James Hardiman
Every history of Galway written since 1820 stands on one book, and the university library is named for the man who wrote it. James Hardiman was born in Westport in February 1782 to a small Mayo landowner, trained as a lawyer, became sub-commissioner of public records at Dublin Castle, and in 1820 published the History of the Town and County of Galway. His Irish Minstrelsy of 1831 was among the first printed collections of Irish poetry and songs.
Checked against the source on 2026-09-19.
Sharonlflynn, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
James Hardiman Library, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway on the 3D model; tap a pin for its page and directions.
Librarian and collector
An active member of the Royal Irish Academy, Hardiman collected and rescued many Irish manuscripts, and he became the librarian of the new Queen's College in Galway, now the University of Galway, where the James Hardiman Library holds his name. Hardiman Road in Drumcondra and the Hardiman hotel on Eyre Square are also his. He died on 13 November 1855. The model on this page pins the library and the hotel; the Tribes of Galway guide draws on his history.
Questions people ask
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Written from Wikipedia, "James Hardiman" (CC BY-SA 4.0), read on 2026-09-19, and from the OpenStreetMap places on the model. Nothing has been added from memory; follow the source for its footnotes.