Doughiska

Doughiska (Irish: Dabhach Uisce, 'water pond, water basin') is a fast-growing suburb of Galway City in County Galway, Ireland.^[1][2] There is now continuous urban development between Doughiska and the city centre due to the growth of Galway City in recent years. Famous residents include Stefan Burnett of the band Death Grips, and Norwegian author Åsne Seierstad.

History

Local legend has it that the name of the area comes from the mid 19th century, when on a warm summers day, British soldiers asked the local Gaelic speaking natives for a fresh water source. The locals did not fully understand what they were saying and kept replying "Dough Uisce" to the soldiers. It is said that the soldiers did not respond favorably to this and badly assaulted (some versions say murdered) the locals. It is thought that this encounter occurred in the Merlin Park area of Galway City. The area remained a rural area on the outskirts of Galway City, with only a few families farming the area until the late 20th century. The area also contained a marble quarry, with marble from this quarry being used in the refurbished Galway Cathedral

Present Day

Most of the open fields are now being developed for housing, hotels and business parks. The main reason for this is the presence of Bóthar na dTreabh, the dual carriageway leading into the city from the east. The area was the subject to massive development from the year 2000 onward. Galway City council planners designated the area for development from the 1990s. Houses were built at a rapid rate and infrastructure was slow in following. However, in recent years, the situation has vastly improved and the city's bus service has recently expanded to provide a much needed extended service to and from the city centre every 15 minutes. The area is also subject to be served by the GLUAS light rail project, which is proposed for Galway City. Doughiska now has a primary and secondary school serving the area. The area is adjacent to the Parkmore Industrial Estate as well as the Clayton Hotel and Briarhill Shopping centre. It is thought that Doughiska is one of the most diverse areas in the west of Ireland, with over 70 nationalities living in the area. Doughiska now has a park, several playing pitches, Basketball and tennis court as well as a skateboard park. The area is also served by two hospitals with Merlin Park Regional Hospital to the west and the private Galway Clinic to the east of Doughiska. The area also contains Merlin Park woods, which is one of the few expansive areas of matured woodland still remaining within the Galway City area. The area is also the parish of the good shepherd as well as other denominations.

Sport

The area is served by the Merlin Woods FC & Sports Club. Doughiska is also in the catchment area of Castlegar GAA Hurling club. Castlegar became the 1st club from west of the Shannon river to win a club All Ireland in 1980. The area is also served by St James GAA club in Gaelic Football. Both clubs compete in the Galway senior club championship. The area is also adjacent to Ballybrit racecourse, home of the famous Galway Races

Notable Moments

Pope John Paul II visited Ballybrit racecourse on 30 September 1979 during his visit to Ireland. There was a mass held for the young people of Ireland where the Pope famously said "Young people of Ireland, I love you". There were 280,000 people in attendance that day. Doughiska has also hosted numerous outdoor concerts for the Galway Arts Festival. Notable acts to have performed include Radiohead, Robert Plant, Moby, The Beastie Boys and Pulp.

References