The League of Extraordinary Galway Librarians

Polar Express visits Ballybane Library

The Polar Express Christmas Storytelling
Ballybane Library
Thursday 20th Dec @5.30

The Polar Express is happening again on Thurs 20th at 5.30. It should be fun, there are 100 tickets printed for the event.
Staff members Oriena and Bernadette are doing the hard work, dressing up as elves and telling the story.

Images of the Orient Express movie will be in the background and the kids will form a train before getting a wrapped box with a silver bell inside.

Everybody will join in the carol singing and music and the kids will get hot chocolate and adults mulled wine.

Join us for a wonderful evening of Christmas story and song. Spaces limited.
Contact Ballybane Library ph. 380590

Christmas Storytime in Tuam Library

Over the Edge Opening Reading - Galway City Library

Green-Schools Exhibition at Tuam Library

The launch of the Green-Schools Exhibition was held in Tuam Library on Tuesday, 27^th November. The theme this year was water conservation.
Mayor of Tuam Eamon Kitt addressed the children, parents and teachers involved in the project, congratulating them on making their schools more environmentally sound through participating in the initiative. A selection of some of the art work from the project has been put on display for the next week. Artist and ornithologist Gordon D’arcy then gave the children a drawing display, discussing with them water conservation and birdlife as an indicator of water quality.

Green-Schools, known internationally as Eco-Schools, is an international environmental education programme. The aim of the movement is to increase students’ and participant awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community.

Seoladh 'NÍ MISE A RINNE É!' i Leabharlann na Cathrach

Book Launch in Tuam Library

Gort Library - Spinning Candor: a sharing of stories

Liam O'Flaherty Evening - Galway City Library

Clontuskert National School visit to Ballinasloe Library with Pat Spaight

Great video from 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class from Clontuskert National School who went to see Pat Spaight in Ballinasloe Library as part of Library Week. 
They said, 'it was great fun he told us how to do some magic tricks and lots of stories; Spooky ones and funny ones. It was great fun. Rose 1 filmed this video in the library and I edited it. By Angel'

'West Connemara & the Great War' - Clifden Library

'West Connemara & the Great War' The exhibit incudes a Roll of Honour of West Connemara men who lost their lives in the Great War as well as information on Recruitment, Regiments, Medals, Battles and Memorials.
It will remain in Clifden Library for the month of November.

Loughrea Lions Club Art Exhibition in Loughrea Library

Loughrea Lions Club Art Exhibition Launch on Saturday, 17 November 2012 at 8:00pm

Loughrea Lions Club will hold a launch of the Lions Club Art Exhibition in Loughrea Library, with a viewing to follow on Sunday between 12 noon and 6.00pm.

Open to all ages

Contact A. Callanan at 091 847220 or email loughrea@galwaylibrary.ie for more information

November Exhibition of Oil Paintings in Clifden Library

Library Ireland Week Events in Galway Public Libraries

The Connemara 195 Art Exhibition

Date: Wednesday, 7 November 2012 - 11:00am to Saturday, 17 November 2012 - 5:00pm
Galway City Library
An exhibition of Connemara landscapes, Galway seascapes and vibrant colourful abstract art work by John Joe McDonagh, Hermann Mullers, Miriam Wall and Jonathan & Leah McDonagh. Exhibition is in cooperation with Cheshire Ireland whose ethos is to empower people with disabilities and who have been supporting people with disabilities in Ireland for almost 50 years. Exhibition is open to the public during regular library opening hours.

Exhibition: the library as a place, a practice and a tradition.

Date: Monday, 12 November 2012 - 2:30pm to Saturday, 17 November 2012 - 4:00pm
Galway City  Library
Documentary exhibition explaining the library as a place, a practice, a tradition which encourages people to become more human, that encourages people to become more connected to themsleves and to the larger world.

Portumna Book Club discusses "One Day" by David Nicholls.

Date: Monday, 12 November 2012 - 7:00pm

Portumna Library

Tony Parsons, writing the The Times, described "One Day" by David Nicholls as 'a totally brilliant book about the heartbreaking gap between the way we were and the way we are...the best weird love story since THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. Every reader will fall in love with it. And every writer will wish they had written it.' Come along to hear the members of Portumna Book club discuss this book on Monday evening at 7.00pm.

Silk Painting Exhibition

Date: Tuesday, 13 November 2012 (All day)

Gort Public Library

An exquisite exhibition of hand painted silk scarves and garments by Renata Hochmanova

Story Time for Children with Jean Parker

Date: Wednesday, 14 November 2012 - 4:30pm

Letterfrack Library at the Furniture College

Story-teller and former librarian Jean Parker will tell and read a number of stories for young children in the Library in Letterfrack.

Dante Today: The great modern Dante lies in his humanity

Date: Wednesday, 14 November 2012 - 6:00pm

Galway City Library

Over 10 million more spectators recently watched the actor and improvisatory poet Roberto Benigni (you remember him from the movie Life is Beautiful) present on Italian TV a series of explanation and recitations of Dante’s Divine Comedy. Why this return to Dante? Because Dante is a modern poet. Of course, the great poets are always modern. They are always contemporary, current. And in fact the great poets do not die, but live forever, because their works are able to speak to the hearts and minds of men of all time. The great modern Dante lies in its humanity, its capacity to interpret restlessness and confusion that man feels towards the mysterious meaning of his existence. “Today, in a world in which the young, especially the young, but not just the young, is living the time of uncertainty and insecurity, the time in which the future is veiled by a nebulosity that obscures and makes it confusing and indistinct, the time in which every day at every time someone is selling you scribbled recipes of cheap illusions of happiness…Dante makes us understand that life is something more serious and important.” (Filippo Filosa). Discover more about the Divine Comedy by visiting Galway City Library at 6.00pm on Wednesday 14th November when two young students from Italy, currently on an internship with the County Library Service, will present a reading from Dante Alighieri and elaborate on the modern Dante as expressed by Filippa Filosa. 

Tuam Pen Club

Date: Thursday, 15 November 2012 - 11:00am to 1:00pm

Tuam Library

Tuam Pen Club was founded by Mrs. Máire Henry in 2003, who gathered together a like-minded group of people to write their reminiscences’, their creative stories and thoughts. The club's tutor is Máire Holmes, a noted poet, who moulded the group and assisted greatly in the production of their first book, “The Heart and the Pen”, which won the annual prize of Galway County Council in 2006, another book was to follow, “Timeless thoughts”, again a prize winner. Máire Holmes continues to tutor with us. We meet on the first and third Thursday of each month from September to June. New members are always welcome.

Over The Edge: Open Reading

Date: Thursday, 15 November 2012 - 6:30pm

Galway City Library

This ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ takes place in Galway City Library on Thursday, November 15th, 6.30-8.00pm. The Featured Readers are Mary Noonan, Dave Donovan & Fiona Scoble. There will an open-mic after the Featured Readers have finished. New readers are especially welcome. PLUS a sneak preview reading from by the MA in Writing Class of 2011/12 from their forthcoming anthology The Abandoned Darlings 

Children's Storytime

Date: Friday, 16 November 2012 - 12:00pm

Oranmore Library

Futa Fata, the children’s publisher, launches the wonderful picture book

Date: Saturday, 17 November 2012 - 12:00pm

Galway City Library

Futa Fata, the children’s publisher, would love you to join with them in the City Library, Augustine Street, Galway, at 12 midday on Saturday, 17th October,when they will officially launch the picture book "Ní mise a rinne é!" written by Bridget Bhreathnach and illustrated by Donough O’Malley. Children especially welcome! "When Little Bear embarks on a daring quest, deep into the land of imagination, he discovers just how brave he can be."

Loughrea Lions Club Art Exhibition Launch

Date: Saturday, 17 November 2012 - 8:00pm

Loughrea Branch Library

Loughrea Lions Club will hold a launch of the Lions Club Art Exhibition in Loughrea Library, with a viewing to follow on Sunday between 12 noon and 6.00pm. 

Culture Night 2012 in Galway City Library : A special celebration in talk, story and song of the iconic Delia Murphy

Halloween Storytime in Tuam Library

Ballybane Library awards 2012 Summer Reading Challenge Certificates

BAFFLE Interview in Loughrea Library

The BAFFLE Poetry Festival will hold the BAFFLE Interview in Loughrea Library this Friday 26th October at 8pm. Broadcaster and author Liam Nolan will interview Dr Pat Finnegan, the author of "The Case of the Craughwell Prisoners During the Land War in Co. Galway". Featuring renowned Story teller, Jack Lynch.
Admisision €10. Tickets at door, or in advance from 086 0813717.

Europe Direct Ballinasloe/Carraroe Libraries Soapbox Event.

The Europe Direct Centre at Ballinasloe Library together with the centre at Carraroe Library are jointly organizing a soapbox competition which takes place on November 1st next at Westside Library in Galway at 8.00pm. The competition is a National event, taking place at the 7 other ED Centres throughout Ireland, with the National Final taking place at Farmleigh on November 20th.

As this is the “European Year of Active Ageing”, the theme of the soapbox..”Youth is wasted on the young” is very apt.

Entry is open to ALL age groups with entry forms available online here or at Ballinasloe or Carraroe libraries.

Entrants speak for 3 minutes on the subject,which they can agree or disagree with.There will be a panel of experts there on the night to judge the speakers.

The first prize is an Ipad and a trip to Brussels,which is sponsored by Jim Higgins,MEP,who chairs the event on the night.

The winner in Galway will go forward to the National Final in Farmleigh on 20th November.

Entry forms are available online or at Ballinasloe /Carraroe Libraries./

Storytelling - Children's Book Festival 2012

The ancient art of storytelling is alive and well and popular with children. It is important that children experience the best in the art of storytelling. Our aim is that all Branch Libraries will have at leas

t one storytelling event during the month of October.

Little Gem Puppets from Mayo will visit;
23rd Oct - Ballinasloe and Loughrea
24th Oct .. Portumna and Woodford
25th oct.. Eyrecourt and Killimor

Pat Speight, a wonderful Storyteller from Cork will visit the following libraries;
23rd oct .. Eyrecourt and Killimor
24th Oct.. Ballinasloe and Loughrea
25th Oct . Portumna and Woodford
26th Oct .. Ballybane and Gort

The Storytelling Festival is in conjunction with the Arts office, Galway County Council.
We acknowledge and appreciate the support of the Arts Office. Check with the library for times.

Over the Edge/Away with Words in Galway City Library

Childrens Book Festival in Tuam & Headford Libraries

Culture Night in Galway City Library - 'I'll Live til I Die'

Children's Book Festival in Galway

The Children’s Book Festival runs for the month of October every year and sees libraries across the country hosting events. Some of the events in Galway include Your Man's Puppets which will perform shows using storytelling, humour and the intermingling of fantasy with realism.

"Puppetry is one of the few art forms that combines sculpture, drama, painting, music, movement and the excitement of a live production, where anything can happen."

His productions appeal to both young and old and are both humorous and thought-provoking at the same time. 

Tuesday 9th October:                 Oranmore Library 11.15 – 12.00

                                                  Tuam Library 1.45 – 2.30

Wednesday 10th October:          Athenry library 12.00 – 12.45

Thursday 11th October:               Ballybane 10.30 – 11.15

                                                   Westside 3.30 – 4.15 

Galway City Library : Culture Night 2012 with the Galway Dance Project

Westside Library gets behind the Galway Hurlers

Over the Edge in Galway City Library

The September ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ takes place in Galway City Library on Thursday, September 27th, 6.30-8.00pm. The Featured Readers are Michael O’Loughlin, Ndrek Gjini & Stephanie Brennan. There will as usual be an open-mic after the Featured Readers have finished. The evening will also see the announcement of the winners in this year’s Over The Edge New Writer of The Year competition, which received a record number of entries. For details of the shortlist see here http://www.overtheedgeliteraryevents.blogspot.ie/2012/08/2012-over-edge-new-writer-of-year-short.html

ConTempo Quartet in Loughrea Library

Culture Night - Galway City Library

The Tin Ticket - Launch in Oranmore Library

Autumnal Echoes - Galway City Library

Deirdre Holmes Photography Exhibition in Gort Library

Deirdre Holmes has been a regular library user in Gort and Oranmore for several years.  This is her first exhibition.

Title of Exhibition:  The Wind Among The Reeds

Photographer:  Deirdre Holmes

Venue:  Gort public library

Launch:  7pm Tuesday 18^th September 2012

Description: 

A mixed media photographic exhibition of local landscapes in metallic, glace and photographic prints, the wind among the reeds depicts beautiful imagery of the local landscape around Gort and Kiltartan that so inspired W.B.Yeats. 
The exhibition will run until Saturday 15^th October during library opening hours.

Galway City Library

What's going on in Galway City Library?....
See our digital window display Here

Life Lessons from the Great Books - Galway City Library

This Tuesday 4th of September at 6.00pm in Galway City Library we continue the series of talks entitled 'Life Lessons from the Great Books'.

This week is all about La Mandragola by Machiavelli and The Praise of Folly by Erasmus.

The event takes place in Galway City Library, Augustine Street, on Tuesday night, 4th of September @ 6.00pm

Leabharlann Bhaile Locha Riach i dtús cadhnaíochta maidir le cultúr! - Heritage Summer in Loughrea Library

Heritage Week in Ballinasloe Library

As part of Heritage Weeks Local history programme there will be a lecture in Ballinasloe Library on Wednesday, 22nd August, at 7.30pm

Entitled "Clanricarde's Planters,land agitation in East Galway,1886-1916", it will be given by  Dr. Miriam Moffitt of the Department of History, NUI Maynooth,

 

Heritage week in Gort Library

Heritage week in Gort library 18^th – 25^th August 2012

Weaver, Eamon Perkins will be displaying his handcrafted textiles at Gort library during heritage week and from 12pm to 3pm on Saturday 25^th August, Eamon will be in the library to give a weaving demonstration and to explain the processes of weaving from selecting fleeces to dying, spinning and weaving.

Eamon uses the loom that once belonged to well loved artist Angela Coen, who once resided in the square in Gort in the building that housed the old gallery café.

Thomas Coyne’s exhibition Bespoke History continues during heritage week at Gort library.  Coyne’s earthy and textual pieces are a conceptual approach of events which have shaped our history.

Galway City Library - 'Life Lessons from the Great Books'

This Tuesday night at 6.00pm in Galway City Library we continue the series of talks entitled Life Lessons from the Great Books, when Sanja Bentz, a student from Saarland University, Germany, looks at writings by Euripides and Von Strassburg

.
The Medea by Euripides, produced in 431 BC, tells the story of the jealousy and revenge of a woman betrayed by her husband. Euripides shocked his audience with this play which showed that even the purest emotions can become destructive
In Von Strassburg's Tristan and Isolde we hear about the overwhelming power of love to make people abandon codes of honour and betray those to whom they owe the most.

The event takes place in Galway City Library, Augustine Street, on Tuesday night August 14th at 6.00pm and concludes at about 6.45pm. Admission is free.

ART UP UR STREET LAUNCHING sARTurday 2PM AT THE TUAM LIBRARY and dont forget 12-2pm ,Brighten up your Street' for parents and children —

Summer Reading Challenge in Ballybane Library

As part of the Summer Reading Challenge,  a visiting Pirate  read some adventure stories to an audience of young children at Ballybane Library.

Summer Activities in Gort Library

Comic Book Exhibition in Westside Library

Tuam Public Library - Summer Activities

Westside Library Summer Activites

Westside Library - Over The Edge / Westside Arts Festival Summer Open-Mic

Summer Reading Challenge continues in Galway Public Libraries

The Summer Reading Challenge takes place during July and August in all Branch Libraries and the Mobile Library.
It is free and all children have to do is go along to their local library and get their reading log card. 

Tuam Library recommends…

One Dog and His Boy by Eva Ibbotson 
This beautifully written book tells the magical tale of a little rich boy Hal who wants nothing more in the world than his own dog.
His parents don’t want to deal with the mess and disruption of having a dog. They decide to rent one for the weekend from ‘Easy Pets’ dog rental and Fleck, a little white dog comes bounding in to Hal’s life.

The boy and dog bond instantly and Hal is devastated when Fleck is returned after the weekend. His decision to rescue Fleck leads to a fantastic adventure as the boy and his dog make their way to the safe haven of his grandparents...

A heart warning classic adventure. Highly recommended for 8 – 12 year olds.

European Citizens Initiative in the Europe Direct Centre @ Ballinasloe Library

Multilingual booklets to promote and inform the public on the European Citizens Initiative are now available in the Europe Direct Centre at  Ballinasloe Library.
This initiative enables one million EU citizens from at least 7 EU countries to call on the European Commission to propose legislation on matters where the EU has competence to legislate.It is a right enshrined in the EU Treaties.
All EU citizens old enough to vote in European Parliament elections have the possibility to be organizers of initiatives.However,they first have to form a Citizens Committee composed of at least 7 EU citizens living in at least 7 different EU countries.
The Citizens Committee is responsible for managing the initiative throughout the procedure.Citizens Initiatives cannot be run by organizations.However,organizations can promote or sponsor initiatives provided that they do so with full transparency.
All citizens initiatives launched across the EU are registered on a central website managed by the EU Commission and the closing date is in early September..

Further information is available from the European Union Representation ,Molesworth Street,Dublin,  and:http://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative.

Detailed information and guidance is available in the booklet 'Guide to the European Citizens Initiative' available from the Europe Direct Centre,Ballinasloe Library.

Europe Direct Centres were set up by the European Commission to inform the public on matters relating to the EU.

There are 8 such centres in Ireland. www.europedirect.ie

Life Lessons from the Great Books - Galway City Library

Life Lessons from the Great Books

“In reading great literature I become a thousand different men and yet remain myself.” 

(C. S. Lewis)

Galway Public Libraries will present twenty classics of world literature.

Every Tuesday and Thursday evening, we will talk about two books, explore their historical context, their plot and their meaning for today.

The presentations are inspired by a series of lecutes given by Prof. J. Rufus Fears (University of Oklahoma, USA) and will be given by German student of English and German literature, Sanja Bentz.

“Over the course of the next few weeks, we will talk about some classics of world literature. I strongly believe that everybody will benefit from these stories because they have become classics for a reason. You can learn from them, grow with them and simply enjoy them.

You are in love with someone out of your reach? So was Werther.

You are experiencing a midlife crisis? Just like 'The Penitent'.

You feel anger and don't know how to manage it? Learn from Medea.

These presentations will not be a literary analysis, we don't need to talk about the structure of a Greek tragedy or the form of a Shakespearean sonnet. We will talk about the stories, the messages of these books for they stay with you.” (Sanja Bentz)

The first four presentations:

July 10^th: Seneca “Of  Providence”

               Boethius “The Consolation of Philosophy”

July 17^th: Dostoevsky “The Brothers Karamazov”

                Elie Wiesel “Night”

July 19^th: A. Schweitzer “Out of My Life and Thought”

                Goethe “The Sorrows of Young Werther”

July 24^th: Shakespeare “Hamlet”

                Sophocles “Ajax”

July 10^th, 6pm, in Galway City Library, Augustine Street.

Each presentation lasts approximately 40 minutes (for both books).

Galway Public Libraries “Summer Reading Challenge”

Research shows that reading for pleasure is central for children’s life chances.

Galway County Libraries are inviting all children to participate in the Summer Reading Challenge and discover the joy and pleasure of reading.

The theme this year is “Story Lab”, a celebration of story and imagination. The library is a “laboratory” of stories waiting to be explored and enjoyed.

The Summer Reading Challenge takes place during July and August in all Branch Libraries and Mobile Library. It is free and all children have to do is go along to their local library and get their reading log card. It is not a race or competition, all you have to do is read and enjoy at least six books. There are “selected  books” to help you make your choice. Reading Certificates will be awarded to all children who reach the target of six books.

The Summer Reading Challenge focuses on the joy and pleasure of reading. Studies by the OECD show that children who read for pleasure are more likely to do well than those who don’t.

           Last year over two thousand certificates were presented to children throughout Galway City and County. The feedback from parents and teachers was very positive. Reading during the summer helps children retain and improve their reading skills.

We are asking all parents and teachers to support and encourage children to participate in “Story Lab.

For further information contact your Local Library or Library Headquarters 091- 562471 or email info@galwaylibrary.ie.

Zurkhaneh Group perform in Ballybane library.

These are images of the Iranian Zurkhaneh group who performed recently in Ballybane library.

Zurkhaneh in Persian/Kurdish is a traditional gymnasium and the national Iranian sport of Varzesh-e-Pahlavani is practiced in the Zurkhaneh.

The exercises consist of team sports that combine tests of physical strength and flexibility, specific rituals and respect for traditional moral and ethical rules.

The group performed in Ballybane library courtesy of the  organization “Sport against Racism Ireland”(S.A.R.I.)  This organization supports and promotes social inclusion and positive integration through sport.