Galway Borough and County of the Town Directory 1862

From Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory for the Year 1862

GALWAY, a maritime county of a town in Connaught province, situate on the north side of Galway Bay, and bounded on every other side by Galway county, 130 miles W. from Dublin; comprising an area of 24,132 acres, of which 628 are in the town, and 23,504 in the rural district; population in 1831, 33,120, of which 922 were members of the Established Church, 81 Protestant Dissenters, and 32,117 Roman Catholics; population in 1841, 32,511, of which 17,275 were in the town, and 15,236 in the rural district, inhabiting 4,755 houses; population of the town in 1861, 16,786; of the Parliamentary borough, 24,990.

The town, built on both sides of the river that discharges the superfluous waters of Lough Corrib, 3 miles distant, and is crossed by 3 bridges, consists of the old and new towns and the suburb of Claddagh, inhabited wholly by fishermen. The principal buildings are the Protestant Church, 3 Roman Catholic Chapels, 3 Monasteries, 5 Nunneries, Presbyterian and Methodist Meeting-houses, the County and Town Court Houses and Prisons, the County Infirmary, a Fever Hospital, an Endowed and a Charter School, the Custom House, the Union Workhouse, and 2 Barracks; also the new Queen's College, which was opened in November, 1849; a new Model School, on the National system, situated near the Poor House and Queen's College, the Terminus of the Midland Great Western Railway, at which is opened a magnificent Hotel, and the County Club House. The Midland Great Western Railway extends from Dublin to Galway. There is an extensive line of quay wall; and a canal runs from the harbour, through the town, to Lough Corrib and Lough Mask. There are 3 breweries, 2 distilleries, a paper mill, 3 foundries, a tan-yard, and several flour mills, in the town and its vicinity. The town is lighted with gas. Salmon and sea fish are abundant. The town and 7 parishes form an exempt ecclesiastical Protestant jurisdiction, under a warden; but, according to the Roman Catholic arrangement, it forms a see comprising 12 parishes.

The town is governed by the High Sheriff, Recorder, Local Magistrates, and a Board of 24 Commissioners, elected triennially, who have charge of the property of the town arising from tolls, and valued at about £2,000 yearly, besides harbour dues, which in 1845 amounted to £2,100, which is chiefly applied to the repair of the pier, dock-gates, buoys, and mooring-posts. It returns 2 members to Parliament; constituency in 1859, 1,300. The Assizes for the county are held here. The Recorder holds a Court for Pleas of debt to any amount. The net amount of property in the town, valued under the Tenement Valuation Act, is £30,388.

The bay of Galway is an immense sheet of water protected from the swell of the Atlantic by the natural breakwater of the Arran Isles, and possessing great advantages for foreign trade, particularly to America. On the highest point of Arranmore Island, 498 feet above the level of the sea, is the Port Lighthouse, that can be seen 28 miles off in clear weather; but being considered too high in foggy weather, two new lighthouses have been erected on the North and South Isles of Arran. The port and harbour are regulated by a Board of 63 Commissioners, elected for life. The floating dock comprises 5 acres, and admits vessels of 14 feet draught and of 500 tons to moor, when the gates are closed. On Mutton Island, is the Harbour Lighthouse, 33 feet above high water. The exports consist chiefly of agricultural produce, wool, and marble. Beautiful black marble slabs of large size are exported to London and America; mills for sawing and polishing are in the town. There are three newspapers published in the town, viz., the Vindicator, Press, and Express.

Lieutenant.
The Most Hon. the Marquess of CLANRICARDE, K.ST.P., P.C., Portumna, county of Galway; 17, Stratton-street, London, W.

Deputy Lieutenants.
NICHOLAS LYNCH, esq., Barna House, Galway; Hon. MARTIN FFRENCH; ANTHONY O'FLAHERTY, esq.

High Sheriff (1861-62).
HENRY HODSON, esq., Merlin Park, Galway.

Members of Parliament for the Borough.
JOHN ORRELL LEVER, esq., 60, Eccleston-square, London, S.W.
Lord DUNKELLIN (1857), Portumna Castle, Portumna; 17, Stratton-street, London, W.

Recorder.
MICHAEL MORRIS, esq., barrister-at-law, Wellpark, Galway.

Magistrates.
Blake, Andrew William, B.A. (T.C.D.), D.L., Furlough, Barna
Blake, Sir Thomas Edward, bart., Menlo Castle
Blake, Valentine †
Burke, Edward Cussen †
Comerford, Henry, Merchants'-road †
Comerford, Isaac
Comyn, Peter Sarsfield, Killeen Farm
Foster, Francis Blake, Hermitage, Kinvarra, and Foster Park, Galway
Geoghegan, Colonel Nicholas, Prospect Hill, Galway †
Joyce, Pierce, Merview, Galway †
Joyce, Thomas Appleyard, Rahason
Lynch, John Wilson, Renmore Lodge, Galway †
Lynch, Nicholas, D.L., Barna
Maunsell, Edward Eyre, B.A. (T.C.D.), Fort Eyre
O'Flaherty, Anthony, D.L. †
Persse, Thomas M., Newcastle, Galway
Redington, Thomas
Rush, Ambrose, Taylor's Hill

Resident Magistrate, Charles O'Connell, esq.
Warden, Very Rev. Jas. Daly, Villa, Galway.
Town Clerk, John Darcy, esq.
Clerk of the Crown, Alexander Bate, esq. (1842), Galway, and 51, Upper Sackville-street, Dublin.
Clerk of the Peace, John M. O'Hara, esq. (1832).
Sub-Sheriff, Joseph M'Donnell, esq., Galway.
Sheriff's Returning Officer, Robert Stephens, esq., 5, Gloucester-place, Dublin.
Crown Solicitor, Thomas D. O'Farrell, esq. (1861).
Treasurer, Isaac Comerford, esq. (1847).
Sec. to Grand Jury, Robt. Stephens, esq. (1855), Galway.
Collectors of Grand Jury Cess, and High Constables.—
East Galway, Edward Considine, esq.; West Galway, Patrick Morris, esq.
Town Surveyor, Samuel Usher Roberts, esq.
Interpreter at Assizes, Quarter Sessions, and Insolvent Debtors' Courts, Mr. T. J. Reid.
Coroner, Robert Stephens, esq.

TOWN COMMISSIONERS.
Daly, The Rev. Peter, P.P., Chairman.
Lynch, P. M.
Burke, E. C.
Somerville, R. N.
Fahy, James.
Hennessy, Michael.
Fahy, Thomas.
Davis, James.
Kilroy, John.
Purdon, John B.
Blake, Valentine.
Keary, F.
Tierney, M. J.
Burke, E. D.
Dooley, Michael.
Martyn, James.
Ward, Myles.
Grealy, Joseph.
Semple, Joseph.
Foster, Captain Blake.
Stephens, Robert.
O'Hara, Captain.
Persse, T. M.
Grealey, P. J.
Secretary, Rev. John D'Arcy.
Assistant Secretary, James Forbes, esq.
Solicitor, Michael M'Namara, esq.

HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS.
Lynch, P. M., Chairman.
Daly, Rev. Peter.
Geoghagan, Colonel.
Burke, E. C.
O'Hara, Captain.
Kyne, Thomas.
O'Flaherty, Bernard.
Martin, James.
Somerville, R. N.
Murray, W. G.
Persse, T. M.
Redington, John.
Hodgson, Henry.
Joyce, Pierce.
Stephens, James.
Campbell, James.
Grealy, Joseph.
O'Flaherty, Anthony.
Foster, Captain Blake.
Morris, George.
Rush, A.
Secretary, Rev. John D'Arcy.
Assistant Secretary, James Forbes, esq.
Solicitors, J. P. Redington, and Michl. M'Namara, esqrs.
Harbour Master, Lawrence Moore, Galway.

CUSTOMS DEPARTMENTS.
Collector, Alexander Thomson, esq.
Chief Clerk, James Whamond.
Examining Officer and Clerk, William H. Hinks.
Examining Officer, Robert Gildea.

INLAND REVENUE OFFICE.
Collector and Receiving Officer, William Ritson, esq.
First Clerk, Mr. William Davy.
Second Clerk, * * *
Supervisor, Mr. Wm. W. Chaster.

INCOME TAX OFFICE.
Crown Surveyor, James A. Shaw, esq.

STAMP OFFICE.
Distributer of Stamps, John Redington, jun., esq.

POST OFFICE.
Postmaster, Bernard Murphy, esq.

LOCAL LAW COURTS.
Record Court—Recorder holds Sessions quarterly, in the Town Court House.
Petty Sessions—The Magistrates hold a court daily.—
Clerk, Mr. Thomas J. Reid.

CONSTABULARY, ETC.
County Inspector for West Riding, Benj. Jackson, esq.
Sub-Inspector, F. Nesbitt Cullen, esq.
Staff Officer of Pensioners, Capt. Henry H. Pratt, unatt.
Barrack-Master, Lieutenant J. Hughes, late 57th Foot.

BANKS.
Branches of the Bank of Ireland, the Provincial Bank, and the National Bank.

NOTARIES PUBLIC.
John Blakeney, esq., and Francis O'Hara, esq.

CONSULS FOR FOREIGN POWERS, ETC.
France, Netterville Blake, esq.
United States of America, S. W. Talbot, esq.
Spain and States of Parma, James Joseph Fynn, esq.
Swedish and Norwegian, John Blakeney, esq.
Agent for Lloyds, Thomas Moore Persse, esq., Galway.
Inspector and Surveyor of Shipping for Lloyds, Henry Townsend, esq.
Licensed to engage Seamen for Merchant Ships, under 8 and 9 Vic., c. 116, Messrs. Evans and Son.

ROYAL GALWAY INSTITUTION.
President, P. M. Lynch, esq., H.C. & T.C.
Vice-Presidents, Very Rev. B. J. Roche, P.P., V.G.; Professor Doherty, M.D.; R. N. Somerville, esq., H.C. & T.C.
Treasurer, James Campbell, esq., H.C. & T.C.
Secretary, Professor Moffett, LL.D.
This institution is governed by a council of twenty-one, including a President, three Vice-Presidents, Secretary, and Treasurer, elected by ballot. General meetings of the institution are held on the first Friday of each month from Nov. to June, inclusive. At these meetings addresses are delivered on literary and scientific subjects.

NEWSPAPERS.
Galway Vindicator—Wednesday and Saturday; J. F. Blake, esq., proprietor.
Galway Express—Saturday.
Galway Press—Wednesday and Saturday.

TOWN GAOL.
The Board of Superintendence meets on the first Monday in every month.
Inspector, James M. Killery, esq.
Governor, James Marshall, esq.
Protestant Chaplain, Rev. John Treanor.
Roman Catholic Chaplain, Rev. Geo. Commins, P.P.
Physician, Andrew J. Veitch, M.D.

GALWAY UNION.
The Board of Guardians meets every Friday.—For List of Officers, &c., see Galway County.

NOTES:-

† Are members of the Board of Superintendence of the County Prison