City’s Crimean War cannons may be on the move again

Two cannons which have been in the city for over 150 years may be moved to a more prominent position.

The Russian cannons – which were presented to the Connaught Rangers, an Irish regiment in the British Army, in 1857 at the end of the Crimean War – were removed from Eyre Square when it was refurbished eight years ago and placed on the front lawn of City Hall in College Road.

It was mooted as a temporary move, but Councillor Niall McNelis said this week that Galway City Council executives had agreed to move them to a more prominent and permanent location elsewhere in the city.

Cllr McNelis said he was delighted that the Council had finally agreed to move the two cannons and welcomed the suggestion that their home might be at the Spanish Arch.

“As they are war booty, it mightn’t be a bad idea for them to be placed at the edge of the water facing out as if they were protecting our city!

“I believe the problem with moving them though is their weight and that a very heavy crane would have to be used and if that was the case, it could damage the paving at the Fishmarket during the move.

“But I am sure that now that it has been agreed to move the cannons to a more visible location in the city, that they will figure out the best way to transport them,” said Cllr McNelis.

The cannons each weigh about two tonnes and had been used in the Crimean War. Afterwards many artillery pieces were presented as trophies to cities and towns in the British Isles in 1857.

When they were in Eyre Square, children played on them and they were a great tourist attraction. Cllr McNelis said that they were lost outside City Hall and should be properly displayed at a location that was appropriate and where tourists could see them.

Another possible location for the cannon guns is at the entrance of the Mutton Island Causeway but Cllr McNelis still thinks a city centre location would be more appropriate.