Eyre Square (Irish: An Fhaiche Mhór) is an inner-city public park in Galway, Ireland. The park is within the city centre, adjoining the nearby shopping area of Williams Street and Shop Street.
The park is rectangular, surrounded on by streets that form the major traffic arteries into Galway city centre although the West side of the Square was pedestrianised in 2006.
History:
The origin of the square comes from medieval open space in front of town gate, known as The Green. Mostly markets took place in northern part of the space. The earliest endeavour to glamourize it were recorded in 1631. Some ash-trees were planted and park was enclosed by wooden fence. In 1801 General Meyrick raised stone wall around the square, which was later known as Meyrick Square.
In the middle of 19th century the whole park undergo main development in Gregorian style. In 1960s big square reconstruction started and iron railings were removed and raised around backyard of St. Nichola's Church. In 1965 was park reopend with a new name John F. Kennedy Memorial Park.
The plot of land that became Eyre Square was officially presented to the city in 1710 by Mayor Edward Eyre, from whom it took its name.[3] In 1965, the square was officially renamed "Kennedy Memorial Park" in honour of US President John F. Kennedy, who visited Galway city shortly before his assassination in 1963. A redevelopment work of the square began in 2004.]There was some controversy when it was reported that the building contractors had left the site and were not returning.The square reopened on 13 April 2006 after costing €9.6 million.The finished square received Irish Landscape Institute Design Award in 2007.
