Perspex hoarding to be removed from Browne Doorway

Long-awaited works to Eyre Square’s Browne Doorway could begin before the end of the year – with its much-criticised Perspex surround to be removed in the short term.

In the City Council’s annual budget for 2017, an allowance of €170,000 was made for the protection of a number of historical structures around the city – including the iconic doorway.

Those hoping that there would have been an improvement in optics before the summer have been disappointed – with no restoration works taking place to date.

However, news that its deteriorating surround will soon be removed from the famed landmark has been welcomed.

Independent Galway City Councillor, Terry O’Flaherty, said that the removal of this “ugly” Perspex will improve the appearance of one of Galway’s most prominent historical structures.

“I have been assured that the Perspex will be removed shortly and the doorway will be secured until such time that works will commence on this iconic doorway.

“The Perspex around it is a disgrace – it’s meaningless the way it is and something needs to be done,” she said.

The semi-transparent cage that served as protection for the ailing structure has stood around the doorway since the redevelopment of Eyre Square in the mid-2000s.

Calls over the years to have it restored as a focal point in Kennedy Park have fallen by the wayside as City Hall lacked the necessary funds.

The doorway has been dubbed an “eye sore” in recent years and suggestions for its future have included moving it to Galway City Museum.

Cllr O’Flaherty believes that the time had come to make a decision on the future of the doorway – before it falls into total disrepair.

“A decision needs to be made on it – whether it will be left there or moved,” she exclaimed. “I would be in favour of keeping it where it is.”

A report released last September outlined a necessary spend of €1.2 million to protect the Browne Doorway, Menlo, Terryland and Merlin Park Castles – all structures owned by the Council.

In the absence of this level of funding, the Council has committed to carrying out remedial works for which tenders will be issued this summer.

The specialist works on the Browne Doorway will “take place at a time when activity in the area surrounding the doorway is at a minimum” and when “there is a minimum disturbance to public enjoyment of the square”.

Cllr O’Flaherty reiterated previous calls to create a garden similar to the one in Chicgo that surrounds the Maurice Harron statue, ‘Gráinne’ – gifted by the people of Galway to its sister city in 2007.

“It is an iconic landmark and I wouldn’t like to see it shifted – we should keep it maintained and put railings and a nice garden around it – and have a plaque that explains the history of it.

“It is in a great location and if you go back on old photographs, you can see that before the square was renovated, it was surrounded by high black railings,” she said.

The Browne Doorway has stood at the top of Eyre Square since 1904 but dates back to 1627 as the entrance to the Browne ‘mansion’ in Abbeygate Street.

Cllr O’Flaherty believes that the historical value of the doorway is being lost when it could be a source of pride for the city.

“I’m not proud of it at all the way it’s left there,” she exclaimed.