Galway

Edward Green established his shoemaking workshop in Northampton in 1890, gathering the town's most illustrious craftsmen.[4] During the 1930s, the company was one of the largest manufacturers of officers' boots for the British Army.[4] The Galway was first designed in 1930 for officers in the British military,[3] and has been made for the best part of a century.[1] The original design was constructed using the Veldtschoen method, where the upper is pulled out over the top of the welt for an especially weather-resilient finish.[3] This construction technique was supposedly pioneered by the Boers of southern Africa before being adopted by the British military.[2]

The Galway features a distinctive arrowhead seam between the shaft and body that gives the boot much of its elegance.[2] The design includes a comfortable rounded toe, watertight bellows tongue, and added height to accommodate walking socks.[3] Both practical and full of character, the boot combines military heritage with refined styling.[1]

The original Galway design uses Veldtschoen construction, a very solid waterproof method where the leather is turned outwards and stitched to the top of the welt.[5] In this technique, the upper is pulled over the welt for added weather protection, creating an especially durable and water-resistant bond.[2][3] Edward Green is one of the only shoemakers that can execute this specialized construction.[5]

The company also produces the Galway with handstitched Goodyear welt construction in a wide variety of other leathers and lasts.[1][3] Newer variations constructed using this method are renowned for being reliably waterproof and durable.[3]

Edward Green currently offers the Galway on several lasts. The 64 last is a round-toed country last with added height for extra thick socks.[2] The 202 last provides the perfect balance between sleek and substantial, combining almond toe and round toe characteristics.[2] The 82 last is a refined almond toe that is slimmer and more contemporary than the 202.[2] For Autumn 2023, Edward Green introduced the Galway on a new last — the 303, a contemporary round-toe available in dark brown London Grain and Espresso Suede.[2]

The universal sizing recommendation for the 202, 82, and 72 lasts is to go 0.5 down from US Brannock size or 0.5 up from UK Brannock size.[2] Edward Green's approach to widths is that the shoes should be snug, snugger than many Americans are used to.[2]

The Galway is available in numerous leather options. Edward Green employs their fabled Rosewood Country Calf, a rusty-looking embossed calf with aniline finish, where the grain pattern is stamped into its surface in an irregular pebble pattern which some might refer to as scotch grain.[2] The original design is crafted from hardwearing, burnished calf leather that gains character as it ages.[3]

The boot is offered in a strong lineup of cordovan variants, including Burgundy Cordovan & Aubergine London Grain, along with Black and Cognac Cordovans.[2] Galways are also crafted from waxed utah calf,[2] and available in combinations such as mink suede shaft with dark oak calf forefoot.[6]

The Galway features Ridgeway soles, a rugged British-manufactured rubber sole which ensures the boots are ready for the elements with strong grip.[1][3] The boot is also available with Dainite rubber soles.[2]

Based in Northampton, the historic home of shoemaking, Edward Green's team of over 60 artisans handcraft a maximum of 350 pairs of shoes a week.[3][5] "Excellence without compromise" was the eponymous founder's mantra, an ethos that remains at the heart of the company to this day.[3][5]

The Galway retails for £1,215 in the United Kingdom.[2] European retailers price the boot at €1,442.62,[6] while US retailers list pre-orders at $1,880.00 for the Black Country Calf variant.[7] Galways hold their value well on the secondary market.[2]