The War of Independence erupted in Co. Galway in the summer of 1920. The autumn and winter of that year witnessed much violence in Galway city and county. Between the Gallagh Ambush, near Tuam, on 19 July 1920 and the Anglo-Irish Truce of 11 July 1921, as many as fifty people lost their lives as a result of the conflict in Galway, city and county.

Since the summer of 2020, Brendan McGowan – Education and Outreach Officer at Galway City Museum and co-curator of the Museum’s Revolution in Galway, 1913-1923 exhibition – has been researching and writing a series of commemorative illustrated articles on some of the key incidents in the War of Independence in Galway. In doing so, he has been liaising with the relatives of those involved on both sides of the conflict and with local community groups. On the centenary anniversaries of the events, the articles have been posted on the Museum’s website and Facebook page, and several have been published in the Connacht City Tribune and Connacht Tribune. The series of articles will continue to the centenary anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Truce, 11 July 2021.

It is envisaged that the articles will be translated into Irish and compiled into a free-of-charge publication, which will be made available on the Museum’s website in PDF format and also in limited-edition print format, which will be presented to local libraries, community groups and those who helped with the articles.

Please note that the details of events listed above are provided by the relevant Local Authorities.