Woodquay symbols above doors

shanksensation

Hi Folks,
I moved down to Galway City from Dublin about 6 months ago. To get a feel for the place, I am regurlarly out and about on my bicycle at weekends observing this fine city and it's peoples...

On my cycles I've noticed that there are groups of houses in Woodquay (is it one word or two?) with small blue crests above the door, like a symbol of some kind.
I've asked plenty of Galwegians and finished the internet searching for the what they represent, but to no avail (note: my search terms are notoriously poor - Amazon thinks I am a pirate ).
So could anyone put my out of my misery?
Many thanks
S.

ttoppcat

I've often wondered what those are as well. They're blue tiles aren't they? Think I've seen them in other areas of town too.

Robbo

I was under the impression that it was something to do with the popes visit in 1979.

snubbleste

Knock on one of the doors, OP, and ask your question. You might even get invited in for some tea and marietta biscuits

shanksensation

hmmm.... think there are enough people knocking on doors asking silly questions at the moment - although would love a nice marietta with a bit of butter!
I'll see how this thread turns out first

xo.mary

If I'm thinking of the right thing, the little blue tile, they're not just in Galway.

Simarillion

These show that the house has been blessed by a priest.

It's not done anymore, they just bless your house without sticking anything on the front, and some people take them down when they move in to houses that have them.

clouds

They're marian plaques.
They are something to do with the Marian year, ie a Holy Year dedicated to Mary which I think was 1954. Maybe they got specially blessed by the priest that year or maybe had a special mass said in them for Mary

eagle10

afaik they are blue plaques that at a glance look like little garda symbols.

They read IHS it means "I have sin(ned)" JUst an old religous thing to the best of my knowledge you see them on older houses around henry street too

Dont think IHS stands for I have sinned, its a Latin or Greek acronym.
I always thought these plaques were put up to commemmorate the 1932 Eucharistic Congress, but the Marian Year idea seems like something I vaguely remember reading about in one those Old Galway columns in the Advertiser. Sorry for being so vague, will check this out in the library tomorrow unless someone else knows for sure.

Unrealistic

clouds wrote: »

They're marian plaques.
They are something to do with the Marian year, ie a Holy Year dedicated to Mary which I think was 1954. Maybe they got specially blessed by the priest that year or maybe had a special mass said in them for Mary

I think it might have actually been for the Eucharistic Congress held in Ireland in 1932 because the IHS on the plaques is actually an abbreviation for Jesus Christ.

EDIT: Blaris beat me to it but it seems we're on the same track.

Sponge Bob

It is an archetypal scribal suspension, over a millenium old, of the word Jesus in Greek. The first three letters transliterate in LATIN to IHS , this is the Root of the suspension.

Nothing English or Marian about it at all , gwanouttadat willye.

biko

It's a Christogram I think
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christogram

clouds

Unrealistic wrote: »

I think it might have actually been for the Eucharistic Congress held in Ireland in 1932 because the IHS on the plaques is actually an abbreviation for Jesus Christ.

EDIT: Blaris beat me to it but it seems we're on the same track.

So I'm wrong then?!?! Outrage.

*goes off in huff*

Steyr

Correct me if I am wrong but IHS is "I Have Suffered", it shows the house has been blessed.

Galwayps

The IHS tiles around Galway City are the subject of several articles in books and papers. The best article is in Discover Galway by Paul Walsh.
They were put up in towns by the Fransciscan order and are tied up with the idea of the power of the Holy name!!

inisboffin

Steyr wrote: »

Correct me if I am wrong but IHS is "I Have Suffered", it shows the house has been blessed.

Even some old folks will say this too! It is an urban myth about the meaning, but quite a widespread one, I've heard it too. It's most likely that it is the In Hoc Signo/Jesus abbreviation tile.

clouds

In years gone by didn't they have IHS on their burial shrouds? It's definitely a Latin phrase, but I Have Suffered is a common belief

inisboffin

clouds wrote: »

In years gone by didn't they have IHS on their burial shrouds? It's definitely a Latin phrase, but I Have Suffered is a common belief

It is, you'll hear 'I have sinned' from older people too. It's basically an abbreviated Jesus symbol, whether from the Greek or Latin, but if the folks who have it over their door want it to mean I have Suffered then sure of course they can.

clouds

inisboffin wrote: »

It is, you'll hear 'I have sinned' from older people too. It's basically an abbreviated Jesus symbol, whether from the Greek or Latin, but if the folks who have it over their door want it to mean I have Suffered then sure of course they can.

Sure they probably have

inisboffin

clouds wrote: »

Sure they probably have

True!

celty

I thought these houses were owned by Galway United fans and 'IHS' means 'I hate Sligo' ...

Utopia Parkway

Was actually looking at one of these plaques today in Woodquay as I passed it.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Steyr wrote: »

Correct me if I am wrong but IHS is "I Have Suffered", it shows the house has been blessed.

Incorrect. Remember the Romans didn't speak English :-)

See Earlier post.

The plaques/tiles are indeed to commemorate Eucharistic Congress held in Ireland in 1932. I think that this tile was used in many housed built that year.

padraig71

IHS is short for the name of Jesus in Greek, comprising the letters iota, eta and sigma - the equivalent in Latin would be JES.

doolox

This symbol was made famous in history by the emperor Constantine who converted to Christianity after winning the battle of the Milvian Bridge.

See "In Hoc Signo Vinces" article in Wikipedia for more details

antonf

These tiles can also be seen in other areas of the city, particularly "down the West" - Henry Street, etc. They are called Temperance Tiles. Hubby actually has written about them for his Certificate in Local History. Will ask him to post some info. later.

shanksensation

Thanks for all the useful information folks.
AntonF - any additional info would be great.

Thanks
S.

BhoscaCapall

Don't know what to search for so can't provide a pic, but I guess if you don't know what I mean you can't answer me anyway!

Loads of doorways in the city, both commercial and residential have this little square tile above them, blue with a pattern. Anyone know what they are and what they mean?

Plague carriers? Illuminati?

biko

It's explained in another thread from last year, I'll merge.

BeardySi

As a kid I used to think it meant there was a Garda living in the house... sure were a lot of Gards in woodquay!