Emigration and the Galway County Diaspora will be the focus of a major conference to be held by Galway County Council next Thursday September 8 in Clarinbridge.
This free conference entitled Emigration and Our Galway County Diaspora is a central element of Galway County Council’s 1916 centenary programme. The event takes place in the Clarenbridge Oyster Festival marquee, on the banks of the River Clarin.
The event, being held with the support of the Clarenbridge Oyster Festival and Bridge that Gap, a community based jobs and tourism initiative for Oranmore, Maree, and Clarinbridge, seeks to give an insight into story of the county’s diaspora including those who emigrated from County Galway to places such as the UK, America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The Minister of State for the Diaspora and Overseas Development Aid, Joe McHugh, will officially open the conference following a welcome address by County Cathaoirleach Michael Connolly.
Keynote speakers include Dr Gerard Moran an authority on the Irish diaspora, the Great Famine and landlord and tenant relations in Ireland. In addition, Dúchas na Gaillimhe – Galway Civic Trust will showcase its new project called the Galway Tribal Diaspora Project. The trust is seeking the assistance of the public for this new initiative, which seeks to record the stories and experiences of Galway emigrants around the world.
Galway Family History Society West and Galway Family History Society East, as well as The Western Family History Association and Ireland Reaching Out will have information stands at the conference.
The conference programme concludes with an Aeraíocht, which is a celebration in music, song and dance from 6.15pm to 7.30pm. For further information and to register for this free conference, contact Galway County Council on 091 509121 or email [email protected].
