GALWAY CITY - One branch of Lori’s ancestors were centered in and around County Galway; so we headed there first. Galway City is a harbor town on the west coast of Ireland (where the river Corrib meets the sea). Its name derives from the Irish “Gallimh” meaning “Stoney River.” It is also known as the “City of Tribes” as 14 merchant families, or tribes, formed the settlement. In 1124, the King of Connacht had Fort Gallimh constructed. During the Norman invasion of the 1230’s, the fort was captured by Richard Mor de Burgh, who was then granted mayoral status by the English monarchy. At that period of time, the Normans had unrestricted access to the city, while the native Irish had to be outside the gates by sundown. While on a voyage to Iceland and the Faroe Islands In 1477, Christopher Columbus stopped in Galway.
Throughout the Middle Ages, Galway was ruled by an oligarchy of 14 merchant families, known as the “Tribes of Galway”. The city was thriving on international trade, mostly with Spain and France.
Today, Galway is a thriving city with tourism being one of its main industries. We look forward to our stay here.