July to December 2015
Events Guide
Great Mace of Galway
July Saturday 4 July, 12pm – 1pm GUIDED TOUR: Highlights of Galway City Museum Beginning with an overview – literally – of the City, Corrib and Claddagh, discover the fascinating history and folklore behind a selection of objects at Galway City Museum, including the rare Penfold postbox, the controversial statue of Ó Conaire and the Great Mace of Galway. Age 8+ to All Ages Saturday 11 July, 10.30am – 12pm WORKSHOP: Printmaking for Children Join Elena Santos of Galway Print Studio for this creative print workshop for children. Age 8 – 12
Saturday 18 July, 10.30am – 12.30pm WORKSHOP: “Bourgeois, Bourgeois” – Printmaking for Teens As part of Galway International Arts Festival, Galway City Museum will host an exhibition of prints by the French-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois. Join Elena Santos of Galway Print Studio for a printmaking workshop inspired by the exhibition. Age 12 – 18 Saturday 18 July, 1.30pm – 3.30pm WORKSHOP: “Bourgeois, Bourgeois” – Printmaking for Adults As part of Galway International Arts Festival, Galway City Museum will host an exhibition of prints by the French-American artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois. Join Elena Santos of Galway Print Studio for a printmaking workshop inspired by the exhibition. Adult
Summer Camp 2015 Tuesday 21st – Friday 24th July, 10am – 3pm SUMMER CAMP: Creative Film-making for Teens Join Garry Kelly of GK Media for this 4-day film course in which participants get to produce a short documentary about the history of Galway. The group will develop their communications skills, build their confidence, strengthen their means of self-expression, embrace their local history, and gain invaluable knowledge about the film industry whilst having fun. For further information and bookings email: bookings@gkmedia.ie Age 12 – 16 COST: ¤50 per person payable to GK Media on the first day Tuesday 21st – Saturday 25th July, 11am – 12pm WORKSHOP: Movement for Well-Being Join Bernadette Divilly and Maureen Rabbit in the courtyard of Galway City Museum for this series of mindful movement and Tai Chi drop-in workshops themed “Mindful Movement, Minding People, Minding Place”. All Ages. No Booking Required
The Angry Cat by Louise Bourgeois. Courtesy of GIAF
Galway City Museum is a spacious, modern building situated in the heart of Galway city on the banks of the River Corrib and overlooking the famous Spanish Arch and Claddagh. The museum houses a variety of permanent exhibitions covering a wide range of topics – from the Prehistoric and Medieval periods, Galway and the Great War, maritime life along Galway Bay, Galway’s three-in-a-row All-Ireland football victories in the 1960s and SeaScience – as well as changing temporary exhibitions. It also boasts a full-size Galway Hooker boat suspended in its atrium and the famous monument to Pádraic Ó Conaire, which formerly sat in Eyre Square.
Saturday 25 July, 2pm – 3pm TALK: Patrick Pearse & Ros Muc Patrick Pearse (1879-1916) first visited in Ros Muc, Connemara in April 1903 and was so taken with the area that he acquired a small cottage as a summer residence and summer school for his pupils from St Enda’s in Dublin. Join Máirtín Ó Meachair of Teach an Phiarsaigh as he talks about Pearse, his connection to Ros Muc and the story of his cottage, past, present and future. Age 12+
August Saturday 1 August, 11am – 12.30pm WORKSHOP: DIY – Food in Prehistory Join archaeologist Anne Carey to learn what the earliest communities in Ireland ate and how they produced their food. Afterwards have a go at grinding grain and making Neolithic bread. Age 7 – 12 Saturday 8 August, 11am – 12.30pm WORKSHOP: DIY – Food in Early Historic Ireland Join archaeologist Anne Carey and, using the Brehon Laws and archaeological evidence, piece together the Gaelic Irish diet and see how it changed over time. Afterwards try your hand at making butter and see how yeast works. Age 7 – 12 Saturday 15 August, 2pm – 3pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: On the Run with Colm Ó Gaora Born in Ros Muc in 1887, Colm Ó Gaora was an Irish-language teacher with the Gaelic League and a key figure in the IRB and Irish Volunteers in the West. His autobiography Mise (1943) is one of the best-known accounts of the War of Independence in the Irish language. Join Mícheál Ó hAodha, University of Limerick, as he tells the fascinating story of Ó Gaora and his fight for Irish freedom. Adult
Saturday 22 August, 2pm – 3.30pm WALKING TOUR: Fact Vs Fiction Did you know that the Lynch Memorial Window is a ‘tourist trap’? Should the truth ever get in the way of a good story? Join street guide Seán Leonard on a walking tour of the inner town as he discusses the interplay between history and storytelling: the somewhat blurred lines between fact and fiction that come together to create the identity of Galway. Age 12+ Wednesday 26 August, 2pm – 3.30pm WALKING TOUR: The Corrib’s Industrial Past To mark this year’s Heritage Week theme – ‘our industrial past’ – Michael Quinn, Dúchas na Gaillimhe / Galway Civic Trust, will lead a leisurely stroll along the banks of the River Corrib and its associated waterway during which he will examine the history of Galway’s various water-powered industries, as well as the social and ecclesiastical heritages of the waterways. For bookings contact the Civic Trust on (091) 564946. Age 12+ Saturday 29 August, 11am – 12.15pm WORKSHOP: Harvest Knots At harvest time, in some part of Ireland, men and women wove pieces of straw to make ornate harvest knots, which were then exchanged as love tokens. Join Tom Doyle to learn more about this custom and try your hand at making one. Family Event / Age 7+ Saturday 29 August, 2pm – 3.15pm WORKSHOP: Cailleach There are many harvest superstitions associated with the cutting of the last sheaf, which was sometimes ornately woven to make a cailleach, meaning ‘hag’. Join Tom Doyle as he talks about traditions associated with the harvest and demonstrates how to fashion a cailleach using straw. Afterwards try your hand at making one. Adult
Persse Distillary on the Corrib. Courtesy of NLI
Saturday 25 July, 11am – 1pm WORKSHOP: Wonder Workshop for Young Creators Science educator Lindsay Deely of Toodlelou will take the natural curiosity of your budding young creator, combine it with a dash of learning and a big heap of fun to learn, make, tinker, invent and experiment. A unique afternoon that will bring out the creative explorer in any child. Ages 8 – 12
ConTempo Quartet
September Saturday 5, 12 & 19 September, 11am – 1pm PERFORMANCE: 3 Saturdays – 3 Kinds of Music The Galway Music Residency in collaboration with the Galway City Museum presents ConTempo Quartet, Galway’s ensemble in residence who will be joined by some of Ireland’s young classical, contemporary and Irish traditional musical artists on the rise. The musicians will fill the museum with beautiful sounds for music lovers of all ages to enjoy. All Ages. No Booking Required
Saturday 26 September, 2pm – 4pm PERFORMANCE: The Great Push In The Great Push, Patrick McGill (1889–1963), the ‘navvy poet’ and soldier from Donegal, devoted a chapter to a night spent at Les Brebis, France, prior to the Big Push, which was written in the trench between midnight and dawn of 25 September 1915. Join Gerry Conneely, as McGill, for this one-man show marking the centenary of this event. Age 12+
LUNCHTIME WITH CONTEMPO
The Galway Music Residency with Galway City Museum welcomes you to experience 40 minutes of beautiful and inspiring music performed by the internationallyacclaimed ConTempo Quartet, Galway’s ensemble in residence. Concerts are free and booking is not required. Celebrating their 20th anniversary as a quartet, ConTempo will perform some of their favourite string quartets this season. Each performance is preceded by a short discussion of the music. Tuesday 1 September, 1.10pm – 1.50pm Dmitri Shastakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor Tuesday 6 October, 1.10pm – 1.50pm Robert Schumann: String Quartet No. 3 in A major, Op. 41 Tuesday 3 November, 1.10pm – 1.50pm
Culture Night
Johannes Brahms: String Quartet No. 3 in B flat major, Op. 67
Friday 18 September, 5.30pm – 8pm LECTURES: Galway Women, Europe & Beyond Thirteen historians will present short illustrated talks on the topic of Galway women and their impact on the wider world. This Culture Night event is curated and presented by Dr John Cunningham of the History Department at NUI, Galway. Galway City Museum will remain open to the public until 9pm. Adult
Tuesday 1 December, 1.10pm – 1.50pm
Saturday 19 September, 2pm – 2.30pm & 3.30pm – 4pm PERFORMANCE: Cotaí Dearga How does tradition begin? What is authentic? Galway Dance Artist in Residence, Ríonach Ní Néill, explores the iconography of the cótaí dearga, traditional red skirts of Conamara and Árainn, and invents an undiscovered history of them. Described by the Irish Times as “the hidden gem” of Dublin Dance Festival 2014. Produced by Ciotóg. All Ages. No Booking Required Cótaí Dearga, choreographed by Ríonach Ní Néill. Courtesy of Paul Kinsella & Ríonach Ní Neill
Bedrich Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 “From My Life” in E minor All Ages. No Booking Required
Enda Colleran with Sam, 1965. Courtesy of Jim Carney
October
Wednesday 28 October, 11am – 1pm WORKSHOP: Science & Art of the Sea Learn, create, experiment and, most importantly, have fun while exploring the sea with science educator Lindsay Deely of Toodlelou. This hands-on session featuring science, art and tinkering will see young scientists stretch their creative muscles while learning amazing and inspiring facts about the sea. Ages 8 – 12 Saturday 3 October, 2pm – 3pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: Galway’s Three-in-a-Row, 1965 In September 1965, for the second year in a row, Galway beat Kerry in the final of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and Captain Enda Colleran brought the Sam Maguire west. Join Jim Carney, sports journalist, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of this triumph. Age 12+
Nick Pfeiffer with a blue shark off Inis Oírr
Saturday 24 October, 2pm – 3pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: Galway’s Dominican Textiles In 1644 the Dominican Sisters established an Order in Galway. In 2013, the Order donated its collection of religious textiles dating from the 16th to 20th centuries to Galway City Museum. Join textiles specialist Mairéad Johnston as she discusses the background to and importance of this collection – one of the best in the country – which includes altar frontals, chausables, chalice covers and lectern veils. Age 12+
Saturday 10 October, 2pm – 3pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: Swimming with Sharks Marine ecologist and accomplished scuba diver and underwater photographer Nick Pfeiffer spends much of his time exploring the riches of Galway Bay. Join Nick as he shares stories and images of his underwater discoveries and encounters. Age 12+ Saturday 17 October, 2pm – 5pm PERFORMANCE: International Uilleann Piping Day This year Na Píobairí Uilleann (NPU) celebrate the fifth year of International Uilleann Piping Day. It is an opportunity for pipers around the world to “Share the Sound of Ireland”. Join Tommy Keane and fellow Galway pipers for their contribution to this international event. All Ages. No Booking Required Piper Tommy Keane
Thursday 29 October, 11am – 1pm WORKSHOP: Wonder Workshop for Young Creators Science educator Lindsay Deely of Toodlelou will take the natural curiosity of your budding young creator, combine it with a dash of learning and a big heap of fun to learn, make, tinker, invent and experiment. A unique afternoon that will bring out the creative explorer in any child. Ages 8 – 12 Friday 30 October, 11am – 12.30pm WORKSHOP: DIY – Building for Shelter Join archaeologist Anne Carey to explore the different types of houses people constructed from earliest times in Ireland. Afterwards build your own post and wattle wall and make a model of a prehistoric house. Age 7 – 12 Saturday 31 October, 11am – 12.30pm WORKSHOP: DIY – Crafts & Clothing Join archaeologist Anne Carey to see the wide range of crafts that were used in Ireland in the past to provide clothing, including weaving, knitting and sewing. Afterwards learn to weave, try your hand at knitting and see how clothes were dyed different colours. Age 7 – 12
EVENING LECTURES SERIES Thursday 1 October, 7pm – 8pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: Silent Servant & Symbol of the State
Thursday 8 October, 7pm – 8pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: The IRB & Irish Volunteers in Galway
Victorian Penfold Postbox by Derek Biddulph
Introduced to Ireland by the novelist, Anthony Trollope, the post box has been a silent and reliable servant of the public for over one hundred and fifty years now. Join Stephen Ferguson, An Post, to hear how the postbox has, from tentative and uncertain beginnings, become much more than a mere “letter receiver”, emerging as a cherished icon of functional design and a symbol of State authority, a point so well appreciated by the men who changed its colour from red to green. Adult
Join local historian Cormac Ó Comhraí, author of Revolution in Connacht, as he discusses the activity of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and Irish Volunteers in Co. Galway and the conditions – social and political – that encouraged recruitment. Adult Thursday 15 October, 7pm – 8pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: Galwaymen in the American Civil War
Thursday 22 October, 7pm – 8pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: National Identity & the West of Ireland From the early 20th century onwards, through the Easter Rising and emergence of the Irish Free State, artists turned to the west of Ireland - a people and landscape which retained a continuity with its Gaelic past - as a source of inspiration from which to forge a sense of Irish identity. Join Marie Bourke of the National Gallery of Ireland, for an illustrated talk on national identity and the west with particular reference to artistic works at the National Gallery. Adult
The Little Green Fields by Gerard Dillon. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Ireland
During the American Civil War (1861-1865) at least 180,000 Irish-born fought for the Union and 20,000 for the Confederacy. In fact, Ireland produced more Civil War Generals than any other foreign country, including Patrick T. Moore from Galway, a slaveowning, confederate general. Join archaeologist, historian and author Damian Shiels as he discusses the role of Irishmen in the American Civil War, with particular reference to Galwaymen. Adult
November
December
DIGITAL TRAINING
Saturday 5 December, 2pm – 4pm CRAFT WORKSHOP: Christmas Decorations in Felt Join craftsperson Aleksandra Kolek to learn how to create your own Christmas tree decorations using needle-felting techniques. Needles and materials provided. Age 12+
Gary will train participants in the art of photogrammetry and over the three Saturdays participants will learn to use the freely available software used to turn digital photographs into 3-D models of heritage objects. This non-invasive survey method allows both professionals and community groups to record and analyse heritage objects and present them in an interactive format online. Adult Saturday 14 November, 2pm – 3pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: Lynch, Lynch Law & Lynching Every Galwegian is familiar with the medieval story of Mayor James Lynch Fitzstephen who hanged his own son. Join Michael Hudson of the Avoca Museum, Virginia, as he discusses the possible origins of the term ‘lynching’ and the amazing story of Charles Lynch Sr. from Galway and his infamous son Col. Charles Lynch who headed an irregular court in Virginia to punish loyalist supporters of the British during the American Revolutionary War. Age 12+
Saturday 12 December, 2pm – 3pm ILLUSTRATED TALK: The Great War Memorial Cross A large Celtic cross stands within the Collegiate Church of St Nicholas, which commemorates fifteen parishioners who fought and died during the Great War. Join Carol Louise Flanagan as she explores the lives of Joseph T. Barnett, Royal Irish Fusiliers, and Edward Fleetwood-Berry, Gurkha Rifles, and her quest to discover the other untold stories. Age 12+
Great War Memorial Cross by Marta Barcikowska
Lynch Memorial Window
Saturday 7, 14 & 28 November, 10.30am – 4.40pm TRAINING: 3-D Recording Techniques Join archaeologist and digital designer/programmer Gary Dempsey for a three-week course to learn the skills and techniques required for 3-D recording for archaeology and architecture. The course is ideally suited to for those interested in developing 3-D recording skills for community projects but it is open to all and no experience is required.
Guided Tours Guided tours of the museum can be arranged and are free of charge (although a contribution to our donations box is appreciated). Tours are subject to the availability of staff and should be booked at least two weeks in advance. Schools, please note the following: • Guided tours last approximately 45-60 minutes • You should bring at least one adult per fifteen students • Larger classes are split into smaller groups for guided tours (generally <20 per tour) • A teacher/leader must remain with each group at all times and are responsible for the group’s behaviour • We do not have a lunch room • Food is not permitted in the galleries • Photography is permitted, without flash For further details or to make a booking please contact the Education & Outreach Officer by calling (091) 532460 or by email at museum@galwaycity.ie.
DIY Tours Groups can also enjoy the museum without booking a tour but please do let us know you’re coming.
Guided Tours at Galway City Museum. Photo by Colm Hogan.
How to Book:
Contact:
For further information or to make a booking please contact Galway City Museum on (091) 532460. Please note the following: • Events are FREE of charge unless otherwise stated and all materials are supplied. • Events must be booked in advance (except where stated). • Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. • Please ensure you arrive in advance of the start time, otherwise your place may be reallocated. • If you have booked and are unable to attend please contact the museum as soon as possible so that your place may be reallocated.
Tel: (091) 532460 Email: museum@galwaycity.ie Website: www.galwaycitymuseum.ie
Galway City Museum, Spanish Parade, Galway City.
Mailing List: If you wish to join our mailing list please contact the museum on (091) 532460 or email: museum@galwaycity.ie
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm Sunday (summer only), 12pm to 5pm Admission Free.
Children’s Activity Sheet: Activity sheets for children in English and Irish - My Favourite Object / An Rud Is Fearr Liom - are available from Reception.