LIVE: Galway shop on fire as gardai dealing with incident
Gardai and fire brigade are attending the blaze
Emergency services are currently dealing with a serious fire at a Galway shop.
Joyce’s Craft shop and the adjacent pub Paddy Festy’s in Recess has been on fire overnight with gardai and fire brigade currently at the scene since before 6am.
There has been significant damage to all of the buildings but thankfully the fire did not spread to the petrol pumps at the front of the premises and no injuries have been reported.
Gardai confirmed to Galway Live that they are attending the scene but no further information is available at this time.
A spokesman added: The N59 at Recess, Co Galway is closed. The following diversions are in place: Traffic heading towards Galway on the N59 will be diverted left at Inagh Valley junction; Traffic heading towards Clifden will be diverted right at Maam Cross.
Just after midday, one local told Galway Live: “You still can’t get near it, it’s still smouldering and smoke still billowing. Loads of fire trucks there and a crane.”
At 9am, the owner of Phone World in Clifden shared a photo showing the fire at the shop under control.
He said: “Heartbroken to see the devastating fire at Joyce’s this morning.
“As I drove by, the sight was truly shocking. My heart goes out to Michelle, the family, and everyone whose lives and hard work are connected to Joyce’s.
“As a fellow small business owner, I understand that behind every business are countless early mornings, late nights, sacrifices, and dreams. We wake up each day with hope, determined to build something meaningful for our families and our community.”
He added: “Seeing years of dedication affected in a single moment is incredibly painful. A heartfelt thank you to the firefighters for their courage, professionalism, and tireless efforts in responding to this tragic fire.
“Wishing Michelle, the entire Joyce’s family, and all the employees strength, hope, and resilience during this difficult time. May you find the support to rebuild and come back even stronger. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.”