Galway, Ireland 

              Our tour guide for Galway, Brian, took us to the Lynch Castle while roaming through this city and began by explaining a bit behind the significance of the building standing in front of us. While first walking up to it, the building seemed like nothing more than an old, medieval castle with no real significance. If Brian had not been present, and I was instead exploring Galway on my own, I would have continued walking past the Lynch Castle, not thinking much of the structure itself or the history behind it. It was when Brian connected the building in front of us to its past and the historical significance behind it, that I was truly able to appreciate the building for what it was. He told us the background of the Lynch Castle not just in historical context by spewing facts at us, but made it so that it was thrilling to learn about the window of the castle where the former mayor ruthlessly sacrificed the life of his son, feeling no shame or remorse. The storytelling of the historical site created a better understanding and a deeper appreciation for what initially appeared as a building seen as alike to any other.

             The Lynch Castle is located on Shop Street of Galway, Ireland and has stood there since the 14th century, but took great renovation in the 16th century when the bulk of it was built (County Galway Guide). It is four story's high, with windows on each story and curved windows in the base of the building. It is made of dark stone, and includes a few detailed features that could easily go undetected, such as Henry VII's coat of arms and gargoyles.​ The Lynch Castle, however now home of AIB bank, used to house the Lynch family, who were very powerful during the time (Country Galway Guide). People can gather in front of the building and gaze upon the window in which James Lynch, former mayor of Galway, made the ultimate sacrifice and will go down as being infamous for hanging is own son, putting blame on him of the murder of a Spanish sailor. 

             Seeing as the Lynch family was one of the most powerful and influential families in Ireland at the time, this building holds great historical significance.The building represents Ireland's medieval past and gives a slight glimpse into what Galway was like years and years ago, and how people who held the power may have acted in regards of how far they were willing to go to keep a good name for themselves. It is clear that the type of power utilized is identity power, which can be defined as "how people are positioned in relation to one another, and how they challenge, change, or embrace these categorizations" (Deloria 218). In this case, the mayor held power in the decision to, and ultimately the act of taking his own son's life. His position of power allowed him to do this, holding power over the people of Galway. This form of power allows for an individual to have a lasting effect over an entire place, such as Galway in this case.  

             As a tour guide, it is important to note that Brain also held power in shaping our gaze. He chose to share this story in hopes of helping us better understand Galway's past, even daring to shed a dark light on how times used to be. He could have had us continue walking past the Lynch Castle, rather than sharing this story, and none of us would have quite understood how far Galway has come since this tragic event, and most likely would have assumed that Galway has come from a past of no tragedies. 

            The Lynch Castle is representative of how Galway once was, and Brian told this story hoping to reach us on a level where we were able to understand how it shaped Galway's past, as well as showing how far the city as a whole has come since the 16th century. It is, in a way, the backbone to understanding Galway’s past and appreciating it for where it’s at now. Brian was able to use one singular building, and one story to shape my gaze by pushing me to understand that things were once very different in Galway- times were once brutal, unfair, and the power of one person was strong enough to take one’s life. Looking around, I would have never understood the hardships of Galway because everyone I encountered was so friendly and seemed genuinely happy. This story Brian shared helped me gain appreciation for the effort that was put in for Galway to stand where it’s at today, which I see as being a quaint and safe city full of friendly faces. 

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Deloria, AMS User's Guide 

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http://galwaycity.galway-ireland.ie/lynchs-castle.htm