By Siobhán Kennedy
Accessible worldwide, “Galway County Heritage Trails” enables digital journeys through the diverse cultural heritage of around 2,000 townlands in Co. Galway using interactive StoryMaps. A joint effort between Galway County Council, university students and local groups, this project promises to revolutionize the county’s digital heritage landscape.
In a groundbreaking new digital project, students from the University of Galway are at the heart of an initiative to bring Co. Galway’s heritage to life. This pioneering project, “Galway County Heritage Trails”, led by Galway County Council in collaboration with the Galway County Heritage Forum, the Heritage Council and various local community and heritage groups, showcases the cultural and historical significance of nearly half of the county’s 4,556 townlands through rigorous research and advanced technologies.
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One of the highlights of this initiative is the creation of StoryMaps, a series of interactive digital maps that integrate geographical data with multimedia elements, offering users an engaging journey through the historical landscapes of Galway’s townlands, villages and towns.
In recent months, University of Galway students Dylan Reilly, Joseph Ennis and Natalie Cyrkle have collaborated with the heritage and GIS teams at Galway County Council to digitize historical data from sources such as O’Donovan’s Ordnance Survey Letters, Griffith’s Valuation, the Down Survey, and the 1901 and 1911 censuses.
Recently, historical data relating to 161 townlands in the civil parishes of Kiltartan, Kinvaradoorus, Kilcolgan, Kilthomas and Killinny have been digitized. Additionally, online StoryMaps have been created for Oranmore, Mountbellew, Monivea and Ballyglunin, bringing the total number of digitized townlands to 2,000. So far, the Heritage Office of Galway County Council has collaborated with community heritage groups, active retirement groups, Forum Connemara, Galway Rural Development, schools, University of Galway students and the Heritage Council in digitizing the information concerning these 2,000 townlands.
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Galway County Council is now inviting the public to contribute to the “Galway County Heritage Trails” project, which aims to digitize heritage information for all 4,556 townlands in Co. Galway. “Making heritage more accessible to everyone is one of our main goals”, Marie Mannion, Heritage Officer with Galway County Council, explained. She went on to say,
“There are over 64,000 townlands in Ireland of which there are in the region of 4,556 in Co. Galway, Ireland’s second largest county. The townland is a uniquely Irish division and one of the oldest in existence. The boundaries of the townland have often been redefined to match borders with other divisions. It is the smallest notable division and is often the one with which people identify themselves.”
“In addition to the academic aspect of the project, there is a strong emphasis on community engagement. Galway County Council and the students have worked closely with local heritage and community groups to collect and present local heritage information that enriches the content of the StoryMaps. This collaborative approach ensures that the digital heritage trails reflect the authentic voices and experiences of the community.”
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Cllr Liam Carroll, Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, commented on the use of StoryMaps in this project:
“StoryMaps is a simple yet powerful way to share information and enlighten, engage and inspire people with stories that relate to locations of interest around us. Incorporating location and mapping into the context of a story, each StoryMap is designed to provide an immersive experience, shedding light on the cultural and historical significance of various locations.”
With regards to the role the students played in the project, the Cathaoirleach explained:
“Placements such as those with the Heritage Office allow students from the College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies to develop important skills and broaden their horizons in terms of longer-term career options open to them. The positivity shown by students in their presentations in Áras an Chontae only serves to demonstrate the value of their experience in this project.”
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Liam Hanrahan, Director of Services for Economic Development and Planning at Galway County Council, emphasized:
“By combining academic rigour with local authority and community collaboration, this project underscores the power of digital technology in preserving and sharing local history. The digitized sources and StoryMaps not only honour the past but also pave the way for dynamic, future-oriented research and learning and are an invaluable resource for researchers, educators, the diaspora and history enthusiasts.”
Marc Mellotte, Head of Engagement at the University of Galway, commented on the significance of such collaborations, stating:
“Our engagement with organizations and businesses is a very important part of our students’ development and our own commitments as a university. Our B.Sc. (Social Sciences) graduates see their careers and futures in many different areas of work and the placements and internships offered by Galway County Council really help to broaden their perspective and allow them to see new opportunities for their future.”
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Michael Mulkerrins, Principal of Peterswell National School, praised the initiative, noting that his fifth- and sixth-class students actively participated in mapping the townlands of Kilthomas civil parish:
“The children spent time studying our school maps to decide on what townlands they could visit and then it was decided that each student would photograph a small number of townlands. Students worked hard to find suitable points of interest to photograph in each townland and were thrilled to get the opportunity to visit every corner of our homeplace. Seeing their photographs now on the completed storyboards is fantastic recognition for our students.”
Dr Eilish Kavanagh of Kinvara Heritage Group stated:
“This project not only aids in preserving local history but also serves as a model for other communities interested in digitizing their historical records.”
Maura Hannon, Manager of Galway Telework Co-Operative Society Limited and Galway’s Living Bog Project in Mountbellew, added,
“This is a fantastic resource for Mountbellew to showcase places of interest and historical importance. An online user-friendly interactive guide for anybody to gain information and visit East Galway.”
To explore the StoryMaps and townland research, visit Galway County Council’s GIS portal.
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