Saturday 9th Nov 2013 • 10am: The Irish Fly Fair and Angling Show takes place at the Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, with angling celebrities, talks and seminars. • Cheerleaders across Ireland will compete at 21st Century Cheer taking place at NUIG Kingfisher Sports Arena. • 11am: The Speedie Telstar Tour takes off from The Fairgreen, exploring information and communications technology as part of the Tulca Festival. Departs again at 12:30pm. • 2pm: The Golden Mountain Festival forum takes place at the Mick Lally Theatre (formally Druid Theatre) at Druid lane with dialogue, discussion, performance and film. • 3pm: The Tchaikovsky Perm State Ballet will host a matinee performance of Giselle at The Town Hall Theatre. Showing again at 8pm. • 7:30pm: Galway Sings Gospel as over 200 singers perform to raise money for the Manuela Riedo Foundation and the Galway Rape Crisis Centre at Renmore Church • 8:30pm: It’s a ten year reunion for NUIG students of BCorpLaw and BCivLaw, where they will celebrate with dinner and dancing at The Westwood. • 9pm: The Minutes take to the stage at Monroe’s Live previewing material from their new album followed by lively cover band Electric Lemon. • 9:30pm: Catch The Barley Mob with their folk, soul and rock beats at the Townhouse Bar. • 10pm: Head to Krcma in Salthill for Sugradh with DJ Gary, for the best of 80s, 90s and 00s club classics.
Galway Roots for the Vatican’s
Scarlet Pimpernel
By Avril HORAN onsignor Hugh O’ Flaherty, who has been celebrated as the Irish Oscar Schindler for his part in saving thousands during the Nazi occupation of Rome, has a strong Galway connection. His father, James O’Flaherty is from Headford, Co Galway. Born in 1862 in Galway, James was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary and served in Glashkinleen, Co Cork from 1885 onwards. It was here that he met his wife, Margaret Murphy, and they married in 1897. Hugh was their first child and the family settled in Kerry. Their young son was ordained in Rome in 1925 and quickly rose up the ranks, serving as part of the diplomatic service for four years. He was the only Irishman to become Notary of the Holy Office. Perhaps inspired by his father, he became amateur golf champion of Italy, at a time when priests of Rome were not allowed to play golf. James had left the constabulary to become steward of the old Killarney Golf Course and it is here that Hugh developed his passion for golf. Hugh’s success both within the Vatican and on the golf course - would prove important during the war. He masterminded a large scale operation from within the Vatican to help save Jews and
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Allied prisoners. He began by hiding prominent Jews he already knew, through his wide social network, and soon the operation expanded. He ran an escape line using safe houses and church buildings, putting his life in extreme danger. Local Gestapo commander, Herbert Kappler, tried to assassinate him on a number of occasions. In later years, Kappler was sentenced to life for his role in the war, and his only visitor was Msgr. Hugh O’Flaherty, who baptised him into the Catholic Church. For his endevours, Hugh became known as the Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican. He was awarded a CBE by the UK, a US Medal of Freedom, a medal from France and a medal from Italy. A film about his life, The Scarlet and the Black, was made starring Gregory Peck. Msgr. O’Flaherty died in County Kerry on 30 October 1963 and is buried in Cahersiveen. A new statue has been unveiled in his honour in Killarney. The
in GALWAY
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