Taaffe's shop as it was

Mrs OBumble

An interesting little gem from YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s16K1rPE5xA

JackyJoe

Pity there wasn't any footage from inside the shop.

_Whimsical_

JackyJoe wrote: »

Pity there wasn't any footage from inside the shop.

It wouldn't be the same without the smell.
I wonder if many Galway people were ever in the shop. I don't think I ever was.

Eeden

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

It wouldn't be the same without the smell.
I wonder if many Galway were ever in the shop. I don't think I ever was.

I once had to bring an American tourist friend in there. :eek: She didn't seem to notice, but I sure did!

Someone I went to school with got a summer job there once. Don't think she lasted the summer.

_Whimsical_

Eeden wrote: »

Someone I went to school with got a summer job there once. Don't think she lasted the summer.

:eek:

God,summer job nightmare, I hope the money was good! I'd have needed danger money going in there. I had become accustomed to inhaling deeply before I got as far as the shop and holding my breath until I was past. I'd imagine it would cling to you if you'd been working in all day long.

mikom

People always bang on about how beautiful Una Taaffe was.
Pub talk......... Barely above average.

_Whimsical_

mikom wrote: »

People always bang on about how beautiful Una Taaffe was.
Pub talk......... Barely above average.

Was she always considered a raving beauty or was it just as she got older that the difference between what she was and what she became were so jarringly different?

inisboffin

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Was she always considered a raving beauty or was it just as she got older that the difference between what she was and what she became were so jarringly different?

Bit harsh. She got older.

_Whimsical_

inisboffin wrote: »

Bit harsh

I didn't mean it harshly, I think she was quite beautiful, but she had a certain regality that eluded her in later years, as it will all of us.
I just wondered if she was famous for her looks when she was young or do people only talk about her being particularly beautiful now?

D Trent

Right guys I'm only a young shnot, I've heard the name Una Taafe a few times but I know nothing about her and that hasn't changed after watching the clip.

Maybe someone can enlighten me as to who she was/ why she was so well known / she was a bit of a character ?
Thanks

inisboffin

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

I didn't mean it harshly, I think she was quite beautiful, but she had a certain regality that eluded her in later years, as it will all of us.
I just wondered if she was famous for her looks when she was young or do people only talk about her being particularly beautiful now?

I think she had an unusual face, both when young and old.
The French have a word for this - think it means 'ugly/beautiful' - Patti Smith is an example of someone who's been called it.

Faze11

D Trent wrote: »

Right guys I'm only a young shnot, I've heard the name Una Taafe a few times but I know nothing about her and that hasn't changed after watching the clip.

Maybe someone can enlighten me as to who she was/ why she was so well known / she was a bit of a character ?
Thanks

Ya no worries. Do you want us to trawl through a few search engines, get the links to the info and post it up here or would you prefer us to write a detailed essay.

Eeden

Faze11 wrote: »

Ya no worries. Do you want us to trawl through a few search engines, get the links to the info and post it up here or would you prefer us to write a detailed essay.

D Trent was only asking, in the Galway City forum, if anyone on here from Galway City, might know anytyhing about a well known character from Galway City.

nuac

Interesting shop

Were there not two sisters there in the fifties?

Iwannahurl

JackyJoe wrote: »

Pity there wasn't any footage from inside the shop.

Health & Safety standards were lax or non-existent in those days, but even so I'd say no camera crew would risk going in.

biko

You can do a search for Taaffe in this forum and find quite a bit of info.
Start here

irishlady29

As kids, we used to dare eachother to run into the shop and stay for 10 seconds.......horrific experience

2rkehij30qtza5

I can still clearly remember the smell from inside that shop..had to go in a few times to bring visitors to the city in there. Not only was there a manky smell but the film of dirt on everything was about 2 inches thick. Gross. And yeah Úna was supposed to be beautiful in 'her day'...I just remember her as having lipstick smeared on her teeth and a few straggly mutts following her everywhere.

D Trent

I've done a small bit of research for myself;

" Taaffe's first opened in the 1920s under John Taaffe, and specialised in tweeds and woollen goods. The business closed in 1996 following the ill health of Una and Edward Taaffe, and the store has remained vacant since. An untouched-by-time quaintness made the shop a favourite among tourists and the shop, its owners and their dogs became a Galway institution."
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/05/09/2597060.htm

A city developer has sought an extra five years to redevelop the derelict Taaffes premises on William Street.

Planning permission for the redevelopment of the building to become entirely retail is set to expire next November.

Developer Gerry Barrett – who bought the premises in 2006 for around €20 million – told planners he was unable to secure finance for the project because of the collapse of the economy.
http://connachttribune.ie/galway-news/item/2524-owner-seeks-more-time-to-redevelop-taaffes-site

Gambas

I was in there once, for about 15 seconds, trailing the obligatory Yank relation. I just remember the dogs, the dark, a few aran jumpers and mostly, the smell. Another time I remember being nipped by one of the dogs as I walked past the front door.

antoobrien

Gambas wrote: »

I was in there once, for about 15 seconds, trailing the obligatory Yank relation. I just remember the dogs, the dark, a few aran jumpers and mostly, the smell. Another time I remember being nipped by one of the dogs as I walked past the front door.

I remember crossing shop st (between cars) to dodge the smell. I was asked to bring an inlaw in there one day, straight out asked for £20 before I'd go in - fortunately for me they declined to meet my demands.

NauP

Anyone know the name of the accompanying song on the link?

ttoppcat

NauP wrote: »

Anyone know the name of the accompanying song on the link?

Its called Prima Bella Una by Peter Kelehan

LynnGrace

Gambas wrote: »

I was in there once, for about 15 seconds, trailing the obligatory Yank relation. I just remember the dogs, the dark, a few aran jumpers and mostly, the smell.

Same here. Other than that it was a case of deep breath, and get past as quickly as possible. Used to often see Americans going in there, back in the day.

Galway K9

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

It wouldn't be the same without the smell.
I wonder if many Galway people were ever in the shop. I don't think I ever was.

Ah i remember my mom me getting the pee stained jumpers complemented with loads of dog hair.

ROZLYN

My memories of this shop include.. yes the smell wafting out the door but also the dogs lying on the merchandise (mostly woolen jumpers) inside the window. Una was a person of great interest to many people in Galway and I too heard that she was a stunner when young. She seemed to look after wino/homeless men as they'd be going in and out. I visited the shop once with an american boyfriend and out of curiosity was delighted I had an excuse to have a look.

I actually sold Una a red lipstick when I worked in Matt O'Flahertys pharmacy on shop street!!!..the only occassion I had to talk to the lady..although not many words were exchanged between us.

Thanks for jogging my memory

kevin700

Enjoyed the clip
Thank You