Word from the West

West of Ireland food writer Anne Marie Carroll introduces a new Whiskey Trail in Galway and the history that inspired it

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough,” Mark Twain.

Galway has always been known for its diversity. A mixed bag of vagabonds, sailors and tribes, this medieval city has been a melting pot for as long as it has existed. From the very beginning there has been a trade in alcohol of one kind or another. Many a hogshead of wine has passed under the Spanish Arch to supply the Kings’ castles in Connacht…

During the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, merchants built up a strong and extensive wine trade with Spain and other countries. In turn many Spanish merchants settled in Galway and the old town was actually arranged on the plan of a Spanish town.

The city also benefited, with a good and constant supply of wine. Mead was another very popular drink during the medieval period, a drink so ancient that its origins are lost in antiquity. It became the most popular drink of the Irish and was often referred to in Gaelic poetry.

The distillation of spirits from malt was first practiced in Ireland around the year 1590. Prior to this a spirit called 'aqua vitae' was imported from France and England. The Irish word for whiskey, Uisce-beatha, meaning the ‘water of life’, most likely originated from this.

Prior to this there was another very popular drink called ‘Pimento’ which was drunk extensively throughout the country. Made of wine, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and known as “Irish Nectar” it was highly prized at the time.

It is believed that the process of making Irish whiskey started with Scottish distillers who settled in Ireland. By then, the Irish Parliament had removed all taxes on beer in order to discourage the drinking of spirits.

Sam Maguire recorded in the 'Galway Reader' in 1954 that during the nineteenth century, “Whiskey remained the Galway drink, morning, noon and night”. The whiskey brewed in Connemara from barley and malt was comparatively mild and there was also, of course, the illegal distilling of poteen, with a long history behind the “hard-stuff” or mountain dew as it was also known.

While Galway has always been noted for its wine trade, it was also famous for its whiskey production. The best known whiskey in Galway during the nineteenth century was distilled at the Nun’s Island distillery. This imposing five storey distillery was situated on a small island formed by a fork in the River Corrib.

It was an extensive distillery with two mills capable of grinding all the grain necessary for the production of whiskey. There were three large “Coppers” and some five hundred feet of cooling pipes along with all the equipment to run a large still. It had its own maltings and cornstores and operated a triple distillation process. Persse’s Galway Whiskey, as it became known, was a huge success.

The business developed and had an annual output of 400,000 gallons of whiskey, establishing Galway as one of Ireland’s major whiskey hubs over 200 years ago. It was the largest employer in the city at the time and the leading Irish whiskey exporter to the UK, “As supplied to the House of Commons” was proudly printed on the Persse casks.

Nowadays, Irish Whiskey is always spelt with an ‘e’. While some people believed that this was to differentiate between Irish and Scottish whisky, it was in fact for the Dublin distilleries to distinguish their product from rural Irish distilleries.

Other Irish distilleries continued to use the traditional spelling of whisky for many years. During that time, Irish Pot Still whiskey was regarded as the best in the world and Dublin distillers were considered to be top of the range. They had much competition from the Persse distillery however.

Now we can witness the rich history of Galway whiskey come to life once again. Irish whiskey has experienced a renaissance recently, while many bars have become havens for craft beer, Galway’s best loved pubs have embraced this traditional spirit. A group of publicans have come together and created a Whiskey Trail, which celebrates the history of the city’s most famous distilleries. The Galway Whiskey Trail is encouraging locals and visitors to travel back in time to learn about Galway’s rich whiskey heritage.

The Trail - launched in true Galway fashion in August 2015, with spectacular street theatre by Macnas - is set to raise a toast to the 200 years of whiskey distilling in the City, and to the thriving future of whiskey appreciation and production in Galway. This is a tour designed to delight the taste buds of whiskey enthusiasts far and wide, featuring tastings in some of the city’s oldest and most established whiskey bars.

The eleven Trail Venues boast some of the most impressive whiskey stocks along the Wild Atlantic Way. The variety of the venues is superb, from a retail based whiskey tasting bar at McCambridge’s Food Shop where you can purchase a rare and distinctive bottle of whiskey as a gift, to the Connacht Whiskey Bar of the Year at the traditional Garavan’s on Shop Street, to Freeney’s an original Galway whiskey bar on High Street with an enviable selection of whiskeys, or An Púcan on Forster Street off Eyre Square where their whiskey range spans two centuries.

Also on the trail is the renowned Kings Head which features part of Galway’s original wall, Sonny Molloy’s formerly a drapery store, the Dail Bar, Blake’s Bar, Tigh Neachtain the former home of human rights activist Richard Martin, and, on Eyre Square the highly recognisable O Connell’s and Garvey’s, all of which stock an extensive menu of rare whiskeys.

As Irish whiskey undergoes resurgence, there has never been a more apt time to celebrate the enterprise that carried the Galway name with pride and distinction around the world. Involving the most beloved of Galway businesses, this free and self-guided trail will come as a true delight to whiskey enthusiasts. A blend of history, culture, food and drink designed to reclaim Galway’s title as Irelands foremost whiskey hub once more.

Slainte!

Keep up to date with the Galway Whiskey Trail twitter @GalwayTrail or on the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/GWTrail or log onto www.galwaywhiskeytrail.com

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Anne Marie Carroll is a freelance food writer and member of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild who lives in Galway with her husband and two children.

With a background in design and illustration, Anne Marie made the switch to journalism with a regular food and wine column in The Galway Advertiser. Her work now mainly focuses on restaurant reviews, writing and editing recipes, the development of food photo shoots, including styling and photography. She also writes for a number of other publications and works as a consultant for small producers, food retailers and restaurants.

Anne Marie writes about all things food from the West of Ireland at her blog, Warm & Snug & Fat. You can also find her on twitter as @Biscuits4ABear