1. society
2. unrest and war

Join in
Political Change and the First World War
Galway County Council’s
Decade of Commemoration 2014 theme
Funding Partners
Decade of Commemoration Committee
Galway County Council & Galway Library Services
Galway’S
GREAT
READ
with
A Long
Long
Way
By
Sebastian
Barry
Events Programme
November
2014
W
elcome to Galway County Libraries contribution to
Galway County Council’s Decade of Commemoration
events (1913-23). This year’s theme is political change
and the First World War.
Peter Rabbitt
County Librarian
The First World War was a major historical event and led to a
changed world politically and socially. We are trying to recreate
and imagine, through readings, poetry, talks and reminiscences
of family members, a flavour of what life was like in Ireland and
Europe at that time.
Thanks to:
• All our contributors and sponsors
• All library and council staff for putting on these events in our
libraries
• All for taking part in Galway’s Great Read and supporting our
libraries
‘...Died not for flag, nor
King, nor Emperor
But for a dream, born in a
herdsman’s shed
It is important that whatever we read and whatever we hear
through these talks and discussions we are given a greater
understanding of why the world changed and why the sacrifices
of our forebears at home and abroad must be remembered.
And for the secret Scripture
Ta Leabharlanna Chontae na Gaillimhe ag glaoh part
of the poor.’
Tom Kettle í gComórtha Deich mBliana Chomhairle Chontae na
Gaillimhe(1913-1923).
‘...We will remember
Bhí an Chéad Chogadh Domhanda mar ócáid ​​mhór stairiúil agus
them...’
tháinig athraithe ar an saol polaitiúil agus sóisialta. Anois, céad
Robert Binyon bliain níos déanaí leis na himeachtaí Leabharlainne seo tá muid
Sept 1914 ag iarraidh a athchruthú agus a shamhlú, trí léamh, filíocht,
cainteanna agus cuimhní cinn de bhaill teaghlaigh blas a fhail ar
cad a bhí an saol cosúil leis in Éirinn agus san Eoraip ag an am
sin.
Buíochas le:
Terry McDonagh is a poet and dramatist who writes for
adults and children. He has held residencies in Europe, Asia
and Australia. He has published eight poetry collections, a
book of letters, as well as prose and poetry for young people.
He has just completed, Echolocation, poetry for young people.
He lives in Mayo and Hamburg.
Ger Siggin’s series of sports stories; Rugby Spirit, Rugby
Warrior and Rugby Rebel are set in a Dublin boarding school
and are published by O’Brien Press. Ger was a journalist
with the Sunday Tribune from 1986 until it closed in 2011 and
has since been a full-time writer, mostly on sport. His other
books include biographies of cricketers Trent Johnston and
Kevin O’Brien and a history of the stadium at Lansdowne
Road.
Joe Brennan Joe Brennan was born in Wexford in 1968.
His play The Witchin’ Well was produced by An Grianán
Productions (Letterkenny, Co Donegal) in 2005 and 2006. He
is also a professional storyteller and lives in Donegal.
Niall de Búrca is one of Ireland’s finest traditional
storytellers. He was raised in Galway and displayed a talent
for narrative from a young age. He has featured in theatre,
radio and at many festivals at home and abroad. Niall also
spent many years living in New Zealand. His experiences as
an emigrant there have had a major influence on his work
and performance style.
• Ár rannpháirtithe agus urraitheoirí
• Gach ball a chur na himeachtaí ar siúil sna leabharlanna
• Gach duine a ghlac páirt i Léigh Mór na Gaillimhe agus a thug
tacaíocht dár leabharlanna
Tá sé tábhachtach go faigheann muid tuiscint ar saol ár sinsir
nuair a léann muid leabhar nó nuair a chloiseann muid léacht.
Dr. Jarlath Deignan is a medical practitioner in Tuam
with an interest in military history, particularly the 19121923 period.
Brian MacGabhann is co-founder of the Renmore
History Society, which was founded in 2002. Brian is a
native of Dublin and has a degree in Politics from the
Professor Gearoid O’Tuathaigh has recently retired
from the History Dept., NUIG, where he had a long and
distinguished career. He continues with his studies
and writes for various academic publications. He is in
constant demand for lectures.
Mary Clancy NUI, Galway, researches women’s
political, social, labour and life histories, contributes to
documentaries through the medium of Irish and English
and organises public history events.
William Henry is a local historian, archaeologist,
newspaper columnist and author from Galway City.
He has published numerous books including Galway
and the Great War. This book explores the reasons why
Galway men signed up for the War and the effects that
the War had on Galway.
Neil Richardson is originally from Dublin and now lives
in Co Westmeath. His first book, A Coward If I Return, A
Hero If I Fall: Stories of Irishmen in WWI, was published
by O’Brien Press in 2010 and went on to win the Argosy
Irish Non-Fiction Book of the Year award at the Irish
Book Awards that year. In 2012, his second book, Dark
Times, Decent Men: Stories of Irishmen in WWII, was
subsequently released by O’Brien Press.
Ronnie O’Gorman was born in Salthill, Galway. He
founded the Galway Advertiser in 1970 and worked as the
editor for the paper until his retirement in 2001. He now
works as chairperson of the Galway Advertiser Group, as
a columnist for the newspaper, and a historian, as well
as being an indefatigable supporter of the arts.
Sabastian Barry
Contributors to Galway’s Great Read
Sebastian Barry
was born in Dublin
in 1955 and is
a multi-award
winning Irish
playwright, novelist
and poet.
His work is
renowned for its
fusing of family story with facets of Irish
history and our troubled past.
His most recent novel The Temporary
Gentlemen was published in 2014.
A Long Long Way was first published
by Faber and Faber in 2005. It quickly
received rave reviews and was shortlisted
for various literary prizes including
the Man Booker Prize and the Dublin
International Impac Prize.
Galway Libraries chose A Long Long Way
as its first Great Read. The theme for the
1914-2014 commemoration is ‘Political
Change and the First World War’ and
library staff believe that Barry’s story
has captured the
complexity of that
change especially
in regard to later
events that occurred
in Ireland.
Willie Dunne, the
hero of the novel,
enlists in the army
at the outbreak of
war in 1914. But
Dunne, who is from
Dublin, leaves a country full of political
turmoil. This is a book that is not only
about World War I but Ireland’s place in
the War.
This is a powerful novel about divided
loyalties and the harsh realities of
war. Barry writes with a lyrical prose
that brings his characters and their
circumstances to life.
Event Details
Event Details
Venue
Launch of Galway’s Great Read
& introduction to the events
programme
Áras an Chontae
Creative Writing Workshops on
World War I
with poet Terry McDonagh
Date
Time
29
September
4.30pm
Various libraries
7th, 8th & 10th
October
Contact
library for
details
Storyteller Joe Brennan will weave
words of magic, enthralling his
listeners with tales from the Great
War
Various libraries
7th & 8th
October
Contact
library for
details
Where the Poppies Grow…
with storyteller Niall de Burca
Various libraries
13th October
Contact
library for
details
Irish History Live lets you touch and
use the museum quality replicas of
historical artifacts from World War I
with Mike Moylan
Various libraries
21 - 24
October
Contact
library for
details
Gerard Siggins will read from his
novel Rugby Warrior (2014)
Various libraries
th
st
th
21st - 24th
October
Contact
library for
details All libraries
November
Contact
library for
details
Clifden Library
November
Contact
library for
details
1914 Athrú Domhanda
le Professor Gearóid Ó Tuthaigh
Leabharlann an Spidéil
5th
November
6.30 pm
1914 Athrú Domhanda
le Professor Gearóid Ó Tuthaigh
Leabharlann na
Cheathrún Rua
6th
November
6.30 pm
World War I Poets An Exhibition
Compiled by Mark Sweeney
World War I Exhibition
Venue
Date
Time
An evening of history to remember
the ‘Great War’
with Ronnie O’Gorman and
William Henry
Westside Library
11th
November
6.30-8.00
pm
‘Galway Women and World War I’
a talk by Mary Clancy, NUI Galway
Ballinasloe Library
18th
November
6.00-8.00
pm
‘Galway Women and World War I’
a talk by Mary Clancy, NUI Galway
Clifden Library
19th
November
6.00-8.00
pm
Galway people who participated in
World War I
a talk by William Henry
Ballybane
Library
20th
November
2.30 pm
Gort Library
25th
November
6.30 pm
Ballybane Library
26th
November
11.00 am
Irish soldiers in the Great War
with Neil Richardson
Oranmore Library
26th
November
7.30 pm
Galway Remembers World War I
with Ronnie O’Gorman, Des Kenny
and Kirry O’Brien
Galway City Library
3rd
December
6.00-8.00
pm
An evening of poetry and history to
remember the ‘Great War’
with Dr Jarlath Deignan &
Kirry O’Brien
Tuam Library
4th
December
6.00-8.00
pm
Irish soldiers in the Great War
with Neil Richardson &
Sean Spellissy
The Gathering Storm: The Origins of
the Great War
with Brian MacGabhann