The hotel being built on the site of the former Tonery’s bar in Bohermore could grow even larger. The developer has lodged plans with Galway City Council for 18 extra guest bedrooms.
Galway Bay FM reported on Friday 30 October that Carra Shore Hotel Galway is seeking permission for a three-storey extension to the rear of the building. The hotel under construction already has more than 160 bedrooms over three storeys, with two levels below ground.
From neighbourhood pub to 160-bed hotel
Tonery’s was a well-known Bohermore bar. It was demolished late last year after a long planning process.
The applicant, Carra Shore Hotel (Galway) Limited, first lodged plans with Galway City Council in September 2023. City planners judged the height and scale of the original design excessive and granted permission only with the entire third floor removed. An Taisce then appealed to An Bord Pleanála, now An Coimisiún Pleanála.
After about 15 months of deliberation, the appeals body ruled in September 2025 that the hotel could go ahead. Galway Bay FM reported at the time that the Commission took a different view from the council on height, finding that the original scheme, up to four storeys when seen from the street, would not be excessive. The latest report says the appeals body overruled the council’s decision to cut the third floor. The approved scheme was for 163 bedrooms.
The plans drew a very large number of submissions, many of them in support. Others raised concerns about density and scale, traffic and overshadowing of neighbouring homes.
The twist: back towards the original size
The new application has a twist. When Carra Shore first lodged its plans in 2023, the scheme was for a 182-bedroom hotel. In April 2024 city planners approved it with almost 30 conditions. The most significant was that the third floor be removed, on the grounds of visual amenity and protecting the amenity of nearby homes.
If the 18 new bedrooms are approved on top of the 163 permitted, the hotel would have about 181 rooms, almost exactly the number first proposed.
The original plans divided opinion locally. Galway Bay FM reported in April 2024 that most of the submissions from Bohermore residents were short letters backing the project, which supporters said would bring visitors and jobs to the area. Objectors lodged longer submissions. They argued that a hotel with no car parking was unrealistic and would cause congestion in Bohermore and Forster Court. One submission said the building would effectively be a hostel because it had no bar or restaurant. An Taisce backed that point, saying it was misleading to call the building a high-quality hotel.
Why it matters for Galway
Room prices in Galway climb during big events such as the Races and the Arts Festival, and the amount of hotel accommodation in the city comes up regularly in local debate. A bigger hotel on the edge of the city centre would add to supply. Residents in the established neighbourhood will want to see how a larger extension affects them, given the concerns raised during the original application.
The new application follows other recent city-centre tourism decisions. Last week, Galway City Council confirmed that councillors had approved its Part 8 plan for a new tourist information office and public toilets at Eyre Square.
What happens next
Galway Bay FM said city planners are due to decide on the extension before the end of 2026. Once the council decides, the applicant or any third party who made a valid submission can appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála, which could push a final outcome into 2027. Construction of the main hotel, already approved, continues in the meantime.
Members of the public can view the application on Galway City Council’s online planning system and make a submission within the statutory period, normally five weeks from when the application is received, by paying the standard fee.
Sources
- Galway Bay FM: Plans to increase hotel size at former Tonery’s Bar in Bohermore (30 October 2026)
- Galway Bay FM: Final approval for hotel on site of Tonery’s Bar, Bohermore (2 September 2025)
- Galway Bay FM: City planners receive raft of letters supporting transformation of Tonery’s Bar in Bohermore into hotel (4 April 2024)
- Galway Bay FM: Appeal to An Bord Pleanála over plans to replace Tonery’s Bar, Bohermore with hotel (21 May 2024)
- Travel Extra: Coimisiún Pleanála grants approval for demolition of Tonery’s Pub in Bohermore, Galway (8 September 2025)
- Galway City Council: News – Part 8 approval for new Tourism Information Office and Public Facilities at Eyre Square (23 October 2026)
Featured image: Galway – View of Prospect Hill from Eyre Square – geograph.org.uk – 1631339 by Joseph Mischyshyn, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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