Gairdín Comórtha 1916, Swangate, Athenry

Site 2 on The Cradle of the Rising Trail

Gairdín Comórtha 1916, Swangate, Athenry
Photo: Courtesy Dr. Mark McCarthy

Gairdín Comórtha 1916, Swangate, Athenry

This garden was officially opened on Easter Monday, 28 March 2016. It commemorates the centenary
anniversary of the 1916 Rising.

Located at the back of the garden is a bronze bust of Liam Mellows, the leader of County Galway’s Rising. Following his appointment as chief organiser of the Irish Volunteers in County Galway, Mellows moved to Athenry and lived there from 1915–1916. He boarded with the Brodrick family at 2 Church Street (now Old Church Street), but also stayed in a spare room at Frank Hynes’ house on Cross Street.

The bust of Mellows at the back of this garden was first unveiled in April 1966 outside Athenry’s national school. In 1989, it was relocated to the front lawn of the new national school for boys at Knockaunglass. It was moved to its current spot in September 2015, when this garden was under construction.

 

Developed by: Galway County Council, in partnership with the Heritage Research Group at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT).

Bibliography: McCarthy, Mark, Mannion, Marie & Wrynn, Shirley (Eds), Galway County 1916 Rising Heritage Trail: Go Explore the Historic Sites & Memorials (Galway County Council & GMIT, Galway, 2017).

GPS coordinates: Dr Mark McCarthy, GMIT.

Webmaster for digital heritage initiative: Hilary Kiely, GMIT.

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