- published: 02 Dec 2009
- views: 1058509
Galway (Irish: Gaillimh, pronounced [ˈɡalʲɪvʲ]) or City of Galway (Cathair na Gaillimhe) is a city on the west coast of Ireland. It is located on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay and is surrounded by County Galway. It is the third largest city within the state (after Dublin and Cork), though if the wider urban area is included then it falls into fourth place behind Limerick. The population of Galway city at the 2011 census was 75,529, rising to 76,778 across the entire urban area.
The city takes its name from the Gaillimh river (River Corrib) that formed the western boundary of the earliest settlement, which was called Dún Bhun na Gaillimhe ("Fort at the mouth of the Gaillimh"). The word Gaillimh means "stony" as in "stony river" (the mythical and alternative derivations are given in History of Galway). Historically, the name was written as Gallive, which is closer to the Irish pronunciation.
The city also bears the nickname "City of the Tribes" Irish: Cathair na dTreabh because "fourteen tribes of" merchant families led the city in its Hiberno-Norman period. The term tribes was often a derogatory phrase in Cromwellian times. The merchants would have seen themselves as Irish gentry and loyal to the King. They subsequently adopted the term as a badge of honour and pride in defiance of the town's Cromwellian occupiers.
Galway Bay (Irish: Loch Lurgan or Cuan na Gaillimhe) is a large bay (or sea lough) on the west coast of Ireland, between County Galway in the province of Connacht to the north and the Burren in County Clare in the province of Munster to the south. Galway city is located on the northeast side of the bay. It is about 50 kilometres (31 mi) long and from 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to 30 kilometres (19 mi) in breadth. The Aran Islands (Oileáin Árann) are to the west across the entrance and there are numerous small islands within the bay. The approaches to the bay between the Aran Islands and the mainland are as follows; the North Sound (An Súnda ó Thuaidh) lies between Inishmore and Leitir Mealláin in Connemara, it was formerly known as Bealach Locha Lurgan in Irish. Gregory's Sound (Súnda Ghríoghóra) lies between Inishmore and Inishmaan, it was formerly known as Bealach na h-Áite. Foul Sound (An Súnda Salach) lies between Inishmaan and Inisheer, it was formerly known as Bealach na Fearbhaighe. South Sound (An Súnda ó Theas) formerly known as Bealach na Finnise lies between Inisheer and County Clare.
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artistes of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation.
A multimedia star, from 1934 to 1954 Bing Crosby was a leader in record sales, radio ratings and motion picture grosses. His early career coincided with technical recording innovations; this allowed him to develop a laid-back, intimate singing style that influenced many of the popular male singers who followed him, including Perry Como,Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin. Yank magazine recognized Crosby as the person who had done the most for American G.I. morale during World War II and, during his peak years, around 1948, polls declared him the "most admired man alive," ahead of Jackie Robinson and Pope Pius XII. Also in 1948, the Music Digest estimated that Crosby recordings filled more than half of the 80,000 weekly hours allocated to recorded radio music.
If you ever go across the sea to Ireland
Then maybe at the closing of the day
You will sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh
And see the sun go down on Galway Bay
Just to hear again the ripple of the trout stream
The women in the meadows making hay
And to sit beside a turf fire in the cabin
And watch the barefoot gossoons at their play
(For the strangers came and tried to teach us their way
They scorned us just for being what we are
But they might as well go chasing after moonbeans
Or light a penny candle from a star)
And if there's is goin' to be a life hereafter
And somehow I am sure there's going to be
I will ask my God to let me make my heaven