Eyre Square

This painting is of the ‘Galway Hooker’ sculpture in Eyre Square, Galway.  In 1965, the square was officially renamed “John F. Kennedy Memorial Park” in honour of U.S. President John F. Kennedy; despite the renaming, the square is still widely known as Eyre Square. 

The Browne doorway is also another attraction in Eyre Square; it was originally the doorway of the Browne family’s home on Lower Abbeygate Street, but was moved in 1905 from Abbeygate Street to Eyre Square.

I had a family reunion trip to Galway in 2019 to celebrate my father’s birthday.  Eyre Square was our go to meeting place when we had all dispersed around the city.  The red ‘rust’ on the sculpture and the reflections in the water inspired me to paint this picture.