Life in Galway certainly changed at the start of the 1970s. Prior to that, it was a large market town with an historic university. Its new cathedral still had the freshness of new about it.
However, in the space of a few years, a uniqueness developed around Galway that created attributes that thankfully the city has held to this day, and hopefully will hold for the rest of this century.
The transition was rapid. The evolution of the second college (Galway RTC ) in the town that drew in more students; the arrival of a unique media in a free newspaper that brought a paper into every home across the city brought community media accessible to all; the development of a tolerance for the arts that eventually grew into one of our major USPs...and of course, the arrival of Digital.
Next month, the former workers of Digital will gather to mark the half century since the arrival of the company into Galway. Every company has reunions, and each are equally worthy, but I focus on Digital, because its arrival, and later its distressing almost-total departure, were turning points for Galway that have been crucial in its history.
In this gig, I am privileged to get to meet the heads of many of the new tech companies who arrive in the city, and each and every one of them reference their reason for being here, as the long standing tradition that Galway has in welcoming and understanding tech.
The people who worked in Digital in the early seventies may not have foreseen that they were changing Galway forever, but they were. Their involvement right through the heart of Galway life created an ambience that resulted in an appreciation of the great synergies that can be created when business and culture put their heads down together.
Their role in the annual Tops of the Town competition for a start gave Galway great pride in their achievements, taking centre stage for the annual televised gala in Dublin. Digital’s involvement sold Galway as a place that could do business and do craic and it enabled a trickle down of talent back into the community and an indication that business and art could cohabit.
Their involvement in the creation of a new park ensured they would never be forgotten, but that was never going to happen anyway. To this day, decisions are being made in places like Silicon Valley and Atlanta about Galway which can be traced back to the arrival of Digital.
So to all the former employees of what became referred to as “above in the Digital,” I congratulate you all on the half century and thank you for the enthusiasm you brought to your company which in turn benefitted us all in the years since. When you meet next month, either in person or in spirit, bask in the pride at what you have done for Galway and raise a glass in memory of those who cannot be with you, but who played no less a role. Sláinte.
Details of the Digital reunion are contained on Page 40.
