street (between the town hall and Eglington Street). It goes directly under the road.

I was in there once about 15 years ago when my father's aunt was a nun in that convent (can't remember the convent's name, or the school's for that matter).

Not alot of people know that...

I did and I was going to sy so till you beat me to it. My aunt is a nun in there and she let us through it once. Not much to write about just a tunnel.

Steyr

Karl Hungus wrote:

There's supposedly a lot of underground passages beneath the Cathedral

thats true as i went to school in Enda's secondary and it used to be a Hospital in ww2 ( you can just about make out the faded red cross on the roof facing the soccer pitch ) and we were told that there are tunnels that run from Enda's to the Cathedral and elsewhere, i dunno if they are sealed off now but i remember playing indoor footie in one of the indoor rooms and being told the square bumps on the ground are access points, they are covered up by carpet though

darrenh

the cave behind glenburren only goes in about 30 metres but if you get to the back of it and are small enough there are small short tunnels that you can climb through. they say not to go in though because the new road has made it unstable. a short distance from that is where the sandy river disappears. there is a cave that it goes into, blocked by iron bars and they say the river resurfaces into the sea in oranmore.

JohnCleary

Steyr wrote:

thats true as i went to school in Enda's secondary and it used to be a Hospital in ww2 ( you can just about make out the faded red cross on the roof facing the soccer pitch ) and we were told that there are tunnels that run from Enda's to the Cathedral and elsewhere, i dunno if they are sealed off now but i remember playing indoor footie in one of the indoor rooms and being told the square bumps on the ground are access points, they are covered up by carpet though

A tunnel from Enda's to the Cathedral? That's a lot of digging!

Fracture

hoody wrote:

I used to work in the Cellar Bar, which is on the site of Lynch's castle (I think, apologies if I'm completely wrong), and the store for the spirits, which is located off the dancefloor in the downstairs area, was actually a dungeon at one time. You could still see some of the iron bars from whenever. Spooky spot at night too.

I work for the company that ownes the cellar bar and yeh it was a dungeon at one time, it also had a tunnel which was/still is (not too sure) linked to a few other tunnels under the city. They are linked up to de burgoes (on middle street i think) and the kings head + a few other places. De burgoes was also an old jail at one time also.
The tunnel in The Cellar Bar is blocked up now for a bout 5 years tho, the owner of the building bricked most of it up, maybe because of rats or something....who knows.
Id love to get into it tho.

JohnCleary

fracture wrote:

I work for the company that ownes the cellar bar and yeh it was a dungeon at one time, it also had a tunnel which was/still is (not too sure) linked to a few other tunnels under the city. They are linked up to de burgoes (on middle street i think) and the kings head + a few other places. De burgoes was also an old jail at one time also.
The tunnel in The Cellar Bar is blocked up now for a bout 5 years tho, the owner of the building bricked most of it up, maybe because of rats or something....who knows.
Id love to get into it tho.

May I interest you in a Kango?

po0k

They're fun to use and educational!

mike o

Steyr wrote:

thats true as i went to school in Enda's secondary and it used to be a Hospital in ww2 ( you can just about make out the faded red cross on the roof facing the soccer pitch ) and we were told that there are tunnels that run from Enda's to the Cathedral and elsewhere, i dunno if they are sealed off now but i remember playing indoor footie in one of the indoor rooms and being told the square bumps on the ground are access points, they are covered up by carpet though

was this in the gym

also my history teacher told my class that their was a tunnel going from the school to around the shop

Steyr

Ya the Gym across from what his face class you know the Gym literally next to Home ec room.

mike o

yep i heard that too
there might be tunnels under the church in claddagh

?banned?

Steyr wrote:

Ya the Gym across from what his face class you know the Gym literally next to Home ec room.

I think those teachers may have been taking the piss... I went to endas for 5 yrs and never heard that. Jaysus we hardly had roads back then nevermind a tunnel all the way from Endas to the cathderal!!
Although, u never know but I seriously doubt it

mike o

you never know the school was built during the war as a hospital if we ever got bombed so thats why there is supposed to be a lot of tunnels and secret doors there

Steyr

mike o wrote:

you never know the school was built during the war as a hospital if we ever got bombed so thats why there is supposed to be a lot of tunnels and secret doors there

True you can make out the red crosses on the roof of the school but just about as they are well well worn now.

DRakE

tunnel all the way from enda's to the cathedral? what a load of bollocks

5times

I remember as a young lad (20 years ago - oh my God , I'm getting old) , myself and a gang of friends used to go to the tunnels under the Cathedral . You could get to them by a gate that was down the lane beside fisheries field , just opposite the side door (the one nearest UCG) of the Cathedral . You had to climb down an embankment , which was fairly dodgy , and there was a stream of water there that the tunnel opened out to . It was fairly low and dark as hell , and covered in muck inside , but it went in a fair stretch , but was blocked off by another gate , when you were approximately under the road , if you know what I mean . Not sure if it's still there - I am sure they would have blocked it up by now .

Steyr

Speaking of the Cathedral has anybody been into the Crypt there? As you come over the Bridge from the Court you will see it just behind the barrier for cars, it just says "Crypt" and then an arrow pointing downstairs, is it open to the public? Whats in there? Bishops Coffins?

5times

You can't just stroll in there . It's where they have the bodies of the dead bishops (that's not a punk band btw) . I doubt the public are allowed in at all .

_Whimsical_

I've been in the crypt in the Cathedral. It's open to the public at least once a year and always on November 1st which is some religious feast day. (Possibly Holy Souls Day ..or All Souls Day or All Saints Day?...suffice to say it was curiousity that had me there rather than religious reasons. I only remember it was the day after Holloween:) )
It's a big dark room under the the side entertance to the church. There are bishops coffins lying on wooden benches and some are just on the ground .They are very plain wooden boxes . It was lit only by candle light. There is nothing at all special or remotely ornate about the place. Everyone I was with thought it was very disappointing. I thought it was creepy though... but that was partially owing to the wheezy mumble of old people saying the rosary from further into the darkness than I could see. A quick glance to know I wasn't missing anything was enough and I left !

Steyr

Id so try to open a Coffin!:D

yaledo

5times wrote:

I remember as a young lad (20 years ago - oh my God , I'm getting old) , myself and a gang of friends used to go to the tunnels under the Cathedral . You could get to them by a gate that was down the lane beside fisheries field , just opposite the side door (the one nearest UCG) of the Cathedral . You had to climb down an embankment , which was fairly dodgy , and there was a stream of water there that the tunnel opened out to . It was fairly low and dark as hell , and covered in muck inside , but it went in a fair stretch , but was blocked off by another gate , when you were approximately under the road , if you know what I mean . Not sure if it's still there - I am sure they would have blocked it up by now .

Sounds class! (and dangerous) I guess the stream of water is the canal that goes in between the two roads side-by-side (one to fisheries field and Macnas, one to tribesmen rowing club and old UCG psychology dept). Does that sound right - or is it a different stream?
They have done a fair bit of construction work on either side of those 2 roads in the last few years, but the canal in the middle still looks fairly dilapidated (as if no work has been done on it for years)

5times

yaledo wrote:

Sounds class! (and dangerous) I guess the stream of water is the canal that goes in between the two roads side-by-side (one to fisheries field and Macnas, one to tribesmen rowing club and old UCG psychology dept). Does that sound right - or is it a different stream?
They have done a fair bit of construction work on either side of those 2 roads in the last few years, but the canal in the middle still looks fairly dilapidated (as if no work has been done on it for years)

That's the place - dodgy to get down to - especially if it was wet weather . We spent half of a whole summer down there one year tryimg to see how far in we could get . We'd get in a piece of the way , then one of us would get scared and we'd all come running out . Must have taken us a couple of weeks to get as far as we could . From memory it split in 2 just before we got to where it was blocked off . Fun times - oh to be young again .

JohnCleary

5times wrote:

That's the place - dodgy to get down to - especially if it was wet weather . We spent half of a whole summer down there one year tryimg to see how far in we could get . We'd get in a piece of the way , then one of us would get scared and we'd all come running out . Must have taken us a couple of weeks to get as far as we could . From memory it split in 2 just before we got to where it was blocked off . Fun times - oh to be young again .

How deep is the water? How soft is the ground? Would wellies do? I'd be interested in going in there. I know where you're on about. If anyone's game we could all meet and try it? Can I bring a bottle of B?

5times

JohnCleary wrote:

How deep is the water? How soft is the ground? Would wellies do? I'd be interested in going in there. I know where you're on about. If anyone's game we could all meet and try it? Can I bring a bottle of B?

Wellies would be fine - it was only up to our ankles . I'd love to meet up for a bottle of B , but unforunately I'm on the other side of the world . Maybe some other time

nobodythere

I'm up for it. Is it kinda near where that private-looking salmony place is?

niallgr92

so did any of you guys had a look at these places?
coopers cave ends when you go in far enough ive went to the end before. the end of the sandy river cave the one that has a cage round it ive been in there too wen i was younger and could fit trough the bars it just ends a couple of meters in, ive heard there is a tunnel under st pats primary school in galway linking the church with the school as it was once an old amry base (apparently). intrested in seeing some of these places!

FlashD

What an interesting thread!

I know the thread is about 4 years old but did anyone check out any of these historic tunnels?

Fuinseog

JohnCleary wrote: »

Following from this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055035912

Does anyone know of any tunnels/underground passages in Galway? I need some adventure!

Newtownsmith there has a few underground rivers. if you could go down the steps where the moat is you can gain access there.
otherwise coopers cave is good.

Fuinseog

Steyr wrote: »

Id so try to open a Coffin!:D

you should really cop onto to yourself. they are people like you would try to o that, which is why the crypts have to be carefully monitored.

Robbo

Fuinseog wrote: »

you should really cop onto to yourself. they are people like you would try to o that, which is why the crypts have to be carefully monitored.

I thought it was more to keep people in rather than out, given Christianity's proud history of resurrection. Zombie containment, if you will.

apoeiguq3094y

FlashD wrote: »

What an interesting thread!

I know the thread is about 4 years old but did anyone check out any of these historic tunnels?

Talk about digging up an old thead...

Digging... tunnels...

nevermind.....

Redhairedguy

niallgr92

as far as zombies go i have my kit to destroy them
i want to check these places out i live in galway so im close to them!

barone

the freemasons have tunnels under the whole city

Aiel

Ive fond memories of Coopers Cave as a kid,for a bunch of 10 year old kids like me and my friends it was some adventure to go in there.
Apart from that tunnell under Francis St there is also a little known tunnel that goes from St.Nicholas's Church in a diagonal line up underneath Shop St and ends around where Lifestyle sports is on the corner there.
I had heard of that Cathedral Tunnel before but assumed it was just a rumour.
Also a rumour of a tunnel under the old city wall that led towards the docks.Would make sense if the city was going to be under seige to have some sort of secret route to the docks and thus away from the city.

niallgr92

Aiel wrote: »

Ive fond memories of Coopers Cave as a kid,for a bunch of 10 year old kids like me and my friends it was some adventure to go in there.
Apart from that tunnell under Francis St there is also a little known tunnel that goes from St.Nicholas's Church in a diagonal line up underneath Shop St and ends around where Lifestyle sports is on the corner there.
I had heard of that Cathedral Tunnel before but assumed it was just a rumour.
Also a rumour of a tunnel under the old city wall that led towards the docks.Would make sense if the city was going to be under seige to have some sort of secret route to the docks and thus away from the city.

have you any idea how i could access these tunnels that go under shop street? even if i wer to ask for permission.

gant0

niallgr92 wrote: »

so did any of you guys had a look at these places?
coopers cave ends when you go in far enough ive went to the end before. the end of the sandy river cave the one that has a cage round it ive been in there too wen i was younger and could fit trough the bars it just ends a couple of meters in, ive heard there is a tunnel under st pats primary school in galway linking the church with the school as it was once an old amry base (apparently). intrested in seeing some of these places!

Ya thats true about pats.I used to go there and theres a tunnel under the stage in the hall that goes all the way down...I went in a few metres but pussied out haha....there's also a really big basement area under the principles office that has atleast 4 rooms(possibly more i was only in 4 of them) and I presume theres a tunnel from there to the church aswell.

Aiel

niallgr92 wrote: »

have you any idea how i could access these tunnels that go under shop street? even if i wer to ask for permission.

The wife of the Minister of that church comes into the shop where i work so sometime i might ask her about it.She'll probably laugh in my face and tell me its not true but its a risk im willing to take:).
Theres a basement under St.Marys with a couple of sealed doors in 1 corner of it,i wonder where they lead,might come out in Narnia hopefully:).

wet-paint

Where in Mary's? In the old building, or in the study hall?

Funk It

Down near the old weights room under the church in Marys is it? I'm trying to think where else it would be in that place. Nearly sure that there are other doors down there near the old weights room, it has been years since I have been there so this could just be a part of my imagination.

muskyj

Aiel wrote: »

Ive fond memories of Coopers Cave as a kid,for a bunch of 10 year old kids like me and my friends it was some adventure to go in there.
Apart from that tunnell under Francis St there is also a little known tunnel that goes from St.Nicholas's Church in a diagonal line up underneath Shop St and ends around where Lifestyle sports is on the corner there.
I had heard of that Cathedral Tunnel before but assumed it was just a rumour.
Also a rumour of a tunnel under the old city wall that led towards the docks.Would make sense if the city was going to be under seige to have some sort of secret route to the docks and thus away from the city.

could you direct me exactly to where coopers cave is. i've been down there looking for it a few times but to no avail. i know the place is overgrown and everything. i entered the field by the wall beside the dual carriagway at the end of the row of houses there. also i have heard of a grate that covers where the river 'falls' into the ground. all i could find were the 2 points where the river trickles into the bedrock. porous as it is. thanks in advance.

Fuinseog

muskyj wrote: »

could you direct me exactly to where coopers cave is. i've been down there looking for it a few times but to no avail. i know the place is overgrown and everything. i entered the field by the wall beside the dual carriagway at the end of the row of houses there. also i have heard of a grate that covers where the river 'falls' into the ground. all i could find were the 2 points where the river trickles into the bedrock. porous as it is. thanks in advance.

just follow the river to the end and the caves are a bit above the grate.
people light fires in there so do not wear white clothes going in as you will not come out very clean.
do go in with someone else in case of any mishaps.