Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column with Dara Bradley

Only 80 people signed a book of condolences at City Hall in memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

The book was opened by the Mayor of Galway, Councillor Clodagh Higgins (FG), on September 12, four days after it was announced the United Kingdom and Commonwealth’s monarch had died. The condolences’ book closed a month later, on October 14.

It was available during normal opening hours during weekdays and so there were 25 working days in which the public could sign the book. It was not available to sign online.

Only 80 people bothered to go to City Hall to write a message in the book that has been sent to Buckingham Palace.

Classy Clodagh said she facilitated the gesture to allow members of the public in Galway to express messages of sympathy to the monarch’s family and subjects.

When she opened the book, and invited the public to sign it, Mayor Higgins said: “On behalf of Galway City Council, and the people of Galway, I would like to extend my sympathies to His Majesty King Charles, to the British Royal family, and to the British people and the members of the Commonwealth, on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Throughout her reign, of over 70 years, she demonstrated a commitment to duty and to public service. Her passing is the end of an era, and our thoughts are with all those feeling this loss at this sad time.”

Despite the popularity of Netflix series, The Crown, and Irish people’s fascination with Royal gossip and pageantry; despite large crowds thronging the city’s streets pre-Covid to catch a glimpse of the Queen’s grandchild, Prince William and his wife Kate, who visited Galway in 2020; and despite the fact that Irish people love a good funeral, something that was borne out by the record viewing figures for the Queen’s funeral on RTÉ, Galway people didn’t bother much to sympathise in the book of condolences.

A Council spokesperson said: “A physical Book of Condolences for Queen Elizabeth was opened by Mayor Clodagh Higgins, it contained approximately 80 entries. The book of condolences has now been sent to the Royal family.”

It will, no doubt, offer great comfort to them.

(Photo: Huge crowds turned out to meet Prince William and Kate when they visited Galway in March 2020. And huge numbers watched Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on TV recently. But only about 80 people signed a book of condolences at City Hall in her memory).
This is a shortened preview version of this column. For more Bradley Bytes, see the November 25 edition of the Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.