Does Galway exist

As far as I know Galway does get mentions – but I see no harm in promoting a Galway-based thread (like the way Cork has its own thread called ‘Look at de state of Cork, like!’). I think it’ll make for a nice balance – with each relevant city having its own voice. I know many people involved in this forum would have a large interest in the happenings of Galway. Perhaps you can keep us up to date?

Derrick,

Feel free to post away everyone knows Galway and I would be very interested to discuss the issues, I liked Frank McDonalds article a lot.

What do you make of the Outer bypass proposal?

What do you think of the works on Eyre Square?

I was very much shaken by the generally positive tone of that whole series of articles.

A general touch of “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” all round in them, with much of the relatively small amount of criticism devoted to absence of adequate public transport – a fair point but not the central problem in many or most Irish towns and indeed not one at all easy to address. If there are so many one off great works, why is the overall environment so dire then?

In particular, the Waterford one ignored the dire and poorly landscaped housing estates on the Dungarvan road – very reminiscent of the worst features of Tallaght and crying out for a berm, or trees . As this is very close to the Waterford Glass plant, itself no beauty, which is a tourist mecca, it provides a very poor and lasting image of Waterford for many.

Never pass them myself without a shudder.

I agree with DC3 the articles were generally quite positive and I can only assume that all the work in upgrading the site was the reason why Paul didn’t have time to post the article. I would have done it myself except that becasue I don’t have a working mouse at present I can’t cut and paste text, its a pain in the arse a bit like driving from Tuam to Galway because there is no rail connection.

Having left Galway a long time ago I would be delighted if Derrick would keep us all up to date, and if DC3 would do the same for Waterford. There are great things happening outside of Dublin but being Dublin based I tend not to get to many non-Dublin perspectives on them which is not the whole storey.

I hope that An Taisce can talk some sense into Galway County Council and get that destructive outer ring curtailed beyond the Oughterard Road there is only one reason for it to continue and that is to facilitate the further uncontrolled sprawl with more of those dire ‘Irish House Designs’ type bungalows. In future times people will ask how did this generation permit the destruction of Connemara?

…It may have been a ploy to get the ear of the city officials & business interests who think their town is the most wonderful & sustainable place this side of Helsinki, for what’s coming in his new book about the ruination of Ireland – out in the new year I think.

I was at a reading from that book, last week and (based on a short reading and discussion) certaintly the tone of the book appears hugely pessimistic, as I guess you would have to be if you look at the on-going destruction of Ireland. The Irish Times articles surprised me too. I think the ploy to “get the ear of” city officials is unlikely as the book seems to be complete except some tidying and illustrations. Maybe Frank was just in a sunny mood?

Ah, we love Galway as well….but looking at Frank McDonalds articles, I realised that Irelands’ so called cities are really only glorified towns, and that includes Dublin too…….. and it looks as if they’ll remain that way too, with low rise suburban sprawl. New architecture in British cities is far more exciting at the moment….everything new here is generally too mediocre. Are architects, councillors etc… lacking in something here…have I thrown down a gauntlet to be proven wrong? Let’s see a bit of flair then!

Eyre Square should look good too when it’s complete.

Anybody have any photos or plans for the Eyre square redevelopment? I’d love to see what they’re doing with the place..

I was a passionate advocate of the Eyre Square renewal project this time last year but at the moment I’m not so sure that it’s going to be anything like as successful as it should be. Currently the middle of the square is a bombsite and all of the pavements are being torn up and replaced. A fair amount of this work has already been completed and the results, it pains me to say, are pathetic. A silver grey natural aggregate flagstone has been used throughout – a product which can look well in certain scenarios , particularly in low traffic areas and when the textured finish is used. However the smooth version has been used on this occasion and it really is cheap and nasty looking. It also shows up dirt, chewing gum, cigarette butts etc to a great extent and more worryingly the actual workmanship is shocking. Manhole and various utility covers are scattered haphazardly around with as much as 20cm of badly laid concrete (or asphalt in some cases) surrounding them. The flagstones are uneven in places (all the more visible because of the smooth shiny surface) and there is a generally shoddy look to the finish. I am amazed that this is being allowed to happen! A great opportunity is being missed to do something great and what we end up with is completely half assed. Why is it that Cork’s Patrick Street has been surfaced entirely in high quality natural stone, with manholes and utility covers beautifully incorporated whilst Galway has to put up with cheap mock-stone flagstones and non existant detailing?
I’ll try to get a few pics here next week to prove my point. I realize that there is a long way to go before the square remotely resembles a finished product. However the initial signs arent too promising.

i agree bth. it doesn’t look particularily great at the moment but i am an optimist and hopefully it’ll turn out alright. but the disruption and time to do this job is what pains most people here. they have started doing the paving down beside the aib and for some reason have taken a big sweep out of the road. similiar to what they did or are doing outside the boi. it might look nice but pratical, i think not.
there is a lot thankfully in galway to talk about, and more than happy to derrick!
wellpark being the most high profile at the moment. however being a county boy there were plans for athenry for a massive ida estate.. or the by-pass…now, while in favour of it and i don’t want to upset the two an taisce boys, i won’t say much on the subject, and until the consultatioin is over there is no real point either. loughrea by-pass however has started and hopefully it’ll be really quick.
oranmore, is growing up very quickly and i think will join to doughuisce/ merlin park very soon. this is urban sprawl at it’s most ugliest. a damn shame but seeing as we aren’t allowed to build high then there is no other option. and ballinasloe has got a few nice buildings in the last few years and hopefully will contuinue to progress. and finally at last the car park in tuam by the cop station is being developed. i haven’t seen the scheme for it yet but hopefully it will start something in the town as it’s badly needed.