1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:10,520 In 1840, one man transformed travel in Britain and Ireland. 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,160 His name was George Bradshaw 3 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,120 and his railway guides inspired the Victorians to take to the tracks. 4 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,280 Stop by stop he told them where to travel, 5 00:00:21,280 --> 00:00:23,240 what to see and where to stay. 6 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:30,440 Now, 170 years later, I'm making a series of journeys across the length 7 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:34,320 and breadth of these islands to see what of Bradshaw's world remains. 8 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,200 With a somewhat heavy heart, I'm now reaching the end of my rail 9 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,480 journeys through the Republic of Ireland. 10 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,040 My Bradshaw's guide has helped me to understand the 11 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:06,440 engineering, social and political changes of the 19th century, 12 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:07,640 as parts of Ireland became 13 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,640 increasingly restless under British rule. 14 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,720 'On this leg, I'll discover historic Irish jewellery 15 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:16,320 'with royal connections.' 16 00:01:16,320 --> 00:01:18,320 I'm ready for my patient. 17 00:01:18,320 --> 00:01:20,480 'Meet an ancient people's king.' 18 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,720 Congratulations, your Majesty. Thank you. 19 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,360 Happy and glorious, long to reign over us. 20 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,720 Oh, thank you, thank you. 21 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,120 'And get to grips with some aural history.' 22 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:36,520 # My own native land, far away. # 23 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,560 Using my Bradshaw's guide, I've followed tracks which opened up the 24 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:50,080 rich resources of the southern parts of Ireland to tourists and trade. 25 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,080 I've travelled north to look at Ireland's 26 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,360 heart in the 19th century, and I'm now turning west. 27 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,000 Today's leg begins in Athlone, County Westmeath, 28 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:04,440 heads west to Ballinasloe, and ends in the picturesque port city 29 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:05,920 and county town, Galway. 30 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:11,960 I'm travelling on what, in Victorian times, 31 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,080 was the great Southern & Western Railway, 32 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:16,680 one of two lines to serve my next stop, Athlone. 33 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:19,320 My Bradshaw's tells me, 34 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,640 "The Shannon river issues from Loch Ri, a little north 35 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:25,920 "of the town, the navigation of which has been improved by a canal 36 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:31,120 "from the lake, and a handsome stone bridge made in 1844." 37 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,760 The early Victorian engineers had clearly been busy, 38 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,680 and I shall be interested to see what's left of their work. 39 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:43,320 For centuries, the River Shannon, has influenced the military, 40 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,800 social and economic history of Ireland. 41 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,920 It flows north to south, splitting the country 42 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:51,320 east to west through 13 counties. 43 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,880 It's the longest river in all of Ireland and Britain. 44 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,680 It begins in County Cavan, and stretches 242 miles 45 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:04,000 down to the Atlantic Ocean via its estuary at Limerick. 46 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,840 The Shannon should have always been a major trading route, but wasn't. 47 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,560 However, in the 1840s Irish civil engineer Thomas Rhodes began 48 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:17,200 a £100,000 project in Athlone, the capital of the Irish Midlands, 49 00:03:17,200 --> 00:03:18,800 to transform the river. 50 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,120 With a scheme which, in size and ambition, rivalled many in England 51 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:27,360 and included a new bridge, a dam, weirs and locks, 52 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:29,440 Thomas Rhodes made the river navigable 53 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,000 through the town's shallows. 54 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,080 Local historian, Dr Harman Murtagh knows more. 55 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,720 Good to see you. And you're very welcome to Athlone, Michael. 56 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:39,520 Thank you. Which way to begin the tour? 57 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,400 We just go up to the bridge, up this direction. 58 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:47,440 In purely engineering terms, how would you rate what Rhodes did? 59 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,320 The building of the weir, the building of the bridge. 60 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:52,080 Well, it was a magnificent achievement. 61 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:57,160 His waterworks, if I may call it that, are working still today. 62 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:01,000 He built them in the 1840s. Here we are in 2012. 63 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,720 There have been a few modifications, his swing bridge, he had 64 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:08,800 a swing arch in the bridge, that's been replaced by a concrete span. 65 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:13,040 The lock has been mechanised, although only in very recent times. 66 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:15,800 But otherwise, his waterworks work splendidly. 67 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:17,720 He was a magnificent engineer. 68 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,160 I have a feeling that I will understand better how all 69 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,200 this works if we were to take to the water. Is that possible? 70 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,360 It is possible, and it would be a very good idea to get a good 71 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:28,240 view of Rhodes's achievement. 72 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:38,840 What is it that I'm seeing here? 73 00:04:38,840 --> 00:04:41,800 Well, you're seeing what we call the weir in Athlone, 74 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:46,080 the function of which is to lift the water level in the town 75 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,280 and allow for navigation through the town. 76 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:51,440 It's penetrated by sluice gates there, 77 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:54,880 which give some control on the mighty River Shannon, 78 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:59,280 although it's rather an uncontrollable beast at times. 79 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:02,840 And then boats can navigate through the dam or through the weir, 80 00:05:02,840 --> 00:05:06,440 by means of the lock that's here on the left. 81 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,520 And that's a pretty big structure, the lock. 82 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:12,600 It's actually a massive structure, all in cut limestone, which is 83 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,240 the indigenous stone of this region, and the bottom of the lock is 84 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:20,600 shaped rather like the bottom of a boat, up to and including the 85 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,840 keel, which is cut into the stone as a drain down the centre of the lock. 86 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:28,520 And am I right in thinking that these limestone quays 87 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:30,560 are also part of these Victorian works? 88 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,880 Indeed they are, the banks would just be blue muck, 89 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:37,040 if it were not for the fact that Rhodes, 90 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:43,040 again using the indigenous limestone, built these magnificent quays. 91 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,280 They give the centre of Athlone its sort of classic appearance 92 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:48,320 and make the river side, you know, neat, 93 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,040 and a good place to tie up boats. 94 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,840 Back to Athlone station to continue my journey, along a line 95 00:06:09,840 --> 00:06:13,240 opened in 1851 by the Midland Great Western Railway, 96 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,600 which became the primary route linking Ireland's capital, 97 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,000 Dublin, to my ultimate destination, Galway. 98 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:21,640 Which I've heard has 99 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,640 something of a reputation as a party town. 100 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:29,560 You look as if you're having fun. Is it a birthday or...? A hen party. 101 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:33,120 A hen party. A hen party? Who's the bride? None of you? None of us. 102 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,960 What fun. Where are you going? Galway. 103 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,280 And what you going to do there? Just go out for dinner, 104 00:06:38,280 --> 00:06:39,520 meet some more friends. 105 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,560 Yeah? And what are you drinking at this stage? 106 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,000 Just some sparkling wine. Ah, lovely. 107 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,480 Hi, guys? How are you doing? I'm doing very well. 108 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:51,920 What is this? A wedding? Are you going to a wedding? 109 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:53,320 What is it? 110 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,600 We're heading off for a 60th birthday party. I swear to God. 111 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:59,840 Are you heading for Galway? Galway, yes. 112 00:06:59,840 --> 00:07:01,680 Why does everyone party in Galway? 113 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:04,080 It's the best place to party. It's a good old spot. 114 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:06,120 Good craic, is it? That's it. Well, enjoy. 115 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:16,160 My next stop will be Ballinasloe, which Bradshaw's tells me is, 116 00:07:16,160 --> 00:07:19,440 "On the borders of the county of Roscommon and Galway, 117 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,760 "and noted for its great sheep, cattle, and horse fair, 118 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:26,240 "which is held in October, and lasts for five days. 119 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:31,920 "60,000 sheep and 6,000 head of cattle are sold at these times." 120 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,160 And it's the consequences of this agrarian society in the 19th 121 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:40,040 century which I'd like to look at when I get off at Ballinasloe. 122 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,160 Victorian Ballinasloe is famous for two things, 123 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,600 its annual horse fair and for laying the seeds for Irish land reform. 124 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:58,360 A small elite of landowners rented to small holders but some often 125 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:02,160 evicted their tenant farmers with little or no financial compensation. 126 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:06,000 Seen as symptomatic of British rule, 127 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,360 the perceived injustices suffered by tenant farmers fuelled 128 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:12,720 burgeoning Irish nationalism and land reform movements. 129 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:17,720 I'm hoping that Dr Brian Casey, a local historian, can tell me 130 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,680 about Matt Harris who started such a movement here in Ballinasloe. 131 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,960 So what is the nature of the agitation for land reform? 132 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:29,480 In 1876, we see 133 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:32,400 the birth of the Ballinasloe Tenant Defence Association. 134 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,920 Matt Harris was a founder of that. It was about land reform. 135 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,960 Legislation needed to be brought in by the British Government 136 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:41,600 to strengthen, I suppose, the rights of farmers. 137 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,040 People like Harris would have got up and given speeches about the problems 138 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:47,920 with the land system in Ireland and how it had to be overthrown. 139 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:49,800 He had a great rhetorical zeal. 140 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,200 He was able to excite the crowd to the extent that 141 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,200 they got very impassioned and lively about it. 142 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:57,600 Stonemason Matt Harris, 143 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,280 who grew up on a small farm near Ballinasloe, formed the Tenant 144 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,360 Defence Association to fight what he described as the "land grabbers". 145 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,440 His radical politics caused him to be incarcerated 146 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:12,960 at Her Majesty's pleasure, and then won him 147 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:15,760 election to Westminster as MP for Galway East. 148 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:20,560 So Matt Harris lies buried in the town where 149 00:09:20,560 --> 00:09:22,840 he founded the Tenants Defence Association. 150 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:25,360 Yes, Harris died in 1890 from stomach cancer. 151 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,520 He was in bad health for the last decade of his life. 152 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:30,720 The man died in poverty also. 153 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,360 He died in 1890, 154 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,200 and there was a testimonial before his death to help his family. 155 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,240 Even his political foes respected him. 156 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,480 One in particular made a substantial contribution 157 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,160 of about £10 to his last testimonial, because he admired his beliefs, 158 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:47,600 his sincerity, and the cause that he thought was right. 159 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:50,560 What is Matt Harris's place in Irish history? 160 00:09:50,560 --> 00:09:53,480 Matt Harris played a very important role in Irish history. 161 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,520 7,000 landlords sold their estates to 600,000 tenant farmers 162 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:58,960 by the turn of the 20th century. 163 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:03,040 Now, without Matt Harris, this probably would not have happened. 164 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:06,280 As I leave Matt Harris's resting place, I'm reminded that 165 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:10,840 political change often requires spirited grassroots agitation 166 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,200 before the cause is accepted by Parliament as irresistible. 167 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,240 Ireland's world famous pubs have been providing food, 168 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,120 drink and hospitality to travellers and locals alike 169 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:24,360 since Norman times. 170 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:32,720 And that tradition continued during the 19th century. 171 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,600 Along with the church, the pub is a focal hub of Ireland's communities. 172 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,400 Matt Harris and the other heroes of the Troubles 173 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,080 and the Struggles are quite likely to be remembered 174 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:46,440 whenever two or three Irish people gather together over a pint of 175 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:50,360 the black stuff and, very probably, they'll be recalled in song. 176 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:00,560 'I'm meeting Johnny Johnston and his traditional Irish singing group.' 177 00:11:00,560 --> 00:11:02,960 Hello. Welcome to the Dunlo Tavern, Michael. 178 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,000 Ah, thank you very much. Good man. 179 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:08,320 So what do you call these sing-songs that you do, these get-togethers? 180 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:12,120 This is a good, traditional Irish session. 181 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,320 And you get your mixture of your songs and your music. 182 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,480 What's the inspiration of the songs? 183 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,640 The inspiration comes from the people, and it comes from... 184 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:23,480 It's a social history. 185 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:25,760 The politics is in the books, 186 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:29,200 but the history of the people is in the song. 187 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,160 It's the history of east Galway people. 188 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:33,960 These are songs that are passed down from father to son, 189 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:35,400 and mother to daughter? 190 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:38,440 Absolutely, it was an oral tradition. Yes. 191 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:42,200 So it came down through folklore, singing sessions, kept alive. 192 00:11:42,200 --> 00:11:46,040 Rather than keep them in the folklore commission offices, 193 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,680 we like to keep them vibrant and alive. 194 00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:51,680 I've been talking today about Matt Harris, about the issue 195 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:55,080 of land reform and so on. Do you have any songs from that era? 196 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,280 We have, yes. Plenty of them, plenty of them. 197 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,480 Matt Harris, of course, was our local hero. 198 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:05,520 Wonderful individual of his time, and a leader, and there was a song 199 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,520 about a land issue that occurred 200 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,600 some miles down the road about a man called Murty Hynes. 201 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,720 Matt Harris, he gave a speech locally, 202 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,400 denouncing what Murty Hynes had done, 203 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:22,840 taking the land from somebody who had been evicted from it. 204 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:27,160 TD Sullivan, a prolific writer at the time, penned the song. 205 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,360 And it seemed like a simple song, but it caught 206 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,320 the imagination of the nation, 207 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,320 and it was sung across the country in the 1880s. 208 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,640 You've rediscovered it, and you've resurrected it? Absolutely, yeah. 209 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,640 Would you like to hear it? I certainly would. 210 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:42,680 OK, let's have it. Murty Hynes. 211 00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:47,760 # Come all true sons of Erin 212 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:51,120 # I hope you will draw near 213 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:58,880 # It's a true and new narration I mean to let you hear 214 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:06,440 # It's for your education I pen these simple lines 215 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:11,640 # Concerning of the Land League 216 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:15,000 # Likewise of Murty Hynes. # 217 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:18,240 APPLAUSE 218 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,240 That's Murty. 219 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:26,760 You've tugged at the heartstrings, 220 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,240 and you've got people quite emotional now. 221 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:31,240 But what about something a bit more cheerful? 222 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,480 Well, the theme might be a little the same, 223 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:34,880 but there's a good tempo in it. 224 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,720 It'll be lively, OK? Great chorus. 225 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,160 Will you join us? You won't thank me if I do, but go on. 226 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,360 # With the setting of the sun 227 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,960 # When my long day's work was done 228 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:55,800 # I went out along the seashore for a walk 229 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,440 # Oh, when I been all alone 230 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,920 # I sat down upon a stone 231 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:07,400 # For to gaze on the scenes of New York 232 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:13,680 # Oh Erin gra mo chroi You're the dear old land to me 233 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:19,200 # You're the fairest that my eyes have ever seen 234 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:24,240 # And if ever I go home It's from you I never will roam 235 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:32,560 # My own native land far away. # 236 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,400 APPLAUSE 237 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,840 It's a good thing that we can drown our sorrows, isn't it? 238 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:43,480 There we are. All our wars were merry 239 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:45,720 and all our songs were sad, isn't that what they said? 240 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:46,840 Indeed, indeed. 241 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:49,800 What a lovely session, and I think this would be a nice place 242 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,920 for me to just while away a few hours. 243 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:54,960 Well done, enjoy the rest of it, 244 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,840 and you could be in a lock-in tonight here, y'know. 245 00:14:57,840 --> 00:14:59,800 THEY LAUGH 246 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:01,440 Happy imprisonment! 247 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,480 Well done, well done. We'll look after you, Michael, great to see you. 248 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:10,080 With a long day in store tomorrow, I'll not stay for the lock-in 249 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:14,600 but it would seem churlish to refuse at least one more pint of the black stuff. 250 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,280 Rested and enthusiastic for the day ahead, 251 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,600 I'm on the final leg of my Irish adventure. 252 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,320 I'm now arriving at my last port of call in the Irish Republic - 253 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,760 Galway, which Bradshaw's tells me is a parliamentary borough, 254 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,240 sending two MPs to Westminster. 255 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,080 "A port in the west of Ireland, at the head of a fine bay." 256 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,480 When the railway station was inaugurated here 257 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,520 in August 1851, it opened the town to tourism. 258 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,240 And that trend has been reinforced recently, 259 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:08,240 with conferences, festivals and yacht races. 260 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:14,760 In 1124, the O'Connor clan built a fort 261 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,200 near the mouth of the Galway River. 262 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,960 A century later the Anglo-Normans invaded and built their own castle 263 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,440 and walls to protect the settlement that would become Galway. 264 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,200 Medieval Galway was a centre of trade. 265 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,280 Ships carried cargoes of fish, wool and leather 266 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:39,320 as far away as France and Spain, bringing back fruit, oil and wine. 267 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,680 End of the line, for the train and for me. 268 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:53,760 Now, Galway is one of Europe's fastest-growing cities, 269 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:58,600 with a reputation as a charming, must-see tourist destination. 270 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,320 'But my first task is to find out how the coming of the railways 271 00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:08,080 'impacted on Galway's popularity, from archaeologist Michael Gibbons.' 272 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:09,840 Michael! Good to see you. 273 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,320 When the railway comes here in 1851, if I've got it right, 274 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,600 what does that do to tourism? 275 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:24,440 Well, it kickstarts massive, because now we have a whole new market. 276 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:28,360 We have a growing Victorian power, the Victorian pound, if you like, 277 00:17:28,360 --> 00:17:29,920 and you have adventure tourism. 278 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:31,720 People are coming hunting and shooting, 279 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:34,800 and of course the carp here is absolutely fantastic fishing. 280 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:39,240 My Bradshaw's tells me that you could take a steamer to Cong, 281 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:40,880 where would you go from and to? 282 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,160 We're right on here, we're at the wood quay. 283 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:47,160 The old medieval harbour re-done in the 19th century to cater for 284 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:51,640 the new steamers that met the train to steam up the lake which is, 285 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:53,680 from here to Cong, about 26 miles. 286 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,960 Wonderful journey, moving in and out through different landscapes. 287 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,400 Mountains to the north of you and to the west. 288 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,800 Bogs covered the lake edge, 289 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,680 and then festooned with beautiful glacial islands, all the way up. 290 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:09,280 And studded with medieval castles as you progress north-westwards. 291 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:10,360 Wonderful journey. 292 00:18:10,360 --> 00:18:13,960 Pushing my way through the throngs of revellers here today, 293 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:16,240 I get the impression that Galway has reinvented itself 294 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:17,480 in the 21st century. 295 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:20,760 It has, it's reinvented as a heartbeat of modern Gaelic, 296 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:26,000 hip, Irish, trendy culture, but still hugely welcoming city nonetheless. 297 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,040 Well, I hope that it welcomes those that are neither trendy nor hip! 298 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:43,160 Hello! Are you visiting Galway today? We are, thank you, yes. 299 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:47,400 Is Galway a place that attracts people? Oh, yes. Wonderful city. 300 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,320 Why? 301 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:53,440 It's got everything, it's a village city. 302 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:57,640 You've go the university, you've literally got everything, 303 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:59,680 it's the gateway to the West. Fabulous. 304 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:02,640 You don't ever feel intimidated here, 305 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:07,920 the atmosphere is very congenial, very easy. 306 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,160 It has a reputation for being young and vibrant, even a bit hip. 307 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,280 That's why we're here! 308 00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:16,160 Basically, it's a university town. 309 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,560 You've got all the kids here, you've got the music, 310 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,640 you've got the vibe, there's always a buzz in the city. 311 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:24,040 It's fantastic, it's a nice place to walk around. 312 00:19:24,040 --> 00:19:25,840 What's the best thing to do here? 313 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,760 I like chilling out round the restaurants, the bars, 314 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:32,320 taking it all in, watching people - you meet people from all over the world in Galway. 315 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,400 You've got a very lovely city - tell me why people why people should come and visit Galway. 316 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,720 Oh, it doesn't matter, even in the rain, we're all having fun. 317 00:19:42,720 --> 00:19:46,920 There's a special atmosphere, there's the creative, 318 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:51,520 there's the university, there's the sea, we have everything here. 319 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:55,160 And tell me about the sea, why does that matter in Galway? 320 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,600 The sea is huge. Anybody reared beside the sea 321 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,640 loves to have the sea nearby, but in the past 322 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:02,560 the sea was a means of income, 323 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,800 it was a means of us having beautiful fresh fish, 324 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:09,600 now we look to the sea and waterways as a means of entertainment. 325 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,640 It's been a great pleasure to meet you. I'm delighted. 326 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:17,920 'Galway is even more attractive to visitors now than in Bradshaw's day 327 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:23,360 'but in the 19th century tourism was certainly not the city's main source of livelihood.' 328 00:20:23,360 --> 00:20:27,040 Bradshaw's tells me that the Claddagh is a suburb where the fishermen 329 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,600 and their families live exclusively, their market being close 330 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:35,320 to an old tower and gate, and I think I'm in the right part of Galway to discover more 331 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:39,160 about this fascinating and proud local people. 332 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,480 One of the oldest fishing villages in Ireland, 333 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,560 the Claddagh lay on Galway Bay's water's edge. 334 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:50,680 Its people lived in harsh conditions, 335 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:55,320 in whitewashed thatched cottages, and fished the surrounding waters 336 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:56,440 in "hooker" boats. 337 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,560 The Claddagh may not now be broadly famed for fishing, 338 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,360 but a traditional Irish ring that bears their name 339 00:21:03,360 --> 00:21:05,840 is known far and wide. 340 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:10,680 I'm told that jeweller and curator Jonathan Margetts is a local expert. 341 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:13,240 Well, Michael, welcome to the Claddagh Ring Museum 342 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,160 or if you like to call it, the Claddagh Museum. 343 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:16,480 What are the Claddagh? 344 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:19,040 Well, it is a very separate part of Galway. 345 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:23,120 They think the Claddagh village existed long before Galway was ever built 346 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:26,560 and consequently these people are very proud of the fact that they are Claddagh 347 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:29,880 and they wouldn't be long in telling you, if you asked them where they came from, 348 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:32,080 they'd say Galway, but from the Claddagh in Galway. 349 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:33,680 What are they wearing here? 350 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:35,880 They're wearing what's known as a Claddagh shawl, 351 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,760 these were usually brown with a pattern in them. 352 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:43,400 You'll see here in the foreground, this lady is wearing a black one, 353 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:47,080 this was usually worn by women whose husbands had died at sea, 354 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:48,880 for whatever reason, old age or whatever. 355 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,080 They tended to wear the black shawl 356 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:54,520 for the rest of their lives after their husband had died. 357 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:57,760 So any lady you see here with a patterned shawl, 358 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,360 their husbands would still be alive. 359 00:22:01,360 --> 00:22:04,320 And this, I take it, is then how they lived? 360 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,800 Yes, you can see here the cottages were very small, all thatched, 361 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:13,440 and of course, the problem was no running water, no electricity, 362 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:15,520 no sanitary facilities at all, 363 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,240 but you'll also notice that the cottages are pretty well-kept, 364 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:22,480 they were all whitewashed and well maintained, so these people were very proud. 365 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:25,640 Even the conditions at the time, they were proud of that. 366 00:22:28,920 --> 00:22:31,960 The Claddagh's cottages were demolished in the 1930s 367 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,000 and the people rehoused, 368 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,400 but the 300-year tradition of the Claddagh Ring lives on. 369 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,360 Now, what is the connection between the Claddagh and the ring? 370 00:22:43,360 --> 00:22:46,800 The ring was predominantly worn by people from the Claddagh, 371 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,040 to a certain extent it was a large investment on their behalf. 372 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,480 People that weren't very wealthy at all, 373 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:57,320 they would put the money into one of the Claddagh rings, as such. 374 00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:59,160 It was almost like money in the bank. 375 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,720 They knew at any stage, it was on their finger, it was secure 376 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,960 and if push came to shove, they could always sell the ring 377 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:07,880 and get their money back, as such. 378 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,160 What did the ring portray, normally? 379 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:14,840 The ring itself is two hands holding a cart, topped by a mitred crown 380 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:19,160 on the top. The motto of the ring itself is "Let love and friendship reign between these two people". 381 00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:23,960 Legend has it that the Claddagh Ring was brought to Ireland in the 1700s 382 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:28,400 by fisherman Richard Joyce, who was captured at sea by pirates 383 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,480 and sold into slavery to a rich Moorish goldsmith 384 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:34,440 who trained him in his craft. 385 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,560 Pining for the girl he had left behind in Ireland, 386 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:41,200 he fashioned the first Claddagh Ring for his far-off love. 387 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,520 On his eventual return, Joyce's sweetheart had waited for him, 388 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:50,200 and, cementing the romance of the ring, they were soon married. 389 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,320 I see from your display cabinet that the Claddagh Ring has been presented 390 00:23:53,320 --> 00:23:54,840 to some very eminent people. 391 00:23:54,840 --> 00:23:59,320 That's right, we've given rings to John Wayne and Queen Victoria, actually. 392 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:01,960 I heard that she had also been given a Claddagh shawl, 393 00:24:01,960 --> 00:24:05,160 I'm guessing that this would have been during her visit of 1861. 394 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:06,400 I think so. 395 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,720 So could I see a ring close up, please? You certainly can, 396 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,920 if you'd like to follow me to my workbench, 397 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:13,520 I'd be delighted to show you. 398 00:24:15,360 --> 00:24:16,280 Just sit here. 399 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,080 I'm ready for my patient! 400 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:25,520 This is one of the rings that's just come out of the mould 401 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:27,520 and you can see what's remaining of the sprue, 402 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,360 now that obviously has to come off 403 00:24:30,360 --> 00:24:33,640 because you couldn't sell it like that, so for that we use this file, 404 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,520 just rub forward - always forward, never back. 405 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,920 Go on, put some muscle into it. That's good, you're getting there. 406 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:42,880 And you think I have an easy living! 407 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:44,280 THEY LAUGH 408 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:49,680 So, that is looking much better but it will still need a polish, 409 00:24:49,680 --> 00:24:52,320 I suppose. Yes, when you finally polish the ring, 410 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:57,160 what you get is the finished result which is really... 411 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:58,800 That is something else, isn't it? 412 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,440 Each ring is individual and people love them. 413 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,640 I'll bet Queen Victoria loved hers 414 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:06,640 and I bet it's still somewhere in the Buckingham Palace museum. 415 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:08,880 I think it's in the royal collection, as far as I know. 416 00:25:20,360 --> 00:25:24,200 Bradshaw's tells me that the Claddagh are peaceable and clean, 417 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:25,360 but superstitious, 418 00:25:25,360 --> 00:25:28,920 never going out to fish nor allowing others to go out 419 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:33,480 except on lucky days, and are governed by their own laws and customs 420 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,200 under a king or admiral, chosen annually. 421 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:42,280 Today must be an auspicious day, for a king approaches across the water. 422 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:48,360 Although the inclement west of Ireland weather is having its say, 423 00:25:48,360 --> 00:25:50,320 this is a big day for the Claddagh. 424 00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,960 Bless this boat and may Almighty God bless you. 425 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:59,720 Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Go in peace. Now go and catch something. 426 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:04,560 'The Claddagh are launching a traditional hooker fishing boat, 427 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,320 'the first to be built in Galway since 1922, 428 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:12,480 'and it's brought King of the Claddagh Michael Lynskey to the quayside.' 429 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:13,960 How did you become king? 430 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:19,240 Goes back hundreds of years, really, and lately it's been left dormant, 431 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,520 there's been no king at all, 432 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,040 so the Claddagh community - committee - decided 433 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,600 to bring back the old title again. 434 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,440 So they had an election down at the Claddagh hall and myself and another guy went in for it 435 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,760 and I got the most votes. Congratulations! 436 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,960 I've been following a guidebook which tells me that the Claddagh 437 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:43,400 are superstitious people who have to think carefully about which days 438 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:44,720 they go out fishing. 439 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:49,160 Yes, for instance, they'd never fish on a Friday. 440 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:53,880 They were suspicious, for instance, no women on board a Claddagh boat 441 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:59,240 whatsoever, or no animal either. They wouldn't have dogs or cats - 442 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:00,720 strictly men only. 443 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:05,360 How important is it that this hooker has been built here in Galway? 444 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:08,240 Oh, very important - I think it's going to bring back 445 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,360 an interest in the youth of the Claddagh. 446 00:27:10,360 --> 00:27:14,320 Young lads will want to go sailing again because the sailing was gone 447 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:18,160 from the Claddagh, because all the boats were sold 448 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:19,760 so there was nothing to sail anyhow. 449 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,200 Congratulations, Your Majesty - 450 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,160 happy and glorious, long to reign over us! 451 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,000 Thank you! 452 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:27,960 Bye-bye, now. 453 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:48,200 From Killarney to Galway, this has been a rural journey. 454 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:53,200 The railways were laid across Ireland at the time of the Famine 455 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:57,560 and that hunger helps to explain why the United Kingdom of Great Britain 456 00:27:57,560 --> 00:28:02,240 and Ireland, detailed in my Bradshaw's, no longer exists. 457 00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:06,880 Today, Ireland has moved on from 150 years of conflict. 458 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:09,120 That's confirmed by the welcome 459 00:28:09,120 --> 00:28:11,960 that the Irish give to their British visitors. 460 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:15,840 You'll never receive a warmer one. 461 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,800 Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd