The History of Galway’s Fisheries Tower

Standing at the edge of Galway city, where the River Corrib meets the wild Atlantic ocean, you'll find Fisheries Tower. It’s a building that you will pass on most journeys through the city, but do you know the intriguing history behind it? Read on to discover it all...

This watchtower-like construction is one of Galway City’s most historic and well-known landmarks, but one which people don't tend to know a lot about. Situated at the end of the Wolfe Tone Bridge as you cross over to Galway's Westend, the quirkily shaped building painted yellow is utterly striking and sets the scene for Galway's beautiful cityscape. The ground floor is built of stone, while the upper sections are made of bricks which once acted as ballast on the cargo ships that arrived into Galway. There is also an ornate stained-glass window which adds to the fishery watchtower's visual charm.

The Galway Fisheries Watchtower opened in 2015 after a long restoration project carried out by the Galway Civic Trust. But let's go way way back to where it all began…

Known as the Fishery Watchtower and also as the Tower Station, the Victorian building dates back as far as 1853. The tower, which was built by the Ashworth family as part of plans to improve the city's fishing infrastructure, is the only building of its kind in all of Ireland!

It was originally planned as a draft netting station; draft netting is a fishing technique which involves stretching a net across the river by attaching one end to the shore and the other to a small boat. As well as this, the building was also used by fishery staff as a watchtower to keep an eye out for illegal fishing activity along the river as well as monitoring fish levels in the water.

After commercial netting was phased out in the ‘70s, it eventually fell into disrepair, became an eye-sore and was at serious risk of destruction until the much needed restoration project was funded. The Galway Fisheries Watchtower Museum has now become a major attraction for Galway tourists and locals alike. It features a small museum and exhibition space, in which you will discover interesting artefacts such as some of the creatures that call the river home (five-year-old elvers and baby salmon amongst other creatures), as well as memorabilia and photographs from Galway’s rich history of river fishing along the River Corrib. Of course, you can also enjoy wonderful views of the River Corrib and The Claddagh, making it the perfect spot for photographers as it is a stunningly unique and picturesque part of Galway... Definitely a must-see when visiting The City of the Tribes!

The people of Galway and visitors to the city can continue to enjoy the charm of this historic building, as Galway Fisheries Watchtower Museum opens Monday to Saturday during summer months. Have you ever visited the museum? Let us know what you thought!