Campaign to restore Old Dock in Galway

A new campaign is seeking public and political support to restore one of the city’s oldest architectural structures at Long Walk.

The Restore the Old Dock Campaign is looking for the restoration of the Old Dock, also known as ‘Mud Dock’, at Long Walk in Galway Harbour.

The group’s spokesperson, Sam Corbett, says if the dock is preserved and restored, it could become the home of the iconic Naomh Éanna ship, which is being restored.

All elected members of Galway City Council have been contacted by campaigners as they try to raise public awareness about the Old Dock.

The campaign claims that during the 1990s, about one third of the Old Dock was in-filled.

In 2011, a test dig to establish the existence of the original quay walls which lie under the infill discovered all sorts of general waste, building waste and plastics topped by soil and turf.

Restore the Old Dock Campaign, which includes local boat owners and Galway Hooker and Currach makers, want the fill removed so that the full Old Dock wall would be restored and visible. They say the rubbish is surfacing during storms.

The Environmental Protection Agency and City Council, as well as the country’s Foreshore Unit has been made aware of the concerns of the campaign.

“We’re just trying to raise awareness that there is effectively a rubbish dump in the centre of the city, in the port area. What we want is for the rubbish and infill to be removed and for the Old Dock to be restored,” said Mr Corbett.

“The Old Dock is a 17th century dock built to shelter the iconic Galway Hookers waiting for favourable tides to make the passage up to Spanish Arch where they offloaded their wares. The Old Dock also sheltered the Galway fleet from infamous south-westerly storms that, through the centuries, laid waste to the city’s seafarers before Nimmo’s Pier was built.

“We are looking for support for the preservation of the historic foreshore and to promote the restoration of the Old Dock so that it can become the centre of an interactive historic boat port with the iconic Naomh Éanna as a major feature. Local Galway Hookers could also use it once it is restored. The Old Dock is one of the oldest structures in the city, and we think it should be restored.”