The building of the wall probably commenced shortly after the year 1270, when Galway obtained its first murage grant. (Irish Excavations Reports)
the earliest known murage grant can be dated to 1272 at the latest, on the basis of its accounts recorded in the Pipe Rolls for two periods, 1272-1275 and 1278-80 (6 EdI. Rep DK 1904/36, app. XLII 47-8; Hardiman 49-50). (Thomas)
It was, however, found necessary, in order effectually to prevent their incursions, which were frequent and destructive,7 to fortify the town, and surround it with walls. This work was accordingly commenced about the year 1270; and there is still extant, on the great roll of the pipe, 6 Edw. I.—the account of Stephen Annery and Adam Albus, collectors of the murage of the town of Galvy, in Connaught, from the festival of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 56 Hen. III. until the same festival, 3 Edw. I. in which they account for 29l. 7s. 6d. received for customs of wine, salt, cloth, leather and divers other merchandize, whereout they expended 29l. 4s. 5d. in masons and carpenters wages, and expenses of workmen assisting them in the wood and stone work during that time. On the same roll, there also appears the account of Robert Bayon, collector of the murage of Galway, from the Sunday next after the festival of St. Martin, Edw. I. until Tuesday on the morrow of St. Simon and Jude, 8 Edw. I. wherein he accounts for 27/. 13s. 11 d. customs of wine, salt, wool, cloth, leather, skins of all lambs and goats, fish, herrings, and other divers and minute merchandize, at the same place coming in during that time, whereout he expended, in making a large fire to burn lime, and for wood carried to the same, and for the wages of masons and other workmen employed for breaking stone, and conveying it to the same place during the same time, and for the wages of workmen and others assisting the masons to make walls on the side towards the sea, and to build a tower beyond the great gate, and in buying iron for fabricating crows, pickaxes, nails, and other tools, 5/. 17s. 4d.: and further, for wages of carpenters working about the tower, and for carriage of timber and carpenters work at the gate, and for various other necessary works, 11/. 5s. 7d.— The contents of this ancient record are thus particularly specified, as they recount the first considerable improvements which were made in the town after it was possessed by the English settlers; and, trifling as the amount of the sums expended on these works may appear in modern times, they will be found, upon a comparative calculation of the then value of money, to have been very considerable. (Hardiman)