Galway History Festival is taking place next week to put the past in the spotlight and encourage people to take an interest in the stories behind our county.
The History Festival will kick off at the Aula Maxima at NUI Galway on Thursday, March 7 at 5:30pm when Professor Enrico Del Lago will introduce Mayor of Galway Niall McNelis and Deputy Mayor Donal Lyons.
That won’t be the extent of the evening as Dr John Cunningham and singer-songwriter Andy Irvine will take people on a journey through the life of soldier and labour activist Tome Glynn (1881-1934).
Dr Cunningham will discuss how a man from Gurteen ended up as a teenage soldier in the Boer War, a labour activist everywhere from Johannesburg, to Vancouver and Syndey, before being imprisoned as one of the ‘Syndey Twelve’ for their opposition to WWI consription.
Mr Irvine will perform some of the classic songs of the Industrial Workers of the World, or ‘Wobbly’ movement, including his own composition ‘Gladiators’ which was inspired by the travails of Tom Glynn and his friend Tom Barker.
There will be plenty of other events taking place in spots around Galway during the week looking at the history or Revolution and Activism in the west, looking at our traumatising institutional past, and the problem of St. Patrick.
Galway History Festival 2019 is being organised by Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley and Dr Kevin Higgins of NUI Galway in association with Galway city council and Creative Ireland.
For more information about events taking place or booking a spot email galwayhistoryfestival@gmail.com or see galwayhistoryfestival.wordpress.com.
photos: Galway History Festival
