The office of Mayor of Galway is an honorific title used by the Irish: Cathaoirleach of Galway City Council. The Council has jurisdiction throughout its administrative area of the city of Galway which is the largest city in the province of Connacht, in Ireland. The office was originally established by a charter issued by King Richard III of England in December 1484 and had significant powers. The office was all but abolished under the Local Government Act 2001. All that remains of the office, per section 11 of the Act is a symbolic role: "Subject to this Act, royal charters and letters patent relating to local authorities shall continue to apply for ceremonial and related purposes in accordance with local civic tradition but shall otherwise cease to have effect.". The Act goes on to state the chairman of the Council must be styled the Cathaoirleach and that "Any reference in any other enactment to the lord mayor, mayor, chairman, deputy lord mayor, deputy mayor or vice-chairman or cognate words shall, where the context so requires, be read as a reference to the Cathaoirleach or Leas-Chathaoirleach or other title standing for the time being." (section 31 (3)).
The Cathaoirleach is elected to office annually by councillors of Galway City Council from amongst its members. There is no popular vote. Up to 1841, Mayors were elected in August and took office in September. There was a strong tradition of festivities to mark this start of a new municipal year. Current practise is for the term of office to begin in June with the former Mayor presenting the Chain of Office to the incoming Mayor, thus formally inaugurating a new term. The process is repeated the following June, unless the same person is given a second consecutive term.
The office has existed, with a break of ninety-seven years, since it was inaugurated in 1485. The Mayor led Galway Corporation from 1485 to 1841 and again from 1937 to 2001.
Previous to the creation of the mayoralty, the town of Galway was ruled by a Provost or Sovereign, who were appointed by the Earl of Ulster. After the murder of the 3rd Earl in June 1333, the town was under the control of successive members of the Clanricarde line of the House of Burke family. This situation lasted until well into the 15th century. However, charters from Richard III (in 1396) and Edward IV (in 1364) gave the citizens of the town semi-independence from the Clanricardes.
The office of Mayor of Galway was created by a charter issued by King Richard III of England in December 1484 at the solicitation of merchants from the city's leading families, known as the Tribes of Galway. This made Galway a virtual city-state. Although it survived the turbulent 17th century, the massive corruption of the office led to its disestablishment in 1841, when Galway Corporation was relegated to the status of an Urban District Council, headed by a chairman. In 1937 the city regained its corporation status and the office of Mayor was re-installed.
1485–86: Peirce Lynch fitz John
1486–87: Dominick Dubh Lynch fitz John
1487–88: John Blake fitz William
1488–89: Geoffrey Lynch
1489–90: John Lynch fitz John
1490–91: Robuck Lynch
1491–92: John Skerrett
1492–93: Thomas Lynch fitz Edmond
1493–94: James Lynch fitz Stephen
1494–95: John Lynch fitz Edmond
1495–96: Thomas Blake
1496–97: Walter Lynch fitz Robert
1497–98: Dominick Dubh Lynch fitz John
1498–99: Andrew Lynch
1499-00: James Lynch fitz Martin
1500–01: Geoffrey Lynch
1501–02: Robuck Lynch
1502–04: Edmond Deane
1504–05: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
1505–06: Walter Lynch fitz Thomas
1506–07: Thomas Bodkin
1507–08: Arthur Lynch
1508–09: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
1509–10: Stephen Lynch fitz James
1510–11: James Lynch fitz Stephen
1511–12: James Lynch fitz Geoffrey
1512–13: James Lynch fitz Martin
1513–14: Walter Lynch fitz Thomas
1514–15: Stephen Lynch fitz Walter
1515–16: James Lynch fitz Stephen
1516–17: Stephen Lynch fitz James
1517–18: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
1518–19: John Bodkin fitz Richard
1519–20: Wylliam Martin
1520–22: Martin Font
1522–23: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
1523–24: Stephen Lynch fitz James
1524–25: Adam Font
1525–26: Wylliam Martin
1526–27: Rychard Martin
1527–28: William Morris
1528–29: John Lynch fitz Andrew
1529–30: Richard Gare Lynch
1530–31: John Óge Kirwan
1531–33: James Skerrett
1533–34: Richard Blake
1534–35: Thomas Kirwan
1535–37: Rychard Martin
1537–38: Martin Lynch fitz James
1538–39: Seán an tSalainn French
1539–40: Arthur Lynch fitz Andrew and Arthur French fitz Geoffrey
1540–41: Thomas Lynch
1541–42: Dominick Lynch
1542–43: Henry Joyce
1543–44: Jonathan Lynch
1544–45: Edmund Lynch
1545–46: Thomas Blake
1546–47: Stephen Lynch fitz Arthur
1547–48: Thomas Kirwan
1548–49: Dominick Lynch fitz John
1549–50: Thomas Óge Martyn
1550–51: Richard Kirwan
1551–52: John Óge Lynch
1552–53: John Óge Lynch fitz Stephen
1553–54: Patrick Lynch
1554–55: Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen
1555–56: Nicholas Blake
1556–57: William Skerrett
1557–58: James Óge Lynch
1558–59: Ambrose Lynch fitz Martin
1559–60: Thomas Blake
1560–61: Stephen Lynch fitz Arthur
1561–62: Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen
1562–63: Thomas Blake
1563–64: Thomas Óge Martyn
1564–65: Nicholas Blake
1565–66: Peter French fitz Valentine
1566–67: James Kirwan
1567–68: Edmond Kirwan
1568–69: Dominick French
1569–70: Givane Font
1570–71: Denis Kirwan
1571–72: Robuck Lynch
1572–73: John Lynch
1573–74: Pierce Lynch fitz Oliver
1574–75: Andrew Browne and James Kirwan
1575–76: Dominick Browne
1576–77: Peter French fitz John
1577–78: Pierce Lynch
1578–79: John Blake fitz Richard
1579–80: Martin French
1580–81: Dominick Lynch
1581–82: Peter Lynch fitz Marcus
1582–83: Robuck French fitz John
1583–84: Nicholas French
1584–85: Nicholas Lynch
1585–86: James Lynch fitz Arthur
1586–87: William Óge Martyn
1587–88: John Blake
1588–89: Andrew Morris
1589–90: Richard Browne
1590–91: James Lynch
1591–92: Ulick Lynch fitz Edmond
1592–93: Valentine French
1593–94: John Martin
1594–95: Rolande Skerrett
1595–96: Marcus Lynch fitz Nicholas
1596–97: Oliver Óge French
1597–98: Anthony Lynch fitz Marcus
1598–99: Nicholas Kirwan fitz Denis
1599-00: Michael Lynch
1600–01: Francis Martin fitz Thomas
1601–02: Christopher Lynch fitz George
1602–03: James Riabhach Darcy and Christopher Lynch fitz George
1603–04: Marcus Lynch fitz Stephen
1604–05: Marcus French fitz John
1605–06: John Skerrett fitz William
1606–07: Edmond French fitz Robuck
1607–08: Richard Martin fitz William
1608–09: Stephen Kirwan
1609–10: Oliver Browne and Ullick Lynch
1610–11: Richard Bodkin
1611–12: Sir Valentine Blake and Richard Martin fitz William
1612–13: Sir Thomas Rotheram
1613–14: Walter Martyn
1614–15: Nicholas Darcy
1615–17: Pierce Lynch fitz John Óge
1617–18: Francis French fitz Peter
1618–19: Nicholas Lynch fitz George
1619–20: James Darcy fitz James
1620–21: Andrew Lynch fitz John
1621–22: Robert Martin and Richard Martin fitz William
1622–23: Patrick Martin fitz Walter
1623–24: Marcus Óge French fitz Marcus
1624–25: Robert Blake fitz Walter
1625–26: Thomas Lynch fitz Nicholas
1626–27: James Lynch fitz Martin
1627–28: Sir Richard Blake fitz Richard
1628–29: John Lynch fitz Richard
1629–30: Nicholas Lynch fitz Jonathan
1630–31: Sir Valentine Blake fitz Thomas
1631–32: George Martin fitz Walter
1632–33: Geoffrey Martin
1633–34: Patrick French
1634–35: Sir Dominick Browne
1635–36: Nicholas Mór Lynch fitz Marcus
1636–37: Anthony Lynch fitz James
1637–38: Sir Thomas Blake
1638–39: Sir Robuck Lynch
1639–40: John Bodkin fitz Dominick
1640–41: Francis Blake
1641–42: Walter Lynch fitz James
1642–43: Richard Óge Martyn
1643–44: Sir Valentine Blake
1644–45: James Darcy fitz Nicholas
1645–46: Edmond Kirwan fitz Patrick
1646–47: John Blake fitz Nicholas
1647–48: Walter Browne
1648–49: Sir Walter Blake
1649–50: Thomas Lynch fitz Marcus
1650–51: Sir Oliver Óge French
1651–52: Richard Kirwan fitz Thomas
1652–53: Michael Lynch fitz Stephen
1653–54: Martine Lynch fitz Anthony
1654: Tomás Lynch fitz Ambrose
Commonwealth and Restoration (1654–91)
1654: Peter Stubbers
1655: Humphrey Hurd
1656: Paul Dodd
1657: Gabriel King
1658: Sir Charles Coote
1659: John Mathews
1660: John Morgan
1661: John Eyre
1662: Henry Greneway
1663: Edward Eyre
1664: John Morgan
1665: John Spencer (till 1668)
1669: John Peters
1670: John May
1671: Richard Ormsby
1672: Gregory Constable (till 1673)
1674: Theodore Russell (till 1685)
1686: John Kirwan (fitz Stephen) (till 1687)
1688: Dominick Browne (till 1689)
1690: Alexandar McDonnell
1691: Sir Henry Bellasyse
1692-93: Thomas Revett
1694-95: Thomas Simcokes
1696: Thomas Cartwright
1697-98: John Gerry
1699: Thomas Andrews
1700: Richard Browne
1701-02: Thomas Staunton
1703: James Ribett Vigie
1704-05: John Eyre
1707: Richard Wall
1708: John Gibbs
1709 Jarvis Hinds
1710-11: Edward Eyre
1712-13: Samuel Eyre
1714-14: Robert Blakeney
1716: Robert Coates
1717-18: Mark Wall
1719-20: Samuel Simcockes
1721-22: William Hinde
1723: James Ribett Vigie
1724: George Gerry
1725: George Staunton
1726: Charles Gerry
1727: Charles Revett
1728: Richard Revett
1729: John Gibbs
1730: John Staunton
1731: Walter Taylor
1732: Charles Morgan
1733: Geoffrey Cooke
1734: John Bird
1735: Dominick Burke
1736: John Staunton
1737: Dominick Burke
1738: Richard FitzPatrick
1739: Henry Ellis
1740: Thomas Holland
1741: Robert Cooke
1742: John Disney
1743: Thomas Shaw
1744: George Purdon
1745: John Mills
1746: Croasdile Shaw
1747: James O'Hara
1748: James Disney
1749: John Eyre
1750: Francis Annesley
1751: James Staunton
1752: John Hamlin
1753: Ambrose Poole
1754: George Simcockes
1755: John Shaw
1756: Patrick Blake
1757: Robert Cooke
1758: Edward Sheilds
1759: Croasdaile Shaw
1760: Thomas French
1761: Charles Revett
1762: Charles Daly
1762–63: Charles Daly
1763–64: Henry Ellis
1764–65: John Eyre
1765–66: James Daly
1766–67: Henry White
1767–68: John Gibson
1768–69: Thomas Taylor
1769–70: Denis Daly
1770–71: Colonel Anthony Daly
1772–73: Denis Daly
1774
1775: Elias Tankervill
1776: George Carter [Freeman's Journal 6-8/8/1776 for 1775 and 76]
1777 James Shee
1778 Denis Daly [Fr Journal 17-19/8/1777 for 1777 and 78]
1799: Colonel Peter Daly
1800: Hyacinth Daly
1801: Colonel Peter Daly
1802: Hyacinth Daly
1803: Denis Bowes Daly
1804: James Daly
1805: Hyacinth Daly
1806–07: Denis Bowes Daly
1808: Hyacinth Daly
1809: Denis Bowes Daly
1810: James Daly
1811: Hyacinth Daly
1812: Denis Bowes Daly
1813–16: Hyacinth Daly
1817: Parnell Gale
1818–19: James Daly
1820–22: James Hardiman Burke
1823–24: James Daly
1825–29: James Hardiman Burke
1830–36: Colonel John Blake
1836–40: Edmond Blake (last of the "old" mayors)
Galway Corporation was abolished in 1841, not to be restored until 1937.
