1484 AD: Independence for Galway
By the fifteenth century fourteen powerful merchant families known as the 'Tribes of Galway' had firmly established their influence on all aspects of trade and politics in the city. They served a petition to King Richard III for a Charter of Incorporation. This was granted in 1484 and allowed citizens to elect their own mayor and bailiffs. This effectively made Galway city independent from outside control.
Galway was originally part of the arch-diocese of Tuam. However, the parishioners sought to separate themselves from the native Irish arch-diocese, but this required papal approval. In a petition to Pope Innocent VIII in 1484, they represented themselves as ‘modest civil people’ who were ‘often disturbed in exercising the divine duties of their religion’ by the ‘mountainous and wild’ native Irish. Their petition was successful and St Nicholas’ was granted collegiate status This gave the mayor and city corporation the right to elect a warden and eight vicars and further strengthened Galway’s independence as a city.
Certain members of the Lynch family played a pivotal role in obtaining the city’s charter and collegiate status for St Nicholas’ Church. Pierce Lynch was elected the first mayor and Andrew Lynch Fitz Stephen and James Lynch Fitz Martin the first bailiffs. Pierce Lynch was succeeded by his brother Dominick Duff Lynch in 1486. Dominick’s son Stephen was responsible for obtaining the bull of Pope Innocent VIII, which established the wardenship of St Nicholas’. Members of the Lynch family served as
mayor eighty-four times, between the granting of the city charter and the
debarring of Catholics from civil office.
James Hardiman’s book The History of the Town and the County of the Town of Galway (1820) includes a catalogue of mayors up to the nineteenth century and may be accessed HERE.
Galway was originally part of the arch-diocese of Tuam. However, the parishioners sought to separate themselves from the native Irish arch-diocese, but this required papal approval. In a petition to Pope Innocent VIII in 1484, they represented themselves as ‘modest civil people’ who were ‘often disturbed in exercising the divine duties of their religion’ by the ‘mountainous and wild’ native Irish. Their petition was successful and St Nicholas’ was granted collegiate status This gave the mayor and city corporation the right to elect a warden and eight vicars and further strengthened Galway’s independence as a city.
Certain members of the Lynch family played a pivotal role in obtaining the city’s charter and collegiate status for St Nicholas’ Church. Pierce Lynch was elected the first mayor and Andrew Lynch Fitz Stephen and James Lynch Fitz Martin the first bailiffs. Pierce Lynch was succeeded by his brother Dominick Duff Lynch in 1486. Dominick’s son Stephen was responsible for obtaining the bull of Pope Innocent VIII, which established the wardenship of St Nicholas’. Members of the Lynch family served as
mayor eighty-four times, between the granting of the city charter and the
debarring of Catholics from civil office.
James Hardiman’s book The History of the Town and the County of the Town of Galway (1820) includes a catalogue of mayors up to the nineteenth century and may be accessed HERE.