Galvia
Daughter of a noble king,
From a rock fell into the cooling stream.
In the arms of blooming youth,
This young princess was lost,
She vanished in the waters,
At sunrise on Galway Bay,
Leaving her memory immortalised
In the town that bears her name.
In collaboration with Monaghans Galway and the Arts Office, Galway City Council, with guidance from esteemed local historian William Henry, conceptualised by the Monaghans Family, and painted by the talented artist Marcus O’Connor of West Murals, the mural honours Galvia, Galway first Galway Girl
Galway’s First Galway Girl
The Legend of Galvia
Over the centuries, numerous theories have been proposed regarding the origins of the name Galway. One enduring legend involves the tragic story of Galvia, or Gaillimh, a princess from the Firbolg tribe. The Firbolgs, who settled in Ireland after escaping enslavement in Greece, were known for carrying bags of clay to fertilise barren lands, which is how their name evolved: ‘Fir’ meaning man and ‘Bolg’ meaning bag.
Galvia’s father was the great chief Breasail, who created a large settlement around the Galway area, on both sides of the River Corrib and in present-day Claddagh. One morning, while washing clothes by the river, Galvia slipped from a rock and drowned. Her father, heartbroken, launched a tireless search for her, which led him to the mystical island of Hy-Brasil, where he chose to remain.
Historians and folklore agree that the wonderful city of Galway may have taken its name from the ‘River Galvia.’ The seventeenth-century historian Sir James Ware, the Annals of Roscommon, and the 1651 Pictorial Map of Galway all reference Galvia’s connection to the town’s name.
In 1840, a proposal was made to erect a monument commemorating Galvia on the rock where she drowned. Although the project was never completed due to financial constraints and the Great Famine, it highlights the enduring importance of Galvia’s story to the people of Galway.
This Mural:
In collaboration with Monaghans Galway and the Arts Office, Galway City Council, this mural celebrates this local folklore. With guidance from esteemed local historian William Henry, conceptualised by the Monaghans Family, and painted by the talented artist Marcus O’Connor of West Murals, the mural honours Galvia as she holds the fabric of our great city.
An Chéad Chailín na Gaillimhe
An Chéad Chailín na Gaillimhe
Leis na gcéadta bliain, tá go leor teoiricí tagtha chun cinn maidir leis an mbunús atá leis an ainm Gaillimh. Baineann ceann de na finscéalta a d’fhan linn le scéal tubaisteach Ghailbhe, nó Ghaillimh, banphrionsa álainn a bhain leis an treibh, na Fir Bhoilg. Bhí sé de cháil ar na Fir Bhoilg, a chuir fúthu in Éirinn tar éis dóibh éalú ón sclábhaíocht sa Ghréig, go mbíodh málaí cré ar iompar acu le talamh lom a leasú, agus gur uaidh sin a fuair siad a n-ainm: Ciallaíonn ‘Bolg’ mála.
Ba é an taoiseach mór le rá Breasail, a bhunaigh lonnaíocht mhór timpeall cheantar na Gaillimhe, ar an dá thaobh d’Abhainn na Gaillimhe agus san áit a bhfuil an Cladach sa lá atá inniu ann, athair Ghailbhe. Maidin amháin, agus í ag ní éadaí cois na habhann, sciorr Gailbhe de charraig agus bádh í. Níor stop a hathair, a bhí croíbhriste, á cuardach, agus thug a aistear fad leis an oileán misteach Hy-Brasil é, áit ar shocraigh sé fanacht.
Aontaíonn staraithe agus lucht béaloidis go bhféadfadh go bhfuair cathair iontach na Gaillimhe a hainm ó ‘Abhainn Ghailbhe.’ Déanann an staraí Sir James Ware ón seachtú haois déag, Annála Ros Comáin, agus Léarscáil Phictiúrtha na Gaillimhe ón mbliain 1651 tagairt don cheangal a bhí ag Gailbhe le hainm an bhaile.
Sa bhliain 1840, cuireadh moladh chun cinn go dtógfaí leacht in onóir do Ghailbhe ar an gcarraig san áit ar bádh í. Cé nár cuireadh an tionscadal i gcrích riamh mar gheall ar shrianta airgeadais agus an Gorta Mór, tarraingíonn sé aird ar an tábhacht a bhaineann i gcónaí le scéal Ghailbhe do mhuintir na Gaillimhe.
An Múrphictiúr:
Agus é ina comhfhiontar idir Monaghans Galway agus Oifig Ealaíon Chathair na Gaillimhe, déanann an múrphictiúr seo ceiliúradh ar bhéaloideas na háite agus cuireann sé an pobal ar an eolas faoi scéal spreagúil Ghailbhe. Bhí an fiontar faoi stiúir an staraí áitiúil mór le rá William Henry. Is le teaghlach Monaghans an coincheap, agus is é Marcus O’Connor, an t-ealaíontóir cumasach de chuid West Murals, a phéinteáil é. Tugann an múrphictiúr ómós do Ghailbhe agus í ag coinneáil greim ar chreatlach na cathrach móire.
