Author: Daren

Lecture 17 January 2022 A discussion of the implications for the Irish Republic, the North, and Ireland’s relations with the wider world On 6 December 1921, the Sinn Féin delegation led by Arthur Griffith signed the ‘Articles of Agreement for a Treaty between Britain and Ireland’ at Downing Street, London. From both a revolutionary and a constitutional perspective this was a seminal moment in Irish history. The Treaty itself signalled a formal end to the Irish War of Independence against Crown forces; debates surrounding it proved a harbinger for a bitter civil war; whilst its ratification by the Dáil ensured that it served as the foundation document of the new Irish state: Saorstát Éireann. In this lecture, hosted jointly by the Galway Archaeological & Historical Society and the Moore Institute of NUI Galway, Dr Mary Harris will examine this (still) contentious moment in Irish history, and consider its implications for the Irish Republic, the North, and Ireland’s relations with the wider world. Originally from Cork, Dr Harris studied history, Irish and Spanish at University College Cork. She also completed her MA in medieval Irish literature at UCC, before attaining her doctorate in history at the University of Cambridge. From 1992-1996… Read the rest
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Born in Galway, raised in Conamara, and educated at Rockwell and Blackrock colleges, Pádraic Ó Conaire (1882-1928) – or Paddy Conroy as he was also then known as – emerged as the most exciting and widely-read Irish-language writer of his generation while working as a civil servant in London. He returned to Ireland in late 1915, to begin a new chapter in his life. In this online lecture (20:00 Meán Fómhair 20 September) Brendan McGowan of Galway City Museum will provide an overview of Ó Conaire’s life and literary career prior to his return from London, before focussing on his activities from the time of the 1916 Rising to the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921. Mr Brendan McGowan holds an MA in Heritage Studies from the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and an MA in Museum Practice and Management from the University of Ulster. Mr McGowen has previously held roles with Glenveagh National Park in Donegal and The National Museum of Ireland – Country Life in Mayo, prior to taking up his current role as Education Officer at Músaem Cathrach Na Gaillimhe. Mr McGowen’s primary, but by no means exclusive, research interests concern the Gaelic Revival and Revolutionary period… Read the rest
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Ní mar a shíltear a bhítear. Is iomaí mí-thuiscint atá ag daoine ar cén saghas éadaí a bhí á gcaitheamh ag daoine anseo fadó. Tá liosta mór fada d’fháthanna leis sin agus ina measc is féidir linn an locht a chur ar Hollywood, na Sasanaigh, faisean, polaitíocht agus ár n-aeráid, dár ndóigh. Fiú leis na dúshláin sin, tá foinsí ar fáil chun tiacht ar eolas atá caillte le cuimhne na seacht sinsear. I léacht léargasach agus shuairc, beidh Tonaí Ó Roduibh ag dul i bhfad níos faide siar ná plé ar chultacha leipreachán, féillí beaga agus báiníní le cabhair ó shean-cháipéisí scríofa ag Gaeil agus ag Gaill agus ón seandálaíocht. ‘Item, that no man, nor man child, do wear no mantles in the streets, but cloaks or gowns… doublets and hose, shaped after the English fashion, of the country cloth or any other cloth [it] shall please them to buy. Item, that no man, woman, or child, do wear in their shirts or smocks, or any other garments, no saffron, nor have any more cloth in their shirts or smocks, but 5 standard ells of that country cloth.‘ Litir ón rí Sasanach Anraí VIII go Gaillimh. Nasc chuig an léacht… Read the rest
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The Society’s lecture on Monday 22 Feabhra 2021 was given by our own Dr John Cunningham, who spoke on aspects relating to Galway’s Claddagh community in the late 1800s. Central to the lecture was the amazing story of the crew of the St Patrick, a hooker from An Cladach, which set sail on the 13th November 1876 before encountering a tremendous storm on the way to Ceann Léime in western Conamara. Their families and neighbours had already given them all up for dead by the time news of their safe arrival in America reached home. This talk was presented in conjunction with the Moore Institute at Ollscoil Na hÉireann Gaillimh. Members who joined the live event on Zoom and Facebook were able to ask questions and make observations in real time using the chat and comment feature on those platforms. If you missed the talk, or want to enjoy it again, it has been uploaded to YouTube by the Moore Institute (open post to view). A lecturer in History at NUI Galway, John Cunningham is a committee member of the Society, a member of the editorial board of its journal, and a past editor of Saothar: Journal of Irish Labour History. He… Read the rest
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