Connacht Tribune
Digitised archive paints picture of three centuries of Galway life
A veritable treasure trove of photographs and sketches – offering a snapshot of life in Galway and the west over three centuries – has been digitised and put online for all the world to see.
The Galway pictures are part of a core collection from Getty Images and cover events from the Land Wars to the 1916 Rising – while also depicting every day rural life in Ireland.
The digitisation is the work of Ancestry, a global leader in family history and consumer genomics, and covers an enormous period of Ireland’s history from 1704 right up to 1989.
This is one of a series of sketches made ‘on eviction duty in Ireland’ and is labelled ‘a straw hut on the mountain side, the only shelter after eviction’.. Credit: Ancestry.co.uk and Getty Images Collection
The sketches, original black and white prints and photos from the Getty Collection can be viewed at UK, Historical Photographs and Prints, 1704-1989.
Searchable by location, date and subject, many of the images also have detailed captions including full names and print subject, making them an invaluable resource for family research and photography enthusiasts alike.
The collection’s timespan covers prints from the Land Wars of the late 1800’s, photos from both WWI and WWII, the 1916 Rising and the sinking of the Lusitania.
But the Getty Images Collection also contains a wealth of captivating everyday insights, documenting a continuously-evolving Irish society, sparked by innovation, social and cultural progress – daily life in rural Ireland, women in the workplace, holidays and socialising.
Galway’s fishmarket at the Spanish Arch in the late 19th century. Credit: Ancestry.co.uk and Getty Images Collection
The Galway entries cover everything from the darkest days of rural evictions, through to images of the 19th century fishmarket at the Spanish Arch – and transatlantic liners leaving Galway docks at the height of World War II.
Getty Images was founded by Mark Getty, grandson of oil tycoon Paul Getty, and business partner Jonathan Klein and contains prints and photographs that capture some of the most defining moments in history, as well as displays of everyday life. Ancestry’s main collection is drawn from the Hulton Archive which includes the archive of seminal picture news weekly Picture Post, which ran between 1938 and 1957.
Users can access the collection for free over Easter by visiting www.ancestry.co.uk between Friday and Monday.
A young Galway fishwife from the 1890’s. Credit: Ancestry.co.uk and Getty Images Collection
Ancestry’s Russell James described the collection as ‘a historical reminder of an ever-changing world, as seen through the lens of photographers working for the most famous name in the field’.
“Scenes of children playing, families visiting a local fair or long-forgotten hobbies are just as invaluable as written records for understanding our ancestors,” he said.
“Captured forever in time, these black and white prints and photos are a journey through the decades and document almost every aspect of life, from daily routines through to occasions of national celebration,” he added.
Joint hunt master, the Marquess of Sligo, leading out the Galway Blazers with Mrs Bowes-Daly after the opening meet in Athenry in November 1938. Credit: Ancestry.co.uk and Getty Images Collection
Ancestry harnesses the information found in family trees, historical records, and DNA to help people gain a new level of understanding about their lives.
Ancestry has more than 2.7 million paying subscribers across its core Ancestry websites and seven million people in the AncestryDNA network.
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Families queue up for school’s offer of free house
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
Marathon Man plans to call a halt – but not before he hits 160 races
