A unique collection of photos and writings that capture life on Aran and Ireland’s other offshore islands during the early years of the 20th Century and which was gifted to Galway is now available to the public. County Council archivist Patria McWalter was responsible for researching and cataloguing the work of Englishman George Chambers who visited these shores regularly from 1929-1938. The project involved working with colleagues in other counties, especially Kerry, and forging links with archivists in England to learn more about this mysterious man. She tells JUDY MURPHY about a special journey into the past.

“A parcel came in the post one day and a colleague dropped it down to my desk saying, ‘this is for you, it’s old stuff’,” says Galway County Council archivist Patria McWalter with a laugh.

That’s how Patria became acquainted with the photographs and writings of Englishman George Chambers, which offer a unique record of life on Ireland’s offshore islands in the early years of the 1900s.

Patria doesn’t know why the archive’s owner, Desmond Anthony Power, a Canadian resident with Irish roots, decided to gift the Chambers Collection to Galway, because while it features the Aran Islands, islands from other counties feature more prominently.

“Kerry might have been a more obvious choice”, she notes. Still, as someone who delights in uncovering Ireland’s hidden past, Patria was happy.

Now the archive is available online, accessible to all, accompanied by an illustrated publication, Island Images from the Chambers Archive, 1929-38. A limited number of hard copies have been printed in Irish and English and it’s available to download as a PDF.

Desmond Powers’ initial donation to Galway consisted of five photo albums, which included pictures of George Chambers and his family on holidays in Ireland, as well as images of island life up to 1938. Donkeys feature alongside people in many of the photos.

“He seems to have been very fond of donkeys,” explains Patria with a chuckle.

A series of files subsequently arrived at the library, including letters, diaries and the eulogy that George Chambers’ son Ivan delivered at his father’s funeral in 1960, which shed some light on Chambers and his travels.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.