Parnell Gale was Mayor of Galway in 1817.Dutton, Hely (1824). A Statistical and Agricultural Survey of the County of Galway. Dublin: R. Graisberry, p. 322Spellissy, Sean (1999). The History of Galway. Limerick, Ireland: Celtic Bookshop, p. 135O'Laughlin, Michael C. (1998). Families of Co. Galway, Ireland. Kansas City, MO: Irish Roots Cafe, p. 94Hardiman, James (1958). The History of the Town and County of the Town of Galway. Galway, Ireland: Connacht Tribune Printing and Publishing Co., p. 229
Political career
Prior to serving as Mayor, Parnell Gale was a collector of excise in Galway in 1815.Stewart, John Watson (1815). The Gentleman’s and Citizen’s Almanack For the Year of our Lord 1815. Dublin: John Watson Stewart, p. 162
Parnell Gale’s term as major was marked by social unrest. Caused in part by meteorological conditions sparked off by volcanic activity, food shortages were prevalent in Galway in early 1817.Cunningham, John (2004). ‘A town tormented by the sea’: Galway, 1790-1914. Dublin: Geography Publications, p. 89 In January 1817, Mayor Gale believed food riots could be controlled and resisted efforts to invoke the Peace Preservation Act, the equivalent of martial law. However, by March 1817, Gale was not so confident in maintaining order and in a letter to Dublin Castle, requested the cavalry be sent since mounted troops might more effectively pursue rioters.Cunningham, ‘A town tormented by the sea’: Galway, 1790-1914, pp. 87-88 Rioters were attacking stores and merchant’s houses as well as removing the sails from ships so that vessels could not carry provisions from the town.
A good harvest and falling market prices finally brought the disturbances of 1817 to an end.Cunningham, ‘A town tormented by the sea’: Galway, 1790-1914, p. 89
Personal life
Parnell Gale was born in Queen’s County (present day County Laois), Ireland, the son of Anthony Gale and Anne Delany.Betham, Sir William (undated). Genealogical abstracts of records of the Prerogative Court of Armagh. Will of Mall Delany, dated 6 November 1784, proved 20 January 1785, reproduced from LDS FHL British Film #595941,Volume 19, p. 108.
Parnell Gale is the brother of Anthony Gale, fourth Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.McCunney, Richard (2010). The Genealogy of Anthony Gale, p. 13
Parnell Gale is buried at St. Nicholas' Collegiate Church in Galway. The inscription on Parnell Gale’s burial monument reads: ""
See also Ashfield Gales
Notes
Ancestry
Bibliography