New Galway City artisan market gets off to a roaring start

From this week’s Galway City Tribune – A group of Galway businesswomen are hoping a phenomenal start to their first social enterprise market will morph into a permanent fixture on the weekend calendar.

Umbrella Eile, or Another Umbrella, is that holy grail of markets in a city where rain is the bane of everyone’s existence for most of the year – it features both indoor and outdoor space at Galway Rowing Club in Woodquay.

A double whammy is that it may well boast the most spectacular water views of any market in the world.

It all began when a group of businesswomen decided to meet in 2019 over coffee to discuss a common goal – to set up an artisan market. They vowed that it should operate like a cooperative or social enterprise where members will volunteer to share skills and take ownership of the organisation running it.

But where do you get a premises in Galway that would take you away from the elements but be near footfall and not cost the earth in rent?

Co-founder Ger Warren said they combed the streets of the city but nothing ticked all the boxes. That was until deep in lockdown while walking around Woodquay, one of her favourite places to hang out during the pandemic because it was never too packed, she spied the Galway Rowing Club.

“We already had purple and gold as the colours in our logo. There on the side of the Galway Rowing Club were the colours purple and gold. I said to myself I have to approach them. That, there, is the perfect location. I got in touch with club manager Ronan O’Halloran and we went from zero to 1,000 in just two weeks.”

When it made its debut last Saturday it was a huge hit. There were about 20 traders, including artists, authors, candlemakers, chocolatiers, fashion designers and jewellers.
This is a shortened preview version of this article. To read the rest of the story, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.