Galway's sword & mace may find place in National Museum

Galway Observer, January 28, 1933

Urban Council Action

It is learned that the Galway Urban Council has been in communication with a Government Department and has represented to the latter the necessity for purchasing the Sword and Mace of the Old Galway Corporation and housing these in the National Museum.

The Government reply, while non committal is couched in sympathetic terms.

Through the recent reports in the public Press in reference to the discovery of the Sword and Mace of Galway Corporation and their presentation probably when recovered to the National Museum, the epithet "Blakes of Galway" has come again into popular prominence says the "Tuam Herald" the student of history may remember these historic emblems occupied at one time their allotted positions in the local Council Chamber, until 1841, when through the passing of the Municipal Corporation Act the Corporations of Galway was dissolved. At the time financial stringency was so acute that the salary £8,000 due to the Mayor, Mr. Edmund Blake was liquidated before the Corporation went out of office by the handling over of the Sword and Mace to the Mayor. When Mr. Edmond Blake died in 1905 the sword and mace came into possession of his daughter, Miss Anne Blake, who decided to dispose of them a few years after. The Civic Emblems were then sold to Mr. Louis Wine, art dealer, of Grafton Street, Dublin, who now possesses them. Hearing of the transaction the Galway Urban Council, as the successors of the old Corporation, now claims their return. To do this a public subscription has been opened to which Miss Anne Blake will subscribe five hundred guineas for the purchase of the historic emblems.

The Parish Chapel, Middle St.

For centuries, though not an Irish family, the Blake's have occupied prominent positions in Galway as Mayors, Wardens, Sheriffs, in the Church, the Army and medicine. The first mention of the Blake's who came over with the Norman invasion, we find to be about 1270. They then settled in the town of Galway with the Bodkins the Lunches, the Joyce's, and with them laid the foundation of its subsequent prosperity. In 1346 we find Walter Blake appointed custodian by the treasurer of Ireland of the revenue and customs of Galway and elsewhere in Connaught. In 1405 a Thomas Blake is mentioned as Mayor of Galway, probably one of the many of the name to follow in that capacity, as Edmond Blake was one of the lst. From 1495 to 1841 is a long period during which off and on, members of the Blake family enjoyed civic distinction. In the Church we find a Doctor Blake, who was subseuently titular Arch—bishop of Armagh, and who in 1752 erected a parish chapel in Middle Street, Galway.