Galway City Council is bringing the city’s architectural heritage into the spotlight this April, with a new initiative showcasing buildings from Galway’s ‘Record of Protected Structures’ on 15 high profile road signs coming into the city. Among the heritage-rich treasures on show are Nora Barnacle’s Cottage, Nuns Island Theatre, the Former Fever Hospital on Earls Island, and ‘Una Michael’s Cottage’. Inspired by the Architectural Conservation Section’s “Building of the Month” social media series, the campaign highlights some of the most distinctive, historically significant, and culturally meaningful buildings in Galway.
Throughout April, motorists entering Galway will see a curated selection of Protected Structures representing the diversity of the city’s built heritage. The aim of the initiative is to foster awareness and appreciation of Galway’s Record of Protected Structures - a list of the 618 Protected Structures within the city. A Protected Structure is a structure which the city council considers is of special architectural, historical, archaeological, artistic, cultural, scientific, social or technical interest.
Speaking about the campaign, Michael Scott, Executive Architectural Conservation Officer, Galway City Council, said, “The buildings on our Record of Protected Structures capture the spirit of Galway. From modest cottages to landmark public buildings, each one contributes to the city’s unique character. By showcasing these structures on our approach signs, we hope to encourage curiosity about the built heritage that surrounds us and underlines the importance of its protection for future generations.”
This project brings heritage directly into the daily journey of thousands of people entering the city, celebrating Galway’s architectural legacy in an accessible and visible way.
More information on the Record of Protected Structures and monthly features can be found on Galway City Council’s website at www.GalwayCity.ie and through the Galway City Council Architectural Conservation Section’s social media accounts.
Some of the buildings that will be featured on the signs are
- Seanospidéal Fiabhrais / Oileán an Iarla / Former Fever Hospital / Earl’s Island – Built circa 1822, the fever hospital was a critical piece of public health infrastructure that operated throughout the 19th century. This period was a difficult time for Galway's poor who were suffering from the impact of recurring famine, which exacerbated cases of disease such as typhus, typhoid, and cholera. The small plan footprint allowed for good natural ventilation, with the windows placed high (touching the eaves) allowing for maximum use of wall space for beds. Anecdotally, it is said that the internal wall corners were curved to ensure effective cleaning and disinfection.
- Teach an Mhuilinn / 23 Sráid an Mhuilinn / Mill Building / 23 Mill Street - The building was constructed in the early part of the 19th century, which at that time was the bustling heart of Galway's industrial area, located between the gentle sweep of the main Eglington Canal and the mighty River Corrib. Built as a flour mill, it is essentially a bridge across three mill races, and was originally part of a larger complex. The building's finely crafted stonework stands as a testament to the skills of 19th century stonemasons,
- Uimhir 2 / Sráid Thobar an Iarla / Number 2 / Flood Street – sitting with a quiet heftiness on the corner of Flood Street and Spanish Parade for over 400 years, it is one of the best surviving late medieval houses in Galway City. Dating from circa 1600, and visible on the famous Pictorial Map of Galway City from 1651, it has all the hallmarks of a medieval building with its pointed arch doorway, steeply pitched roof, battered base (widening out at the bottom of the walls), irregular windows, and a much altered, but elegant, slender, twin light ogee headed window. This window, the arched doorway, and the well built masonry walls capture the quality of stone craft which would have been widespread in even modest buildings in the city, with much still in existance today, and some perhaps hidden by later additions and cement render.
- Tí Úna Mhicheál / Mionloch / Una Michael’s Cottage / Menlo - Probably one of the smallest thatched dwellings in Ireland, this modest home, built circa 1800, is a striking reminder of the Galway city’s vernacular tradition. Boasting just three windows, two rooms, and a single entrance door, it captures the simplicity and economy of construction typical of rural domestic architecture. The thick, low walls, crafted from locally sourced materials, reflect both practical building methods and the ingenuity of vernacular buildings. The cottage’s unusually small window openings preserve the original proportions common to early vernacular dwellings. Unlike many similar cottages that were later modernized with larger window openings, this building retains its authentic scale and intimate character. Set along a roadside, its compact form and thatched roof lend a picturesque charm that speaks of an era when such cottages were an integral part of the landscape. With thatched buildings becoming increasingly rare across the country, the survival of this exceptionally small and well-preserved example adds considerably to its historical and architectural value. It stands as a tangible link to Ireland’s rural past and a poignant testament to the endurance of vernacular craftsmanship.
The Record of Protected Structures is available for inspection at City Hall or on the City Council’s website at www.GalwayCity.ie
An inventory and external photograph of each protected structure is available on the City Council’s Online Planning Enquiry System.