The Mayors of Galway City have existed, with a break of ninety-seven years, since the office was inaugurated in 1485. Prior to that, the town of Galway was ruled by Provosts or Soverigns who were nominally answerable to the Earls of Ulster and later the Mac William Oughter or Clanricarde - the successive heads of the de Burgh or Burke family of south Connaught.

Office holders by date

Rulers and Officers of Galway 1230-1485

All deputys of the Earl of Ulster till after 1333

• 1270: Thomas de Lynch, Provost.
• 1272-75: Stephen Annery, Collector of the Murage .
• 1272-75: Adam Albus, Collector of the Murage.
• 1278-80: Robert Bayon, Collector of the Murage
• 1280: William O'Ciorovane, Soverign.
• 1306: Cruchus Delaps, Farmer of the New Customs.
• 1306: Simon Long, Collector of the Customs.
• 1306: Thomas Sage, Collector of the Customs.
• 1306-07: Thomas Dolfyn, Collector of the Customs.
• 1310: Andrew Gerard of Florence, Keeper of the Customs.
• 1312: Nicholas Mor Lynch, the Black Marshall, Marshall
• 1353: Stepehn Penrise, Provost.
• 1353+: Stepehn Penrise, Bailiff & Collector of the New Customs.
• 1375: Bishop Stephen de Valle, Collector of the Customs of the Port .
• 1375: Nicholas Calf, Deptuty Collector of the Customs of the Port.
• 1378: Richard Scared, Provost.
• -1385: Thomas Alwyne, Seneschal and Reciever .
• 1434: Edmund Lynch, Soverign.
• 1443: Edmund Lynch, Soverign. Robert Lynch, Provost.
• 1443-44: Henry Lynch, ditto. Robert Lynch, ditto. Thomas O'Tyernay, Bailiff.
• 1445: Thomas O'Tyernay, Bailiff.
• 1448: William Allen, alias Den, Provost.
• 1460: William Dubh Lynch fitz James.
• 1461: William Develin, Soverign.
• 1462: William Oge Allen, alias Den, Sovereign.
• 1476: Thomas Lynch.
• 1483-84: William Lynch, Soverign.
• 1484-85: William Lynch, Soverign. John Lynch fitz Edmond, Provost.

Mayors of the Tribes 1485-1654

• 1485-86: Pierce Lynch fitz John
• 1486-87: Dominick Dubh Lynch fitz John
• 1487-88: John Blake
• 1488-89: Geoffrey Lynch
• 1489-90: John Lynch fitz John
• 1490-91: Robuck Lynch
• 1491-92: John Skerrett
• 1492-93: Thomas Lynch fitz Edmond
• 1493-94: James Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1494-95: John Lynch fitz Edmond
• 1495-96: Thomas Blake
• 1496-97: Walter Lynch fitz Robert
• 1497-98: Dominick Lynch fitz John
• 1498-99: Andrew Lynch
• 1499-00: James Lynch fitz Martin
• 1500-01: Geoffrey Lynch
• 1501-02: Robuck Lynch
• 1502-04: Edmond Deane
• 1504-05: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
• 1505-06: Walter Lynch fitz Thomas
• 1506-07: Thomas Bodkin
• 1507-08: Arthur Lynch
• 1508-09: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
• 1509-10: Stephen Lynch fitz James
• 1510-11: James Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1511-12: James Lynch fitz Geoffrey
• 1512-13: James Lynch fitz Martin
• 1513-14: Walter Lynch fitz Thomas
• 1514-15: Stephen Lynch fitz Walter
• 1515-16: James Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1516-17: Stephen Lynch fitz James
• 1517-18: Stepehn Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
• 1518-19: John Bodkin
• 1519-20: William Martin fitz Thomas
• 1520-22: Martin Font
• 1522-23: Stephen Lynch fitz Dominick Dubh
• 1523-24: Stephen Lynch fitz James
• 1524-25: Adam Font
• 1525-26: William Martin
• 1526-27: Rychard Martin
• 1527-28: Willaim Morris
• 1528-29: John Lynch fitz Andrew
• 1529-30: Richard Gare Lynch
• 1530-31: John Oge Kirwan
• 1531-33: James Skerrett
• 1533-34: Richard Blake
• 1534-35: Thomas Kirwan
• 1535-37: Richard Martin
• 1537-38: Martin Lynch fitz James
• 1538-39: John French
• 1539-40: Arthur Lynch and Arthur French fitz Geoffrey
• 1540-41: Thomas Lynch
• 1541-42: Dominick Lynch
• 1542-43: Henry Joyce
• 1543-44: Jonathan Lynch
• 1544-45: Edmund Lynch
• 1545-46: Thomas Blake
• 1546-47: Stephen Lynch fitz Arthur
• 1547-48: Thomas Kirwan
• 1548-49: Dominick Lynch fitz John
• 1549-50: Thomas Oge Martin
• 1550-51: Richard Kirwan
• 1551-52: John Oge Lynch
• 1552-53: John Oge Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1553-54: Patrick Lynch
• 1554-55: Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1555-56: Nicholas Blake
• 1556-57: William Skerrett
• 1557-58: James Oge Lynch
• 1558-59: Ambrose Lynch fitz Martin
• 1559-60: Thomas Blake
• 1560-61: Stephen Lynch fitz Arthur
• 1561-62: Nicholas Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1562-63: Thomas Blake
• 1563-64: Thomas Oge Martin
• 1564-65: Nicholas Blake
• 1565-66: Peter French fitz Valentine
• 1566-67: James Kirwan
• 1567-68: Edmond Kirwan
• 1568-69: Dominick French
• 1569-70: Givane Font
• 1570-71: Denis Kirwan
• 1571-72: Robuck Lynch
• 1572-73: John Lynch
• 1573-74: Pierce Lynch fitz Oliver
• 1574-75: Andrew Browne and James Kirwan
• 1575-76: Dominick Browne
• 1576-77: Peter French fitz John
• 1577-78: Pierce Lynch
• 1578-79: John Blake fitz Richard
• 1579-80: Martin French
• 1580-81: Dominick Lynch
• 1581-82: Peter Lynch fitz Marcus
• 1582-83: Robuck French fitz John
• 1583-84: Nicholas French
• 1584-85: Nicholas Lynch
• 1585-86: James Lynch fitz Arthur
• 1586-87: William Oge Martyn
• 1587-88: John Blake
• 1588-89: Andrew Morris
• 1589-90: Richard Browne
• 1590-91: James Lynch fitz Ambrose
• 1591-92: Ulick Lynch fitz Edmond
• 1592-93: Valentine French
• 1593-94: John Martin
• 1594-95: Rolande Skerrett
• 1595-96: Marcus Lynch fitz Nicholas
• 1596-97: Oliver Oge French
• 1597-98: Anthony Lynch fitz Marcus
• 1598-99: Nicholas Kirwan fitz Denis
• 1599-00: Michael Lynch
• 1600-01: Francis Martin fitz Thomas
• 1601-02: Christopher Lynch fitz George
• 1602-03: James Darcy and Christopher Lynch fitz George
• 1603-04: Marcus Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1604-05: Marcus French fitz John
• 1605-06: John Skerrett fitz William
• 1606-07: Edmond French fitz Robuck
• 1607-08: Richard Martin fitz William
• 1608-09: Stephen Kirwan
• 1609-10: Oliver Browne and Ullick Lynch
• 1610-11: Richard Bodkin
• 1611-12: Sir Valentine Blake and Richard Martin fitz William
• 1612-13: Sir Thomas Rotheram
• 1613-14: Walter Martin
• 1614-15: Nicholas Darcy
• 1615-17: Pierce Lynch fitz John Oge
• 1617-18: Francis French fitz Peter
• 1618-19: Nicholas Lynch fitz George
• 1619-20: James Darcy fitz James
• 1620-21: Andrew Lynch fitz John
• 1621-22: Robert Martin fitz Richard and Richard Martin fitz William
• 1622-23: Patrick Martin fitz Walter
• 1623-24: Marcus Oge French fitz Marcus
• 1624-25: Robert Blake fitz Walter
• 1625-26: Thomas Lynch fitz Nicholas
• 1626-27: James Lynch fitz Martin
• 1627-28: Sir Richard Blake fitz Richard
• 1628-29: John Lynch fitz Richard
• 1629-30: Nicholas Lynch fitz Jonathan
• 1630-31: Sir Valentine Blake
• 1631-32: George Martin fitz Walter
• 1632-33: Geoffrey Martin
• 1633-34: Patrick French
• 1634-35: Sir Dominick Browne
• 1635-36: Nicholas More Lynch fitz Marcus
• 1636-37: Anthony Lynch fitz James
• 1637-38: Sir Thomas Blake
• 1638-39: Sir Robuck Lynch
• 1639-40: John Bodkin fitz Dominick
• 1640-41: Francis Blake
• 1641-42: Walter Lynch fitz James
• 1642-43: Richard Martin fitz Oliver
• 1643-44: Sir Valentine Blake
• 1644-45: James Darcy fitz Nicholas
• 1645-46: Edmond Kirwan fitz Patrick
• 1646-47: John Blake fitz Nicholas
• 1647-48: Walter Browne
• 1648-49: Sir Walter Blake
• 1649-50: Thomas Lynch fitz Marcus
• 1650-51: Sir Oliver Oge French
• 1651-52: Richard Kirwan fitz Thomas
• 1652-53: Michael Lynch fitz Stephen
• 1653-54: Martine Lynch fitz Anthony
• 1654-54: Thomas Lynch fitz Ambrose

Mayors of the Commonwealth 1654-1660

• 1654-55:

Mayors of the Restoration 1660-1686

• 1660-61:

Jabobite Mayors 1686-1691

• 1686-87:

Mayors of the Penal Laws Era 1691-1762

• 1691-92:

Mayors of the Daly Regime 1762-1840

• 1762-63:
• 1763-64:
• 1764-65:
• 1765-66:
• 1766-67:
• 1767-68:
• 1768-69:
• 1769-70:
• 1770-71:
• 1780-81:
• 1790-91:
• 1800-01:
• 1810-11:
• 1820-21:
• 1830-31:

Galway Urban District Council 1840-1937

The Mayoralty Restored: Mayors since 1937

• 1937-49: Joseph J. Costello .
• 1949-51: Michael O'Flaherty .
• 1951-52: Michael Lydon
• 1952-53: Joseph Owens
• 1953-54:
• 1954-55:
• 1955-56:
• 1956-57:
• 1957-58:
• 1958-59:
• 1959-60:
• 1960-61:
• 1961-62:
• 1962-63:
• 1963-64:
• 1964-65:
• 1965-66:
• 1966-67:
• 1967-68:
• 1968-69:
• 1969-70:
• 1970-71:
• 1980-81:
• 1990-91:
• 2000-01: Martin Quinn
• 2001-02: Donal Lyons
• 2002-03: Val Hanley
• 2003-04: Terri O'Flaherty
• 2004-05: Catherine Connolly