FIRST THEY WANTED A MURAL AND THEN THEY DID NOT WANT IT

I photographed this mural in August 2016 and within a few weeks Galway City Council wanted it removed despite the fact they had commissioned it. However, as you can see it was still there when I visited Galway again in 2017.


The owners of the former Taaffe’s drapery shop were approached by Galway City Council for permission to erect a mural before the 2020 European City of Culture judges arrived as they were concerned about the derelict condition of the facade of what was once an iconic building.

Each year since 1985 the European Union designates one or more cities as a European Capital of Culture. Chosen cities and their regions are expected to present an innovative year-long cultural programme that highlights the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe. Galway has fought off competition from Dublin, Limerick and the Three Sisters (Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny) to win the designation in 2020.