Recording Galway

Recorded on Culture Night 2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight speakers, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley's account of the conditions in St Joseph's Industrial School, Salthill and the abuse experienced by the children there reveals the attitude of the state to the most vulnerable members of society. 

Sarah-Anne is an Associate Professor in History at the University of Galway, with a research interest in Irish institutions.

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley  for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night 2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight speakers, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

In this episode Dr Conall Ó Fatharta gives an account of the neglect experienced by the children in St Anne’s Industrial School, Lenaboy. 

Previously an investigative journalist, Conall currently has a research post at the University Of Galway. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night  2026, in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight contributors, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

Brendan, the Galway City Museum Education and Outreach Officer, discusses some Ó Conaire stories which demonstrate the Galway writer's concern for the poor and vulnerable, many of whom lived under the spectre of the workhouse or asylum. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night 2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight speakers, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

Dr Lorraine Grimes tells us that the original Galway Magdalen Asylum, founded in 1824, was located in Lombard street. She outlines how women could end up in such an institution and notes how the function of Magdalens changed towards the end of the century. 

Lorraine is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland: University of Medicine and Health Science.

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night 2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight contributors, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

In this episode Mary Cunningham discusses Brother Paul O'Connor and the Orphans' Breakfast Institute which he established in 1830 to provide nutritious breakfasts to poor boys enrolled in the Patrician Brothers school. The work of the Institute was particularly significant during the famine. 

Mary is a teacher who records and publishes oral histories of Galway. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night  2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight contributors, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

Dr John Cunningham speaks about The Mendicity Institute - an institution established in 1824 for the purpose of stamping out begging. 

John is an historian who worked for many years at the University of Galway. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night 2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight speakers, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments. 

Dr Geraldine Curtin describes conditions for children in Galway gaol in the nineteenth century, giving details on some of those committed, one of whom was two years old when sentenced to a week's incarceration. 

Geraldine works at the Hardiman Library, University of Galway and is author of a number of books on institutions.

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

Recorded on Culture Night 2026 in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway, featuring eight speakers, focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments . 

In this episode Dr Clarke gives an account of the system that prevailed in the Galway workhouse established in 1842.  

Sorcha is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Galway. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham, Brendan McGowan and Sarah-Anne Buckley for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

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Recorded on Culture Night  2026, in challenging weather conditions, the historical tour of Galway focused on various institutions that operated in the city with the emphasis on the lived experience of people confined in these establishments . 

 In this episode Dr Ó Fatharta gives an account of the neglect experienced by the children in St Anne’s Industrial School, Lenaboy. 

Previously an investigative journalist, Conall currently has a research post in the History Department at the University Of Galway. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham and Brendan McGowan for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society. 

This documentary was broadcast on Galway Bay FM on March 29, 2024
The title  is taken from a headline in the Irish Press announcing the opening of a hat factory in Galway in 1938. Established by Jewish refugees Les Modes Modernes employed approximately 250 throughout the 40s and 50s. It continued to operate on a smaller scale until 1972.
Employees from the 40s describe the working conditions and speak of the economic impact of the factory in a town where employment opportunities were scare.
The circumstances whereby refugees came to the west of Ireland are outlined along with some insight into their personal lives during the war years and an account of reactions to their presence. 
The final section concerns one man's solo effort to keep the Galway hat trade going. His daughter tells that story. 

Produced and narrated by Mary Cunningham.

Contributors

Workers from the 1940’s:  Veronica Joyce O’Toole,  Margaret Long Casserly (recently deceased)  

Daughters of workers:  Heather Gardiner, Paula Scully.

Historians:  Dr Trisha Oakley Kessler, Dr John Cunningham 

Content voiced by: Brenda Foy, Eimear O’Meara, Margaret Molloy, Liam Cunningham, Brian Hanney, Miriam Hanney, Trish Mannion.
 

Music:    Yeti Music "Ghost Piano"       https://uppbeat.io/browse/artist/yeti-music
                    Musictown "Irish Jig".              https://pixabay.com/music/search/irish%20jig/
                   JuliusH  "50s Swing Music"  https://pixabay.com/music/vintage-50s-swing-                                                                                             music-13480/


Sources:   Dr Trisha Oakley Kessler. ‘Rethinking Irish Protectionism: Jewish Refugee                               Factories and the Pursuit of an Irish Ireland for Industry.’ In Irish                                                    Questions and Jewish Questions: Crossovers in Culture (2018)  
                   

                      Rachel Phillipson-Levy. Memoir: An Odyssey Revisited.                                                                          http://migs.concordia.ca/memoirs/levy/levy_1.html 

                     Eileen O’Faoláin.  ‘Galway Hats’ in The Bell  (1941)


                     George Clare. Last Waltz in Vienna, Pan Books (2007)