GAA memorabilia wanted for digital heritage archive

PEOPLE in South Galway are being asked to share their GAA memorabilia, photographs and information as part of a countywide initiative to create a digital archive of GAA heritage.

The Mayor of County Galway, Councillor Tom McHugh and Christy Cooney, Uachtarán an Chumann Lúthchleas Gael will launch County Galway GAA Digital Heritage Project in the Meadow Court Hotel, Loughrea on Friday, May 28 at 8pm.
It is a unique partnership project involving Galway County Board, the Heritage Section of Galway County Council, the Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI), NUI Galway and Galway County Heritage Forum. 
The first phase of the project involves presenting the history and heritage of five clubs, Kilconieron, Caltra, Tuam Stars, Annaghdown and An Spidéal as well as the history of handball and the GAA in general in the county in a digital format and putting it on the internet.
The scheme is a local community project that is undertaken in a voluntary capacity.
Brendan Smith, education and community outreach officer, DERI, NUI Galway has provided training and technical support to clubs involved over the past few months ,while Dr Clíona O’Carroll, lecturer in the Department of Folklore and Ethnology, University College Cork provided a training session in oral heritage interviews. 
“This project not only helps to improve the digital media skills of the clubs involved but also helps them to showcase their rich and wonderful heritage in new and innovative ways,” Brendan Smith said.
The result of the work of those involved in the project means that there are currently over 1,200 photographs and over 70 interviews on podcast available on the website www.galwaygaaheritage.com.
The photographs collected and uploaded on to the website are varied and give an insight into the role that the GAA and those connected to it have played in the county over the past 126 years.
Many of the photographs are annotated and once a viewer pauses the cursor on a person in the photograph they are given information on that particular person.
Club crests, rolls of honour, brief club histories and local songs and poems connected with the clubs have been collected and are available on the website.
“This is a very valuable digital-heritage project as the photographs, interviews and materials collected have a lasting value and significance and the use of digital media allows greater access to this valuable resource by all sectors of the community,” according to Marie Mannion, heritage officer, Galway County Council.
All of the clubs in the county were also asked to put together a brief history of the club, a list of officers through the years and collect some pictures associated with the club and its past.
Organisers hope that in time all 85 clubs will document their history and that County Galway will have a very rich online digital sporting heritage resource for the future.
They also hope to produce DVDs and further develop this digital resource.
All those who feel they may have something to contribute should contact galwaygaadigitalheritage@gmail.com.
Next Friday’s launch is open to the public and is free of charge.