Waterworks Area - Select Image To View Photographs

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FUJIFILM GFX100RF

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Initially I was disappointed by the Fujifilm GFX100RF images when they were imported into Adobe Lightroom. They appeared to be so underexposed to a degree that rendered them unusable. Today I decided to use DXO PURE RAW 6 and, much to my surprise, the images were acceptable ... this I cannot explain.

Scorched Earth and Stone Spirits: The Dyke Road Reset

In the shadow of the Quincentenary Bridge, where the River Corrib’s reed-beds meet the edge of Galway City, a landscape is being violently rewritten. To the casual observer, the area surrounding the old Waterworks on Dyke Road currently resembles a war zone or the aftermath of a forest fire. Blackened earth, aggressive vegetation removal, and a surface that feels more like quicksand than soil have turned this historic corridor into a temporary wasteland.

But for the urban cartographer, this is the missing frame between two eras.

The Gothic Sentinel: Terryland Castle

Dominating the marshy field is a ruin far too grand for a mere worker's cottage. These are the remains of Terryland Castle (or Tirellan), a 17th-century fortified manor house built by the powerful De Burgo (Burke) family. Its dereliction isn't modern; the castle was set ablaze in 1691 by retreating Jacobite forces to prevent Williamite snipers from using its height to command the river. Today, its hollowed gables stand as a stark contrast to the modern concrete of the motorway bridge just metres away.

The Industrial Ghost: The Waterworks

Further along the bank sits the Old Galway Corporation Waterworks, a protected 19th-century pumping station. Originally the heartbeat of the city’s Victorian infrastructure, it has spent decades as a canvas for graffiti and a victim of decay. The "aggressive" clearing of the surrounding land is the first phase of its resurrection.

Why the "Forest Fire" Look?

The current state of the landscape is a mix of tactical clearance and the scars of urban friction.

• The Clearance: Galway City Council has recently commenced works for the Dyke Road Water Sports Activity Centre. This requires stripping away decades of invasive species—specifically Japanese Knotweed—which often leaves the ground looking scorched and raw.

• The Unsafe Terrain: This field is an active floodplain. Trial pits for the new development have churned up the silty, alluvial mud, making the ground treacherous and unstable for anyone straying from the embankment.

The Future Map

• The map of Dyke Road is changing. By late 2026/2027, the "scorched" fields and derelict shells will be transformed:

• The Waterworks will house a modern hub for kayakers and rowers, complete with a floating pontoon.

• Terryland Castle will remain a focal point of a rejuvenated Terryland Forest Park, with new boardwalks designed to keep visitors safe from the sinking mud while protecting the sensitive reedbeds.

The current "aftermath" is simply the surgery required to save a forgotten corner of Galway’s history.

Dyke Road 2026 - Select Image To View Photographs

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