On Saturday 3 December 2022, Galway City Museum ran a short talk series on the subject of the new exhibition, ‘War of Friends, 1922–23: the civil war story of Pádraic Ó Máille and Liam Mellows’. The talk series was organised by Galway City Museum, as part of Galway City Council’s Decade of Centenaries Programme 2022, and funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to commemorate events of local and national significance. Speakers included Galway historians, John Cunningham; Mícheál Ó Fathartaigh and Cormac Ó Comhraí and the event took place at the Mick Lally Theatre, Druid Lane. The film, produced by GK Media is now available for viewing here.
The Background to War of Friends
The Irish Free State formally came into existence on 6 December 1922. The next day, anti-treaty militants ambushed two pro-treaty deputies as they made their way to Dáil Éireann, killing Seán Hales from Cork and wounding Pádraic Ó Máille from Connemara. The following morning, in retaliation and as a deterrent, the Free State executed four anti-treaty prisoners, Liam Mellows, Rory O’Connor, Dick Barrett, and Joe McKelvey. Both veterans of the Easter Rising in Galway, Ó Máille and Mellows had represented Galway in the first and second Dáil Éireann. With the shooting of Free State deputies and the execution of Republican prisoners, all former comrades in arms, the Irish Civil War had reached its lowest point.
For more on this period of Galway’s history visit Revolution in Galway, 1913-23 or War of Friends, 1922-23: the civil war story of Pádraic Ó Máille and Liam Mellows now open for visitors at Galway City Museum. Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-5pm and admission is FREE!
View more videos on the Galway City Museum YouTube channel or in the Resources section of the Galway City Museum website.
