The Tuam Hunger Strike of 1978 remembered in Tuam Library

Almost a hundred people were in attendance Saturday the 9th of March in Tuam library to hear Dr. Gabriel O’Connor deliver a much anticipated talk on the Tuam Hunger Strikes of 1978.
All though all of the principal protagonists involved , former Tuam Town Commissioners Harold Campbell & Joe Burke, and Brian McNamara of the Tuam Chamber of Commerce are now departed, numerous members of their families, including many of their grandchildren were present. Dr. O’Connor gave an impressive on lecture on the exciting events of April 1978 . The Hunger Strike was undertaken by two town commissioners and a member of the Tuam Chamber Commerce and lasted almost seven days, the aims of which were to avert the removal of the rail link to Tuam and the withdrawal of major industries.

Oranmore Heritage in Oranmore Library

Upcoming Events in Galway City Library

 

Poetry & Film, John Canning in Galway City Library

The Tuam Hunger Strike, 1978 - Tuam Library

The Tuam Hunger Strike of 1978 – A Tribute to Harold Campbell, Joe Burke and Brian McNamara

This is the heroic story of the late Tuam Town Commissioners Harold Campbell & Joe Burke, and Brian McNamara of the Tuam Chamber of Commerce, who in April 1978 went on hunger strike to protest the threat to Tuam of the removal of the town’s railway and of Erin Foods. As part of the commemorations for Tuam’s 400^th anniversary, Dr. Gabriel O’Connor will give a talk on the fascinating story of the hunger strikers and their legacy. 

The talk will be held on Saturday, the 9^th of March at 1pm in Tuam Library. All are welcome.

Gort Library ‘George Russell A.E. - Poet, Painter, Nationalist, Mystic, Economist and Journalist’

The first in a series of talks on the lives of signatories of the Autograph Tree at Coole brought to you by the Lady Gregory and Yeats Heritage Trail Group

‘George Russell A.E. - Poet, Painter, Nationalist, Mystic, Economist and Journalist’

presented by Pearl Finn, Vedic Astrologer

Time: 7.30pm

Date: Wed. 27th February

Venue: Gort Public Library

February ‘Over The Edge: Open Reading’ takes place in Galway City Library on Thursday, February 28th, 6.30-8.00pm. The Featured Readers are Mia Gallagher, Dawn Wisniewski & Ruth Quinlan

Paddy's Resource-the songsters of the Society of United Irishmen Lecture in Galway City Library

The patience of a little borrower in Athenry Library

Last Saturday (Feb 2nd) was very, very busy here in the library in Athenry.  I was continuously checking in and out books and directing people to shelves for the books they were looking for.  There was a constant queue at the desk.
Every now and again I could hear a little voice saying “Can you get a Princess book for me”.  As I was too busy to even look in the direction of the voice, I just ignored it.  I answered the phone and dealt with everyone as quickly as I could.
Finally there was a lull and I looked over to the corner of my desk and there was a little girl with her hand under her chin waiting for me.  She said in a low little voice, “Can you get a Princess book for me”.  This little girl had been standing at the desk for over half an hour waiting for me to get her a book about princesses.
Finally I could leave my chair and took the little girl over to the picture books and prayed I would find a princess book for her!  I eventually got her a pink Princess Poppy book and she was very happy.  She took it over to her dad and little sister who were sitting down near the Easy Reader shelf and were also looking for a book about princesses!  She said, “the lady found it for me, and I can bring it home”.
Imelda Hussey,
Branch Librarian, Athenry Library.

Our thanks to Laurie Mahaffey, Deputy Director of "Connecting Texas Libraries Statewide" http://www.ctls.net/   who described Imelda's account in the following way: "Precious story. Such a sweet story! Thanks for sharing it!"

Galway City Library -The second lecture in the series will be given by Dr Riana O'Dwyer on Wednesday February 13. “Two Galway Playwrights: MJ Molloy and Tom Murphy”

Crochet Exhibition in Clifden Library

Tuam Library - Upcoming Events

Survey shows that citizens regard Libraries as more important than Air quality

In the  VitalSigns survey, conducted by the Community Foundation for Ireland (CFI), and published on Wednesday, respondents reported  Libraries as being of great importance to them, even ahead of Air quality.

The Respondents to the Citizens’ Survey reported the following issues as being the top ten most important issues to them out of 119 options:

1. The quality of the education system

2. Literacy levels

3. Universities and third level education

4. Early childhood development

5. Libraries and reading

6. Air quality

7. Numeracy levels

8. Home life of children and young people

9. Educational attainment rates

10. Lifelong learning

 The report’s author, Ruth Cullen, said the survey’s overall findings were positive:

“Our main priorities are learning, environment and young people, and these are all forward-thinking sustainable priorities, and a welcome change to the fast living and reckless decision-making of the recent past.”

http://www.foundation.ie/images/uploads/file/reports/VitalSigns-Extended-Report.pdf

Age Action Book Club in Galway City Library

Organ Donation Forum in Westside Library

The School of Humanities Public Lecture Series 2013 - Galway City Library

You are warmly invited to The School of Humanities Public Lecture Series 2013

PLAYERS VOYAGERS AND VIEWERS

“Film Theory for Television Viewers” Wednesday 16^th January – 6.30pm

Venue:  Galway City Library, Augustine Street.The first lecture in the series will be given by  Prof Rod Stoneman, Huston School of Film & Digital Media

                      

Tuam Library Events in January

The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2013

Books are nominated for the Award by public libraries in cities throughout the world, making the Award truly international and making the longlist unique in its coverage of international fiction.

Participating libraries can nominate up to three novels each year for the Award.

If you would like to propose a novel which you feel that Galway County Library should nominate for the award, please send details of the novel to pmcmahon@galwaycoco.ie.

In order to be eligible for consideration for the 2013 Award a novel must have been: first published in English between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2013, both dates inclusive, or first published in a language other than English between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2012 and first published in English translation between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2012 (all dates inclusive).

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