Galway 'Browne Gate' Heraldry

The well known landmark, the Browne Doorway now at Eyre Square, Galway was removed from an old house in Lower Abbey Gate Street and it bears the names of Martin Browne and Mary Linch along with the date of 1627. 

On the left hand side are the arms and crest of the Browne family and on the right are the impaled arms of Lynch and Penrice with the Lynch crest on top. The arms of Browne are ‘argent an eagle displayed sable’ while those of Lynch are given by ‘azure on a chevron between three trefoils slipped or’.

The Penrices of Galway bore two coats, usually quartered when marshalled with other coats. These were ‘per pale indented argent and gules’ and ‘azure three lions passant argent’. The Browne arms are ‘or an eagle displayed with two necks sable’.