The 49th Annual Galway Area Convention will be held in the Galway Bay Hotel, Galway from tomorrow Friday January 5 to Sunday 7th January 7.
All members of the public are welcome to attend the Open Public Meeting on Friday night at 8pm.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from Alcoholism.
The Fellowship began in 1935 in Akron, Ohio when a chance meeting took place between two men who had been classified hopeless Alcoholics by the medical profession, their families and friends, one himself was a MD, Dr. Bob and the other a New York stockbroker Bill W. As a result of this meeting, both men continued to “stay stopped” drinking one day at a time until their deaths and were determined to carry their message to those who would listen.
Alcoholics Anonymous reached Ireland in 1946, when Conor F., an Irish American who got sober in 1943 in Alcoholics Anonymous in Philadelphia returned to his native home. Conor was to meet Richard from Co. Down who was in a hopeless condition. Richard was to get sober and remain sober until his death as did Conor. The First Alcoholics Anonymous group in Ireland was born in the Country Shop restaurant in Dublin and in 1950 a group started in Galway.
The Fellowship does not affiliate with any other organisation, it has no opinions on outside issues, neither endorses or opposes any cause; its primary purpose is to stay sober and help other Alcoholics achieve sobriety.
Alcoholics Anonymous are self-supporting through their own contributions. Their members preserve personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, television and films, but do adopt a policy of active co-operation with the Media and other agencies.
They are not a secret society, indeed their public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion and are not allied to any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution.
A.A. is concerned solely with the personal recovery and continued sobriety of individual alcoholics who turn to the fellowship for help. A.A. does not engage in the field of alcoholism research, medical or psychiatric treatment and does not endorse any causes, although AA members often participate in other activities as individuals.
A.A. does NOT make medical or psychiatric prognosis, dispense medicines or psychiatric advice. Does not provide housing, food, clothing, jobs, money, or other welfare or social service and does not provide domestic or vocational counselling.
How far down the path of alcoholism do you have to go in order to qualify for membership in Alcoholics Anonymous?
The answer is, not very far. In fact, the AA preamble states definitely that membership in the fellowship is open to anyone who has a “desire to stop drinking”. It is up to individuals to decide when they have had enough.
You can contact Alcoholics Anonymous in Galway on (085 ) 753 7100 from 12:00pm to 10:00pm. Seven days per week. Telephones are manned by volunteers who will be happy to answer your question and/or put you in touch with those who can. Visit www.galwayaa.com for more information on meetings and fellowship in Galway.
