Author: Séan Ó Duibhir

For many decades, historians and commentators avoided examination of the Civil War, regarding it almost with embarrassment. So it was within families and communities too, where the ‘War of the Brothers’ was often discussed only in hushed tones, if at all. However, since the arrival of Michael Hopkinson’s ground-breaking Green against Green in 1988 things have changed, and authorities such as Tom Garvin, Bill Kissane and – most recently – Diarmaid Ferriter have published books on the subject. In this lecture, Professor Michael Laffan, will examine how our views of this conflict have evolved in recent years. A graduate of University College Dublin and Trinity Hall Cambridge, Professor Laffan lectured at the School of History and Archives at UCD for over three decades. A former president of the Irish Historical Society, and a sought-after contributor on matters historical for the national media, he has also published extensively on Ireland’s Revolutionary Period. His seminal work on the original Sinn Féin organisation, The Resurrection of Ireland: the Sinn Féin Party, 1916-1923, remains the definitive text on that subject; whilst his more recent biography of W. T. Cosgrave successfully addressed a previous dearth in academic examination of the first leader of the independent… Read the rest
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Léacht (Luan 14ú Márta: Harbour Hotel ag 20:00/8i.n.) Léargas ar an bpobal a mhair sa gceantar seo sa naoú haois déag ó thaobh cén uair ar tháinig siad ann, cé leis a raibh siad ag íoc cíosa, cén chaoi ar mhair siad ar muir is tír agus na hathruithe a bhí ag tarlú de réir mar a bhí an tréimhse sin ag dul ar aghaidh.  As Tír an Fhia sna hOileáin í Áine Ní Chonghaile. Thosaigh sí a saol oibre ag teagasc agus ansin chuaigh siad leis an aistriúchán, ceird ar chaith sí an chuid ba mhó dá saol oibre.… Read the rest
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Some Town Castles of Galway by Patrick Larkin The first GAHS lecture of the new 2019/20 season will take place on Monday 9th September at the Harbour Hotel. In medieval times, the saying that ‘a man’s home is his castle’ was a reasonable reflection of reality. This was entirely apposite in the case of the aristocracy and merchant classes whose warrior culture would identify with the defence possibilities offered by castles as residences. Over time, such castles evolved with changes in culture, and the way they were used changed too. Galway’s town castles were no different, and this illustrated talk will explore the evolution of the town castle as demonstrated in the city of the tribes.   Harbour Hotel, Galway, Monday, September 9th at 8pm.… Read the rest
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A History of Irish Dance by Hubert Jennings A first for GAHS! Despite it being one of the most popular forms of entertainment for many centuries, in our 119 year existence it looks like we have never looked at the history of dancing. Hubert Jennings will guide us on a whistle-stop tour through the ages on the subject of Irish Dance – its changes and development. It will cover the dance masters of the 19th century, their flamboyant demeanour  and modus operandi. The talk will sketch the main social, cultural, economic, religious, political, legal and technological influences brought to bear on the development of our traditional dance and the reciprocal impact on those characteristics of society from the first ceilí in London in 1898 to Riverdance 1994. There will be an outline on traditional dance development in Galway City from the 1930s and some of the main players who promoted this part of our cultural heritage for recreation and competition. The lecture will take place at the Harbour Hotel, New Docks, Galway on Monday 8th of April at 8pm. Admission is free of charge and all are welcome to attend.  … Read the rest
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The First Dáil by Dr. Séan O Duibhir January 2019 marked the centenary of the inaugural meeting of the first Dáil Éireann. Dr. Séan Ó Duibhir, will discuss the practical, and symbolic, features of the Irish State’s ‘foundation moment’. This lecture will also consider aspects often overlooked within popular history: such as the preparations for the Dáil’s first meeting in the Mansion House on 21 January 1919; the nature and importance of the four documents adopted by the (limited number of) delegates present; and the rationale behind the decision to largely model Ireland’s ‘revolutionary’ parliament on that of the ‘old enemy’ at Westminster. The lecture will take place at the Harbour Hotel, New Docks, Galway on Monday 11th of March at 8pm.… Read the rest
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Roscommon Castle, the Otherworld and the True Cross Prof. Tadgh O’Keeffe Roscommon Castle’s site and situation have long been a puzzle, as they seem somewhat inconsistent with the evidence that the castle was a fortress intended to keep the native Irish at bay. This lecture offers a new perspective on the context of the castle’s construction and suggests that the explanation for its location involves both the Táin Bó Cúailnge and the relic of the True Cross. Prof. Tadhg O’Keeffe is Head of UCD School of Archaeology. One of Ireland’s best-known medievalists, he has published five books and over 150 papers on aspects of medieval archaeology and history. Monday 11th February 2019 at 8 pm Harbour Hotel, New Docks, Galway… Read the rest
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Galway and the Spanish Armada The first GAHS lecture of 2019 will be given by Peadar O’Dowd who takes a look at the sorry events surrounding the fate of the men and boys of the Spanish Armada in Galway. Around 300 Spanish sailors were murdered by the English authorities and buried in a mass grave at Forthill Cemetery. It is now marked by a plaque unveiled by the Spanish Ambassador to Ireland in 1988 on the 400th anniversary of the atrocity. The lecture will be followed by the society’s Annual General Meeting. The event is free of charge and all are welcome. We hope to see you there. Extract from Hardiman’s History of Galway. In order the more effectually to satiate his thirst for their blood, and to seize their rumoured treasures, the lord deputy himself [Sir William Fitz-Williams] made a journey into Connaught, where this sanguinary man arrived in June, 1589, and on the 20th of that month he came to Galway. Sir Murrough O’Flaherty, William Burke, the blind Abbot, and several others of the principal inhabitants of Mayo and Iar Connaught, came in and submitted; but were put under conditions to give hostages, disperse their forces, deliver up… Read the rest
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The Galway Archaeological and Historical Society (GAHS) was founded on the 21st March 1900 at the Railway Hotel to promote the study of the archaeology and history of the west of Ireland. Since 1900 the Society has published 73 volumes of its Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society. See our Journal menu links for more details. Most of our back catalogue of journals are now available through the online academic database JSTOR. The Society runs a lecture series in Galway City, as well as outings to various sites of interest during the summer. It is also involved in liaison with national and local authorities in relation to heritage matters concerning the City and County of Galway. We invite you to become a member, overseas members are also welcome. All members get a free copy of the GAHS Journal normally issued towards the end of the calendar year.… Read the rest
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Browse the full list of GAHS journals going back to 1900. Option click on number link to jump to that volume or use the search facility at the top of the page to search for text in a paper title.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 Back issues of these journals are available for purchase for €25/30 (including postage to Ireland/International addresses). Please indicate which volume(s) you require using their numbers separated by commas. Back issue purchase Select Destination Post to Ireland €25.00 EURInternational €30.00 EUR VOL Number(s)   JGAHS Vol. 64 (2012) Christiaan Corlett: Cursing Stones in Ireland Patrick Larkin: The Castles of Lough Derg: an Illustrated Survey Eva Maguire & Michael Quinn: Galway’s Medieval Heart – the history and Modern redevelopment of Kirwan’s Lane Joseph Mannion: Elizabethan County Galway: The origin and evolution of Tudor Local Government Pádraig G.… Read the rest
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