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The town of Galway was virtually an independent city state, self-contained politically and ecclesiastically, relying on its own resources as it was cut off from the central English authority until the 16th century. Then, the Tudors began to extend their influence westwards so that the city gradually came totally under their dominion. The real symbol of that growing influence was the fortifications, four in number, raised to defend this all-important location against all enemies, notably France and Spain.

This Halloween midterm break, the ghosts of Gaelic Ireland may be gracing the galleries of Galway City Museum as Dave Swift of Claíomh Living History, shines a light on Ireland’s Gaelic past.

Patrick Ganly was born in the parish of Kilcleagh near Moate in 1857. At just 18 years of age, like thousands of others from Westmeath and Longford, he left for Argentina. In 1899 Patrick Ganly and his wife Mary (nee McGeoy) returned to Ireland and took up residence at Aghanagrit near Moate. During this time their daughter Ellen was born. In 1901 the family returned to Argentina, where they remained.

Over many decades in Westmeath, precious memories of times gone by have been recorded by groups and individuals in an effort to document what are often fading memories of our past.

Like all widows Nora had barely time to grieve. There was so much to be done. Both she and Giorgio and her grandson Stephen, were in a state of shock at Joyce’s sudden death. Joyce suffered indifferent health all his adult life, and endured a series of painful eye operations which had little effect on his looming blindness.

SHE WAS called the “Queen of Irish Song” by Séamus Ennis; she was recorded by Alan Lomax and is admired by Christy Moore; and her versions of Gaelic song have been covered by Clannad and Iarla Ó Lionáird.

Westmeath County Council has released a mini-documentary to mark the centenary of the burning of Moydrum Castle, one of the key events of the closing stages of the Irish War of Independence in Westmeath.

Dr Conor McNamara, the Athenry native who is today one of the foremost historians of modern Ireland, has been appointed Galway County Council Historian-in-Residence for 2021.

MERE DAYS after the programme for the 2020 Cúirt International Festival of Literature was announced, the Republic of Ireland went into Lockdown. And yet, in the face of that unprecedented setback, Cúirt emerged triumphant.

The Joyces finally arrived in Zurich on 17 December 1940 exhausted after weeks of torturous negotiations with the German, Vichy-French and Swiss authorities. They had sought refuge in Switzerland during World War I, now they hoped to do so again. To add to the stress of it all they had to leave their daughter Lucia behind in a psychiatric hospital in Brittany which was behind German lines. Joyce hoped that once settled in Zurich he could use all the influence he could muster to have her follow them to safety.