'Latin Quarter' name

dinneenp

HI,
Is there any rational behind the name Latin Quarter for the area (Quay St, Flood St, Middle St, CRoss St etc)?
Is it just a marketing ploy or is there any latin link historically etc?
I'd have thought it'd be more an Iberian quarter...

Thanks,
Pa.

lookinbusy

Suppose it depends what they mean by latin, a definition I found was:
"characteristic of or relating to those peoples in Europe and Latin America whose languages are derived from Latin"
.. Maybe it's related to the spanish arch and the spanish armada arriving in Galway way back and there influence on that side of the town. Regardless of the historical reason, Quay street and around there has always had a kind of a different vibe to it than the rest of the city, with it's narrow streets,party atmospere and genreraly just people out enjoying themselves. They could have thought of worse names I suppose.

dolphin city

it a complete marketing ploy, thought up last year to try to get crowds into the place - there is no historical thought put into it.

a bit like the big sign now in dominick street that says - you are now entering old galway - whats that all about.

next they will be calling eyre square the "american quarter" or the "new world quarter"

lookinbusy

yeah you're probably right, just deamt up by a few big pub owners to drum up business during the summer. I wouldn't take it too seriously though it won't be marked on any map or anything will it ? (at least I hope not)

Xiney

it's because they think that because of the open air tables in front of the eateries and pubs it resembles the continent = the latin quarter. There is a Quartier Latin in Paris from which I think all other "latin quarters" derive their name.

soundbyte

dolphin city wrote: »

it a complete marketing ploy, thought up last year to try to get crowds into the place - there is no historical thought put into it.
"

That's just not true .. it at least dates back to the early 1990s when Gerry Barrett was redeveloping the Kirwan's Lane/Busker Brownes area. At that stage, the Quay STreet area was well-known as the Latin Quarter.

EDIT: Was just told by the oul lad it came about in 1984 for the City's Quincentenary celebrations.

dolphin city

soundbyte wrote: »

That's just not true .. it at least dates back to the early 1990s when Gerry Barrett was redeveloping the Kirwan's Lane/Busker Brownes area. At that stage, the Quay STreet area was well-known as the Latin Quarter.

EDIT: Was just told by the oul lad it came about in 1984 for the City's Quincentenary celebrations.

no it doesn't - it was loosely known as the "left bank" part of town but the latin quarter only came about last year.

taken from Independent:

Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Galway can now boast its own Latin Quarter, with the official launch this week of the area, which encompasses some of the city's most historic landmarks.

soundbyte

dolphin city wrote: »

no it doesn't

Yes it does. This is an argument you're not going to win:

http://archive.advertiser.ie/pages/view.php?ref=41953&search=!collection1386&order_by=field51&sort=ASC&offset=0&archive=0&k=

That's 1996. Can't be ar$ed trawling back any farther.

dolphin city

sorry soundbyte
I actually live two minutes from the place and can honestly say that I had never heard of it being called that in the 1990's or 1980's. Obviously the word was being bantered round going by that newspaper, but it was not officially crowned that until last year. Just like dominick street is now crowned "old galway" - explain that one to me.

Where is the left bank that everyone knew quay/street as then?

mikom

soundbyte wrote: »

That's just not true ..

dolphin city wrote: »

no it doesn't -

soundbyte wrote: »

Yes it does. This is an argument you're not going to win:

dolphin city wrote: »

sorry soundbyte
explain that one to me.

Where is the left bank that everyone knew quay/street as then?

Worse than the Latino gangs you two.
"I'm gonna cut you up real good"

soundbyte

dolphin city wrote: »

sorry soundbyte
I actually live two minutes from the place and can honestly say that I had never heard of it being called that in the 1990's or 1980's. Obviously the word was being bantered round going by that newspaper, but it was not officially crowned that until last year.

You may not have heard it, but I assure you, it was in widespread usage. I remember if particularly well in the mid 90s when Terry Sweeney opened Buskers. I also seem to remember a mini Latin Quarter carnival of sorts back then.

dolphin city wrote: »

Just like dominick street is now crowned "old galway" - explain that one to me.

Galway Taxis should be strung up for that sh!te sign.

dolphin city wrote: »

Where is the left bank that everyone knew quay/street as then?

I always understood it to be literally the Left Bank of the canal and River, i.e. Dominick Street, but it gradually morphed into the whole area.

Fey!

The Latin Quarter reference has been around for years; we opened our shop on Cross Street in 1995, and the name was already around then.

The Latin Quarter as a marketing organsation for the area has been around for about 4 years now, since they started pedestrianising Cross Street for the races. It started out amongst the publicans, but now includes a large number of the shops and restaurants.

As for the Left Bank, there was a Left Bank Cafe on Dominic Street 10 or 15 years ago. It was run by the people who had the restaurant in the Lisheen, who now have Riordans and Finnegans.

siltirocker

There are 'Latin quarters' all over the world. Like China towns, Financial services, Little Italys, etc. Generally it's a cities party centre. Pretoria has one, Paris has one and Galway has one. The term has been banging around for years.

The umbrella group these bars decided to operate under needed a name and decided to use one i believe makes perfect sense in this situation.

Lockstep

I thought it was something to do with Colombus; legend has it that he saw two American Indian bodies washed up in Galway and realized that there must be life across the Atlantic, leading to the rediscovery of Latin America.

Or something.

biko

If they're all so latin how come no bartender understands "Tribuo mihi vinum"?

Greaney

I remember the name coming into use around 1988 when the area was becoming gentrified. The (old) Quays had a mighty music session there on a Saturday afternoon. Proper trad music and that oul lad with the moonshine bottle!!

Articals in the national press, like The Times etc. began to call it the latin quarter. Druid was getting solid national recognition at the time and the rent hadn't gone berserk so there were really funky clothes shops down there.

They really ruined The Quays when they turned it into a super pub. Pretty heart breaking actually:(

dolphin city

and Taylor's pub - anyone remember that gem.

Mrs OBumble

biko wrote: »

If they're all so latin how come no bartender understands "Tribuo mihi vinum"?

How many of 'em have you tried it on?

Head The Wall

dolphin city wrote: »

and Taylor's pub - anyone remember that gem.

Yeah, it's full of tits now though

James Forde

more codwash for tourists - aload of boll0cks really

Greaney

Oh yes Taylors!! God be with the days. Lunch time theatre in the Marquee out the back, great sessions, and then there's the famous tale about the medical students and a cadaver..

I think there were looking to extend the 'Latin Quarter' to Dominic Street actually, or certianly start that vibe, but the Red light district seems to have well and truly set in there. Then again, some terrific restraunts down there:)

bryanjf

bryanjf wrote: »

more codwash for tourists - aload of boll0cks really

Some people will get annoyed over anything.

Blinking_Badger

dolphin city wrote: »

and Taylor's pub - anyone remember that gem.

Taylors was class alright....maybe the first beer garden in Galway? It was pre-smoking ban days as I remember.....

inisboffin

Ah Taylors and 'have ye no homes to fec*in go to' Séamus..;)
It was such a great pub and was always one of my two 'meet you for a Christmas pint' pubs when I was home on holliers from abroad. Great music sessions there.

+1 for The Quays in the old days. Superpub wrecked it for me, think I have been in there twice since. Probably makes more money now tho!

'Latin Quarter', while I get the sentiment, never quite fit for me as a name, even when I lived in the thick of it.

Blinking_Badger

inisboffin wrote: »

'Latin Quarter', while I get the sentiment, never quite fit for me as a name, even when I lived in the thick of it.

Yeah I know what you mean Inisboffin, I lived there too and never thought that "Latin Quarter" seemed right...........maybe something like the Qobbled Quarter, the Restaurant Rhombus or the Fun Fraction might suit it better

BB

James Forde

Deleted User wrote: »

Some people will get annoyed over anything.

:rolleyes:

how ironic

I like the thought of the Latin Quarter - just hope they do more things like the Cuban festival!

bonzodog2

biko wrote: »

If they're all so latin how come no bartender understands "Tribuo mihi vinum"?

That's currently a googlewhack, and my latin isn't up to much. I wonder how many of Galway's barstaff have a classical education ? Not that many I suspect, but ya never know !

ErnieBert

I dislike the name 'Latin Quarter' as it is irrelevant to the area although I like the branding concept which illustrates what is in effect, the old town.

Surely they could have come up with a name that reflects Galway/ West of Ireland?

Suggestions:

Old Town
Atlantic Quarter
Spanish Arch Precinct



and of course......
Buckfast Central

siltirocker

ErnieBert wrote: »

I dislike the name 'Latin Quarter' as it is irrelevant to the area although I like the branding concept which illustrates what is in effect, the old town.

Surely they could have come up with a name that reflects Galway/ West of Ireland?

Suggestions:

Old Town
Atlantic Quarter
Spanish Arch Precinct



and of course......
Buckfast Central

You disliking the name is fair enough but your reasoning isn't. The name is hardly irrelevant to the area. In the sixteen century the Spanish and Basque settlers practically ran and lived in the area exclusively, which is when this area started to become a reknowned hub for international cuisine/alchohol and market trade. That fact along with what the term 'latin quarter' means, i believe makes it one of the best names this group could have called themselves.

And besides that fact, that is the name of the area and has been for over two decades. It wasn't just plucked from the sky.

pleasant Co.

biko wrote: »

If they're all so latin how come no bartender understands "Tribuo mihi vinum"?

Eh, blame england, musta bate the latin outta them.

(Disclaimer: The above is a joke, making light of the irish [language] situation we find ourselves in)

Skinback

dolphin city wrote: »

it a complete marketing ploy, thought up last year to try to get crowds into the place - there is no historical thought put into it.

a bit like the big sign now in dominick street that says - you are now entering old galway - whats that all about.

next they will be calling eyre square the "american quarter" or the "new world quarter"

It's the same in Dublin where they now call the end of the South Circular Road and top of Camden St "The Village".....ridiculous.
Whatever little snot thought that crap up should be keelhauled.

Lapin

Skinback wrote: »

It's the same in Dublin where they now call the end of the South Circular Road and top of Camden St "The Village".....ridiculous.
Whatever little snot thought that crap up should be keelhauled.

Very true.
Probably the same bright spark in the morketing dept. of Dublin Tourism who came up the the phrase "Dublin's Left Bank" to describe the Temple Bar area. They actually ran with this slogan for some time.

Dublin being Dublin either nobody noticed or cared that Temple Bar is in fact located on the right bank of the Liffey !

siltirocker

It does annoy me that loads of people call 'The West' - 'Old Galway' or 'Left Bank'. It's always been the WEST!

Malice

Lapin wrote: »

nobody noticed or cared that Temple Bar is in fact located on the right bank of the Liffey !

But if you look at it from the other side wouldn't it be on the left then? :pac:

Thanks to soundbyte for the info regarding the Latin Quarter name. I honestly hadn't heard of it until last year either and would have just presumed it was a marketing ploy and nothing more.

bryanjf

bryanjf wrote: »

:rolleyes:

how ironic

It'd be ironic is if I was annoyed..

dolphin city

it's not "the west" - it's "back the wesht" LOL

and it always will be.

It was definitely a marketing ploy last year to christen the quay street area the "latin quarter" - I really don't care if it was in people's heads for twenty years - it was never official - and I have lived here for that long and never once referred to it as that - maybe it was an "exclusive" group that called in that in their heads.

It was a definite marketing ploy last year - getting banners and posters done up all of a sudden calling it "the latin quarter" - think it had something got to to with the volvo coming in and people wanting us to look more "cosmopolitan" or something like that.

Most locals throw their eyes up to heaven when they hear someone mentioning it tho.

dolphin city

dolphin city wrote: »

it's not "the west" - it's "back the wesht" LOL

and it always will be.

It was definitely a marketing ploy last year to christen the quay street area the "latin quarter" - I really don't care if it was in people's heads for twenty years - it was never official - and I have lived here for that long and never once referred to it as that - maybe it was an "exclusive" group that called in that in their heads.

It was a definite marketing ploy last year - getting banners and posters done up all of a sudden calling it "the latin quarter" - think it had something got to to with the volvo coming in and people wanting us to look more "cosmopolitan" or something like that.

Most locals throw their eyes up to heaven when they hear someone mentioning it tho.

But it's a marketing ploy that might be working - so who cares if locals throw their eyes to heaven if it brings money to that area? I mean, in a time of recession, isn't it important to do whatever you can do to make money

McTigs

dolphin city wrote: »

it a complete marketing ploy, thought up last year to try to get crowds into the place

And your problem with that is what exactly?

These people are in business. As an area of town they are competition for business with the other areas like the west, eyre square and salthill. They simply came together to promote themselves as an area, a concept based on the whole being more than the sum of the parts. Business' in the West are starting to do the same thing. honestly, you'd swear druming up business was a sin.

And most of these business owners ARE local and i imagine they couldn't care less if some local dole junkies throw their eyes up to heaven or not.

Latin Quarter i admit isn't a great name but so what

dolphin city

money is the root of all evil.

but then again some people would sell their soul for a bit of the oul' money, wouldn't they?

biko

Deleted User wrote: »

who cares if locals throw their eyes to heaven

McTigs wrote: »

they couldn't care less if some local dole junkies throw their eyes up to heaven

Copy/paste fail

OT: Sure if they want to market it as Latin Quarter, no biggie. Sounds better than Cross Street Area anyway.

topper75

Ha ha! :D The self-loathing Irish. What will they hate about themselves next?

Who is this 'marketing' aimed at?

If it is foreign tourists, I'm sure they could have booked a flight to somewhere genuinely Latin if that is what turned them on.

If it is Irish punters, do they seriously feel more sophisticated if they are supping Guinness and looking out at the drizzle in a district of town with an exotic-sounding name.

Latin quarter indeed.

dolphin city

topper75 wrote: »

Ha ha! :D The self-loathing Irish. What will they hate about themselves next?

Who is this 'marketing' aimed at?

If it is foreign tourists, I'm sure they could have booked a flight to somewhere genuinely Latin if that is what turned them on.

If it is Irish punters, do they seriously feel more sophisticated if they are supping Guinness and looking out at the drizzle in a district of town with an exotic-sounding name.

Latin quarter indeed.

agreed, and also being charged an arm and a leg while doing it.

some eejits would fall for anything really.

jkforde

You may fool (delude, brainwash, indenture) all of the people some of the time, you can even fool some people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.

Paris's Latin Quarter used to be associated with learning with the use of Latin as the main language of open debate. Almost fittingly we've corrupted it into a crass marketing ploy that's all about getting more people in drinking and ...oh ya, drinking.

"Latin Quarter" :P

...so symptomatic of our malaise and attitude to all things... 'grand, just say that it's so-and-so and the stupid f!@kers will buy it or go along with it or put up with it or generally do whatever we want them to, just as long as we make lots of f!@kin lucre for ourselves'

(jesus, having a Tiernan-type rant of a morning!)

inisboffin

Skinback wrote: »

It's the same in Dublin where they now call the end of the South Circular Road and top of Camden St "The Village".....ridiculous.
Whatever little snot thought that crap up should be keelhauled.

Do you know the origin of that? A friend who lives there tried to tell me it was a very old name brought back, and I called bu**s*it on it:p

Is it to do with The Village Pub, and if not, any reason why The Village is named that -wasn't it the Mean Fiddler and Wexford inn before?

brianthebard

The King's Head is trying to get in on the latin quarter tag now from the looks of its ads in the paper, its complete bull. I wouldn't mind so much if there was something behind the marketing, but its just a label to justify certain businesses existence.

sunshinyday

too many be grudgers in here, get out and enjoy the city

Fuinseog

there was a time when you would get mugged if you went down kirwans lane

dinneenp

Fuinseog wrote: »

there was a time when you would get mugged if you went down kirwans lane

You still do! When I ate there charged extra for veg etc. with my meal. That really is sh*t I think- get steak n spuds and have to pay extra for veg....

kraggy

biko wrote: »

If they're all so latin how come no bartender understands "Tribuo mihi vinum"?

Latin refers to Spanish, French, Italian.

All 3 languages came from Latin.

Hence the term Latin America.

queensinead

When the Left Bank, or the Latin Quarter of Paris was the model for studenty /cobblestoned//artistic gentrification, the term was applied to similar areas of other cities. The Latin Quarter of Paris was of course named for the Sorbonne university, which is at its heart, and where students used to speak Latin in the Middle Ages. Then you heard "Dublin's Latin Quarter", "Galway's Latin Quarter" to describe areas of other cities who hoped to catch that Parisian vibe.

As a non-Galwegian who visits Galway occasionally, I don't care what they call it. It is all beautiful. The little cobblestone streets, the restaurants, and cafes, the old stone ...Those lovely walks out past the swans. There seems to be water everywhere you look (some of it coming from the sky, unfortunately) and the whole atmosphere is just so good

Whatever you have done to the city, congratulations. It's a great place to visit