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The Cathedral Organs

Galway Cathedral is home to two superb organs which play different roles both in the liturgy and in concert performances.

The Gallery Organ

The Gallery Organ was originally built in 1966 by the Liverpool firm of Rushworth & Dreaper. Between 2006 and 2007, it was rebuilt by Irish organ-builder Trevor Crowe, making it one of the finest instruments in the country.

The organ has three manuals and pedals, and 59 speaking stops. It is located on the north wall of the Cathedral, directly above the choir gallery, with portions housed also in chambers within the Cathedral's two towers.

Rushworth & Dreaper (Liverpool), 1966
Trevor Crowe (Donadea, Co. Kildare), 2007

Great Positive Swell Pedal

Double diapason 16
Open diapason 8
Fugara 8
Harmonic flute 8
Stopped diapason 8
Principal 4
Spitz flute 4
Twelfth 2 2/3
Fifteenth 2
Flute 2
Tierce 1 3/5
Mixture 19.22.26.29
Posaune 16
Trumpet 8
Clarion 4

Tremulant

Swell to Great
Positive to Great

Principal 8
Rohr flute 8
Violoncello 8
Dolce 8
Octave 4
Koppel flute 4
Fifteenth 2
Scharff 22.26.29
Posaune 8
Cromorne 8

Bombarde 16
Bombarde 8

Swell to Positive

Bourdon 16
Open diapason 8
Hohl flute 8
Gemshorn 8
Viola 8
Viola celeste 8
Principal 4
Hohl flute 4
Gemshorn 4
Gemshorn 2
Mixture 12.19.22
Bassoon 16
Trumpet 8
Oboe 8
Vox humana 8
Clarion 4

Tremulant

Subbass 32
Open wood 16
Open diapason 16
Violone 16
Subbass 16
Octave 8
Violoncello 8
Bass flute 8
Fifteenth 4
Flute 4
Twentysecond 2
Mixture 12.19.26.29
Bombarde 16
Posaune 16
Trumpet 8
Clarion 4

Swell to Pedal
Positive to Pedal
Great to Pedal

Manual compass: 61 notes
Pedal compass: 32 notes
Key-action: electro-pneumatic
Stop-action: electric
16 general combinations, with 96 levels of memory
8 combinations to each division, with 16 levels of memory
Sequencer with 999 memory slots

The Choir Organ

In 2006 the Cathedral acquired a moveable one-manual instrument with four registers. This organ resides normally in one of the side-chapels, where its primary use is in smaller-scale liturgies held in these chapels; however, it can be moved anywhere on the the floor of the Cathedral, and is capable of accompanying a good-sized congregation. It is also used in a continuo role in concerts.

Trevor Crowe, 2006

Stopped Diapason 8
Principal 4
Flute 4
Principal 2

Manual compass: 56 notes
Key- and stop-action: mechanical