Ireland Trip Part 20: Galway's JFK Memorial and James Joyce Haunt

The monument to President Kennedy at JFK Park, Galway

This is our Ireland Trip blog Part 20: Galway's JFK Memorial and James Joyce Haunt. These were two of our stops with Brian Nolan on our "Haunted Galway Walking Tour." We met Brian at 9pm for the tour, and the temperature plummeted to 32F/0C. It was literally freezing and we did not have warm enough clothing, so although we weren't shaking in fear from the ghost stories, we were from the cold!
 

The corner where the Gallows stood

JFK MEMORIAL PARK  - It was on (the formerly known) Eyre Square that President John F. Kennedy made a speech in June 1963 (5 months before his assassination). The (rectangular) square has been renamed John F. Kennedy Memorial Park."  During his famous speech, President Kennedy promised to stop emigration of the Irish to the U.S. to prevent the population from continuing to flee the country (since the famine). It was important to Ireland that its citizens stayed in their country. JFK also brought technology industries to Galway that continue to thrive. One of the current technology companies makes artificial heart valves.

HISTORY OF THE SQUARE - The origin of the square comes from medieval open space in front of town gate, known as The Green. Markets mostly took place in the northern part of the space. The square was in existence in 1631 and on one corner of the square stood the town GALLOWS. Keep that in mind, because on that same corner is a building haunted by the next ghost we'll introduce you to.

JAMES JOYCE HAUNT - There's a building, an apartment (now) at the corner of JFK square, where the gallows used to stand. This is the site of a haunt connected (loosely) to author James Joyce.
   James Joyce's wife had a teenage lover. The boy was 17 years old and lived in that row house. Brian told us that the boy died of consumption in that very building. The boy is seen haunting that building in one of the top windows.

OTHER GHOSTS IN THE AREA - Since the gallows are right there in the square, there are stories of ghosts. Brian explained that when the square was being updated and streets were being renovated, they had to be excavated. During the excavation workers found headless bodies buried there. There are stories of people seeing ghosts of headless people walking the streets in that area around where the gallows once stood.

NEXT: ST. NICHOLAS CHURCH, LYNCH'S CASTLE AND ORIGIN OF "LYNCING"