Description of the town at the time-Trade declines-The merchants petition parliament MAGISTRATES AND CORPORATE OFFICERS, V12. PROVOSTS, PORTREVES, SOVEREIGNS, Page 166 197 APPENDIX. Page I. Deed instituting the College of St. Nicholas, Galway, dated 28th Sept. A. D. 1484 II. Bull or diploma of pope Innocent VIII. establishing the wardenship of Galway, dated the 6th of the Ides of February, A. D. 1484, with a translation III. Charter of queen Elizabeth, dated 14th July, A. D. 1578, with a translation IV. Charter of Edw. VI. founding the College of Galway, dated 29th April, A. D. 1551 V. Articles of Surrender to Cromwell's forces, dated 5th April, A. D. 1652, with a list of the townsmen who signed, and also of those who refused to sign the certificate of assent to the qualifications made by the commissioners of Parliament to the articles VI. An abstract of forfeited lands in the liberties of Galway, A. D. 1657 VII. A survey of the lands and a schedule and valuation of the houses in the town and county of the town of Galway, set out under the Gloucester act, with the names of the old and new proprietors of the houses, and their yearly value, A. D. 1657 VIII. Charter of Charles II. - Three Vignettes, viz. the old Seal of the Corporation-the Collegiate Seal, and a View of ERRATA. Page 5, note, 2d col. line 3, read no doubt...p. 10, observe that from line 5 to 12 is doubtful...note, 1st col. line 13, for Ballyrancain read Mullrancain... THE HISTORY OF GALWAY. PART I. THE ANCIENT STATE OF THE TOWN, AND ITS CIVIL AND MILITARY CHAP. I. The origin and signification of the name of Galway-Opinions of CamdenWare-Lynch-O'Flaherty-De Burgo and Vallancey-The name derived from commerce-Security of the harbour-Supposed origin of the bay-Derivation of its name-Inhabitants of the town before Henry II.-Subsequent colonies, viz. Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'Arcy, Deane, Ffont, Ffrench, Joyes, Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerrett-Affiliated families-Former manners and character-Former state and topography-Speed-Heylyn-Sir Oliver St. John -Ancient map and Ichnography-References-Concluding observations. THE general opinion concerning etymological inquiries seems to be, that they are rather curious than useful; at the same time it stands confessed, that, in many instances, such disquisitions may become material and interesting, particularly should they lead to the establishment or corroboration of historical facts, or tend to illustrate the ancient state of the places under investigation. With these objects in view, an attempt shall here be made to elucidate the origin and signification of the name of Galway, a point which, though often touched upon by many writers, has hitherto been left undecided. A a It is well known that amongst the ancient Irish, all foreigners were indiscriminately termed Galls, hence, arose a supposition, that Galway took its name from a foreign colony alledged to have settled there at an early period. Tradition informs us, that previously to the arrival of Henry II, Galway was but an inconsiderable fishing village, under the protection of an Irish dune or fortress, and that it was then called Ballinshruane, or the town of the little streams; because, when the winter floods were high in the river, the water flowed through the present scite of the town, and formed it into small islands; in one of which, (where the church of St. Nicholas was afterwards built,) this primitive hamlet was situate. We are further informed, from the same source, that when the English settlers afterwards came hither, they were called by the native Irish Clan-na-Gall, the Foreign clan, sept, or colony, (an appellation, which however originating, their descendants still retain,) and that the place was from thenceforth named Ballinagall, or Gallibh, the Foreigners town, or fortification. These traditionary relations, though to many they might appear probable and satisfactory, are not borne out, but seem rather controverted by written authority. In the life of Hugh Ruadh O'Donnell, hereditary prince of Tyrconnell, written by Cucoigeriche O'Clery, one of the four masters, after relating the sacrilegious burning of the convent of St. Bridget, near Galway, in 1599, by that chieftain, the writer adds, "that the city took its name from the river, in which was drowned Gaillimh, the daughter of Breasail." This derivation receives support from the old map of Galway, (of which a full description will be found in another part of this volume;) it is there stated, that a woman, named Galva, was drowned, near a great rock, in the river, (which is delineated on the map,) and that from this circumstance the town originally took its name. Other antiquaries have, however, given significations widely different. Camden is of opinion that Galway was derived from the Gallaeci of Spain, a country with which the town carried on a very early and extensive commerce. Ware, a much better authority, so far as relates to Ireland, says, that the river Galvia, or Galiva, mentioned in the annals of Roscommon, under the years 1177 and 1190, seems to have given name to the town; but he leaves it to others to discover its meaning. Geoffry Lynch Fitz-Dominick, a native of Galway, in his MS. "remarks drawn from antiquity," and written in 1661, с "And lastly the Gauls, pouring out of Gallia itself, from all the sea coast of Belgia and Celtica, into all the southern coasts of Ireland, which they possessed and inhabited, whereupon it is, at this day, amongst the Irish, a common use to call any stranger inhabitant Gald, that is, descended from the Gauls."-Spencer. Thus Dunagall, the fortress of the Gauls; Dubh-Gall, black foreigners; Fingall, near Dublin, so named from the Danes, or white foreigners, who were generally fair or red haired; Gall-Ogla signifies an English yeoman, |