Silent glimpse into Galway’s past as Film Fleadh delves into archives

Date Published: 24-Jun-2010

By Antoinette Giblin

A silent glimpse through the lens of Galway’s past will be made possible through a series of silent films which will be shown as part of the 22nd Galway Film Fleadh in July.

Glimpses of Galway consists of four short documentary style films from the Irish Film Archive which wordlessly uncover forgotten aspects of Galway’s past.

Made by the Catholic Film Society of London in 1932, Aran of the Saints provides an interesting counterpoint to the more muscular epic Man of Aran and portrays Aran as a sacred, holy place which is protected from the corruption of city life due to its remote location.

Among the historic scenes recorded in the 15 minute black and white film are children learning the catechism and the community burial of a young boy – all scenes which portray life in the island in the 1930s.

In a bid to promote tourism in the West, a 10 minute colour film entitled Ireland’s Golden West was created by the Irish Tourist Association in 1945.

Filmed in the height of summer, the scenic travelogue includes scenes of old cottages in the Claddagh, market days and a sequence of the Galway Blazers as they hunted hares and rabbits – a scene which today may not succeed in its quest to entice tourists to the city.

The same year, King of the Tribes was filmed by Sligo amateur Kevin Murray and records the unveiling of a headstone to John Ward, King of the Tribes in a Ballinasloe graveyard.

“This group of people were so undocumented in terms of moving images. There are fantastic close-ups and one of a beautiful young traveller girl with long flowing hair. It highlights how a community can change,” said Sunniva O’Flynn of the Irish Film Institute.

The last of the four selected films Tír na nÓg was made in 1947 and its 16 minutes of black and white content provides a personal insight into the Galway home of the O’Neachtain family through the eyes of a Welsh visitor.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune