President Higgins Attends Eyre Square Bench Unveiling

On Thursday afternoon, President Michael D. Higgins led the unveiling of two memorial benches in Eyre Square.

The stone benches, located in the middle of the square, are inscribed to commemorate C.I. O’Flynn, former city and County manager of Galway, and Ronnie O’Gorman, founder of the Galway Advertiser.

President Higgins cut the red ribbons over each before taking photos with relatives and friends of the two men.

The gathering then moved from Eyre Square into the Hardiman Hotel, where a reception was held. 

Ronnie O’Gorman founded one of Ireland’s first ‘free sheet’ papers in 1970. The Galway Advertiser continues to be published weekly and is delivered to thousands of homes around the city every Thursday.

Mr O’Gorman was described by those close to him as a “brave and crusading journalist” and a devoted family man until his passing last year.

He retired as editor in 2001 and, more recently, presented The Old Galway Diary podcast with fellow Galway historian Tom Kenny, which delved each week into a different aspect of life in the West of Ireland over the years.

C.I. O’Flynn was commemorated on Thursday by three generations of family and several of his friends and former colleagues.

His grandsons, Barry and Ian O’Flynn, have fond memories of Galway City, which are interwoven with stories of their grandfather’s legacy.

Ian, who now lives in London, said, “For me, it just brings back happy memories of summer, listening to stories from my own dad about his dad, and everything that he has contributed to Galway.”

The brothers reminisced on Mr O’Flynn’s work as the city and county manager, as well as his many amusing stories and anecdotes.

“He was born in 1890, so he had some great stories to tell,” said Barry. “When we were kids, he’d be all about what happened in the twenties and thirties. He smoked a pipe regularly and still lived to a good age.” 

Barry also recalled Mr O’Flynn’s nickname in the local community of ‘Cast Iron.’

“He had a few run-ins with councils and the Church and all that, particularly around the placement of the cathedral.”

The unveiling ceremony and reception, with attendance by the President of Ireland, was a great opportunity for the friends and relatives of C.I. O’Flynn and Ronnie O’Gorman to come together and celebrate the memory of two significant contributors to Galway City and prominent figures of local history.