Galway pub owner's voice heard as new council idea put on hold

It is way more than just a ‘G’

Published 11th Sep 2026, 10:28 BST Fergus McGinn of McGinn’s Hop House | McGinn's It is way more than just a ‘G’ Galway City Council has put its branding project on hold to allow for further consultation following a strong reaction to proposals to change its familiar logo which was kicked off by publican Fergus McGinn.

The move comes as Cllr Alan Cheevers (FF) has called for the €28,000 spent to date on the project to be recovered, insisting there is “nothing wrong with the logo we have”.

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A spokesperson for Galway City Council confirmed that further feedback will be gathered “on the proposed visual identity” and they “will make an announcement once that process is concluded.”

Internal correspondence viewed by Galway Live confirms that no decision will be made on the new branding while further views are sought.

The council is expected to hold further focus group discussions before the feedback is considered by its Senior Management Team.

Cllr Cheevers said the decision to seek further views was welcome, but insisted the council should now seek to recover the money already spent on the project.

“The bottom line is that they need to retrieve that €28,000,” he said.

He said the next stage of consultation should include people from the wider community who have spoken out about the proposed change.

“They need to bring in the likes of Fergus McGinn and let them have a say,” he said.

However, Cllr Cheevers believes the controversy also presents an opportunity for Galway to have a much wider conversation about how the city presents itself nationally and internationally.

“Galway City Council branding is a waste of money if we are only talking about logos,” he said.

“Galway is not about a logo. It is about Galway as a brand – how we tell our story, how we promote the city internationally, and how we attract visitors, investment, talent, students, businesses and major events.

“We need to be much more ambitious. This should be about selling Galway to the world, not redesigning a council logo.”

Correspondence viewed by the Galway City Tribune also provides further insight into the rationale behind the branding project and the decision to pause the process.

Council management acknowledged that much of the discussion to date had centred on the proposed logo rather than the wider purpose of the branding exercise.

Galway City Council secures €18,000 debt judgement against Bangladeshi organisation Galway Bus driver's discrimination case dismissed The project was originally undertaken to improve communication around council services, with research and stakeholder engagement indicating that people do not always recognise the full range of services and activities delivered or supported by Galway City Council.

The wider branding exercise was intended to create a clearer and more consistent identity across the organisation and make the council and its services more readily recognisable.

Three visual options had been developed following stakeholder workshops, research and surveys, but no final design had been approved.

However, following feedback in recent days, the process will now allow more time for consultation and further input before any decision is made.

The correspondence indicates that a form of the ‘G’ remains part of the thinking for any future logo, while the historic Galway shield, crest or coat of arms would remain in use as the seal of Galway City Council.

There is also support for retaining maroon, alongside the potential use of blue to represent the Corrib and Atlantic, while the Irish-language name, Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe, would be given prominence.

Any future branding would also be introduced gradually, with existing branded materials only replaced when they reach the end of their useful life or when new communications are being produced.

The €28,000 cost of the project was initially revealed after Cllr Niall McNelis (Lab) raised questions with council management about the rebrand.

In response to his queries, management confirmed that the project had been awarded to a private consultancy following a tender competition and that the €28,000 spent to date was funded through the council’s communications budget.

Questions about the value for money of the project had also previously been raised by Independent Cllr Eibhlín Seoighe (Ind).

“For a local authority that constantly tells me that they need to be careful about how public money is spent, I would question: is this a good use of the taxpayers’ money?” she said.

“It does not matter which budget it is coming from. A rebrand was not something that was asked for on the doors.

“I question the value that this rebrand will bring to the citizens of the city.”

Council management had previously said the project was being accelerated to meet milestones associated with the move to its new Crown Square headquarters, but stressed that the rebrand was not being driven specifically by the move.

The branding process will now remain on hold while further views are sought, with additional focus group discussions expected before the matter returns to the Senior Management Team.