Digital Publishing Brownbag Series – Tim Robinson Archive

On Tuesday 1 November, NUI Galway Library will host a lunchtime event focusing on Digital work underway on the Library's Archives.

Our 2nd event in the series will focus on the Archive of Fear na Mapaí, Tim Robinson, which resides here at NUI Galway. This archive documents four decades of Robinson’s pioneering work in Irish landscape, which began in 1972 when he visited the Aran Islands with his wife Máiréad. His 1975 one-inch map of the Aran Islands was the first substantial map of the area to be created since the 6 inch Ordnance Survey map a century before, and its composition brought up several complexities that exist in this unique landscape, from place-names, to the geological, archaeological, and botanical features that are all inherent in the landscape. Beyond the publication of the map, he explored these subjects in a deep-mapping project of Aran, that led to the publication of two books, ‘Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage’ in 1986, and later ‘Stones of Aran: Labyrinth’ in 1995. His work brought him to map and consider the Burren and Connemara landscapes with equal emphasis, and in 1987, Tim and Máiréad won the Ford Ireland Conservation Award. They proceeded in the competition as Ireland’s official entry, and won the European Award in Madrid.

One particularly special element of Robinson’s archive is a meticulously accumulated index of the townlands of Connemara and the Aran Islands, which has inspired the Library’s first steps to a Digital Mapping project, focusing on Robinson’s archive, but with applications to future projects. This will be the focus of our inaugural Brownbag Pitch. As the name suggests, lunch will be provided, and we will take you through the story of the archive, the digital project, and plans for the future, before opening up the floor to some discussion about what parts of the project you consider useful, not useful, and if you think this has applications to your own research.

Everyone is welcome to the pitch, and registration is free, but for catering purposes, we would request that you please register, with details of how to do so at the bottom of this page.

Venue: Room G011, Hardiman Research Building, NUI Galway

Date and Time: Tuesday, 1 November 2016

Programme:

12:00     Lunch will be available from 12 in Room G011

12:30     Dr Nessa Cronin, Lecturer and Co-Director of the MA in Irish Studies, will introduce the work              of Tim Robinson

12:40     Aisling Keane, Digital Archivist at NUI Galway Library, will speak about the archive, its contents,              some examples of items of interest, and the work that has taken place on the archive so far

13:00     Dr Nessa Cronin will return to speak about creative engagement with the archive

13:10     Peter Corrigan, Head of Digital Publishing and Innovation at NUI Galway Library will speak about              the future of the project

13:25     Discussion and exchange of ideas

14:00     Session Ends

If you wish to attend this event please register on Eventbrite 

A Ban on Ye Small Ball

 Hurling banned in Galway City in 1527

 

"But only the great football" - Detail from Liber A 1527

 The James Hardiman Library includes in its archive an original manuscript of Galway corporation statutes dating back to 1486.  The Galway corporation statute book or Liber A as it is know is made up of annual entries listing office holders in Galway Corporation and statutes or local laws passed each year.

1527 Entry in Liber A

With Galway's recent success in wining the Leinster Hurling Championship and taking Kilkenny to a re-play in the all Ireland it may be a surprise to read that in the 16^th century there was an attempt to ban the sport in Galway city, 'hand ball' was also banned, however 'football'  was allowed.

According to a statue in Liber A dating from 1527:

...at no tyme the use ne ocupye the horlinge of the litill balle with hockie stickes or staves, nor use no hande ball to playe without the walles, but onely the great foote balle, on payn of the paynis above lymittid (a fine of 8 pence)

or in modern English:

...at no time the use nor occupy the hurling of the little ball with hockey sticks or staves,  nor use a handball to play outside the walls, but only the great football on pain of the pains above limited.

Detail from 1527 entry relating to fines on the playing of games including 'the horlinge of the litill balle'

Liber A which covers the period the period 1485-1711 is a large volume with each page measuring roughly 45cm x 25 cm.  While the first entry dates from the late 15^th century the handwriting would suggest that the first 70 years were transcribed in the mid 16^th century.   The item has been part of the University Library collection since its foundation.  It's not clear how it came into his possession but it appears that Liber A was originally part of the University's first Librarian James Hardiman's personal collection. 

Liber A with pencil for scale

The statutes in Liber A  cover a range of issues including trade,  local taxes, public morals and property rights.   While the content of Liber A relates primarily to local laws one can see  wider issues reflected in the manuscript.  For example entries for 1611 records that the mayor Valentine Blake was removed from office for refusing to take the 'Oath of Supremacy' .  The appointment of a Catholic mayor following the ascension to the throne of James II in 1685 is marked by the use of  ornate golden lettering.

Liber A entry for 1686, with Catholic Mayor's name written in Gold

 The Digitisation Service of the James Hardiman Library, NUI Galway is currently engaged in digitising this unique item which will be made publicly available on our website.