Old Salthill at City Museum

Old Salthill, the second in a series of photographic exhibitions scheduled for 2018, is currently running at Galway City Museum.

It has been curated by Tom Kenny of Kenny’s Bookshop and Gallery.

“These photographs were taken over a period of about 100 years,” Tom explains. “In the mid-19th century, Salthill was known as a ‘wholesome if uninteresting place’ to be visited for the fresh air and ‘for the water’,” he continues.

And he outlines that “the village of Salthill extended roughly from where ‘the Bal’ is today to Seapoint, and consisted of some small guest houses, shops and public houses. There were occasional houses on the Prom and on the road to Galway”.

According to Tom, “the area gradually evolved into a resort, but change was slow until about 1950 when the rate of construction accelerated as new hotels, tourist facilities and estates appeared and open spaces were gradually filled in”.

The images chosen by Tom will record some of those changes on the main road between Blackrock and Lower Salthill as they happened.

Those attending the launch of Old Salthill this Thursday, can enjoy ice cream, whatever the weather.

Otherwise, Galway City Museum is open from 10am- 5pm Tuesday to Saturday and from 12pm-5pm on Sundays.

■ The exhibition will run until Sunday, July 8, and admission is free.