Project Description

Heritage

Connemara West have managed a number of heritage research projects over the past 53  years some which have culminated in a number of successful publications, most notably Conamara Faoil Cheilt and Patchwork of Dreams.

Connemara West has also been closely associated with the publications of James and Mary Ellis Quaker Famine Relief in Letterfrack by Joan C. Johnson and Land and People by Eibhlin Ni Scannlan.

Graveyard Mapping

In 2021, Connemara West undertook a graveyard mapping project of the seven local cemeteries and graveyards in the Parish of Ballinakill – Salruck, Tooreena, Renvyle, Letterfrack Boys Cemetery, Banogues, St Thomas and Ballinakill.

The Galway County Digital Mapping of Graveyards was launched in Ellis Hall in the Connemara West Centre in Letterfrack as part of National Heritage week 2023. There was a huge turnout in Ellis Hall with heritage groups traveling from all over the county to the launch.

Family History Research Course

With funding from GRETB, Connemara West ran two local and family history research courses in 2022 and 2023.

The Wallace family, Tullycross archive donation

In 2023, descendants from the Wallace family in Tullycross donated a family collection photographs, letters, shopkeeper’s ledger and drawings and a watercolour by Countess Markievicz to Connemara West. Connemara West are currently working on plans to preserve the archive and how to make selected items in the collection available for local people and family members to exam and for further researchers and students to access the archive.

Heritage Keepers

In 2024, the Connemara West Heritage Group participated in the Heritage Keepers  training course with BurrenBeo. On completion of the course the group researched, photographed and recorded a number of cillíní (children’s burial grounds) guided by local archaeologist Michael Gibbons and made two excellent programmes with Grainne O’Malley in Connemara Community Radio which were broadcasted on Connemara Community Radio and prepared and a small exhibition for National Heritage Week.

Books for sale via our website

Conamara Faoi Cheilt – Hidden Conamara

James and Mary Ellis Quaker Famine Relief in Letterfrack by Joan C. Johnson

Land and People by Eibhlin Ni Scannlan.

Sophia Sturge and the Connemara Basket Industry in Letterfrack 1888-1905 by Joan C. Johnson.

Patchwork of Dreams 1957-2007

Link to the Galway County Council Digital Mapping project galwaycoco.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html