When Tom Nally took charge of his barber business on High Street in 1974, there was only a handful of men’s hairdressers trading in Galway. But fifty years on, there’s nearly a barber shop on every other street.

“It’s very competitive, it was never so competitive,” said Tom Nally, ahead of his golden anniversary celebrations.

“Back then (1974), there was Chick Gillen, the Thorntons, Christies in the Square, the Grants beside The Skeff, the Grafton, and Joe Flynn’s in Prospect Hill. It’s saturated now. Two closed recently, but it is still saturated,” he said.

Galway’s streetscape has changed, too, with many neighbouring businesses closed, or changed hands.

“The city centre is unrecognisable now. Fifty years ago, you could drive down the town and park outside the shop. It (pedestrianisation) probably had to come with the streets being so narrow. But it’s deeply saddening to see so many businesses close.

“You had Griffin’s (bakery), Colleran’s (butcher), Deacy’s (fishmonger) Duffy’s (hunting and fishing tackle), MacCambridge’s has changed hands, Murphy’s pub changed hands, the Ó Maille’s (handcrafted artisan knitwear) retired recently,” he lamented.

Caption: Half a century…Tom Nally outside his barber shop. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.

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