Constructed between 1852 and 1853 by the Ashworth family, this mid-to-late Victorian building is the only one of its kind in all of Ireland and is one of Galway’s most historic landmarks. Originally designed as a draft-netting station (in which a net is anchored at one end on shore, with the opposite end pulled along by a row boat), it served as a means of monitoring fish levels in the river, as well as to watch for illegal fishing (at the time, this part of the river was privately owned, meaning fishing could only be done by permit).
This free standing, three-story building was in use until the 1970’s when commercial fishing began to die off. Its ground floor was constructed with stone, while the upper floors were built with recycled bricks that had been used as ballast on in-coming cargo ships. The bricks had been dumped on the quays so new cargo could loaded onto the ships. The bricks were then re-used to construct nearby buildings.
Today, the tower Is the smallest museum in Galway and depicts the history of fishing in the city. Admission to the museum is free.