Heritage Week Talk: Sean-nos Song in Pennsylvania, 1884 to 1935

What to Expect

Between 1884 and the 1920s, Rev. Daniel J. Murphy and J.J. Lyons wrote down over 1,200 sean-nos songs from 450 Irish speakers in Philadelphia and the anthracite towns of northeastern Pennsylvania. The result is one of the largest surviving records of Irish-language song in the diaspora, made by emigrants who had carried the repertoire out of Ireland with them. Dr Deirdre Ni Chonghaile, Research Fellow at Dublin City University, gives this free illustrated talk on the manuscripts at Galway City Museum on Saturday 15 August 2026 from 3pm to 4pm.

The talk covers both what the manuscripts contain and what is being done with them now. Roinn na Gaeilge and University of Galway Library are digitising the fragile originals with support from the Heritage Council’s Heritage Stewardship Fund, so that a collection currently accessible to a handful of specialists becomes readable from anywhere. It is aimed at adults and is the last of three museum events on the day, following a talk at 12pm on digitising a Galway lecture archive and a biodiversity walk at Grattan Beach at 1pm.

Good to Know

• Date: Saturday 15 August 2026, 3pm to 4pm.
• Venue: Galway City Museum, Spanish Parade, Galway, H91 CX5P.
• Speaker: Dr Deirdre Ni Chonghaile, Research Fellow, Dublin City University.
• Admission is free but capacity is limited and advance booking is recommended.
• Book by email to museum@galwaycity.ie or by phone on 091 532460.
• Suitable for adults.
• Part of Galway City Museum’s National Heritage Week 2026 programme.

Getting There

The museum stands on Spanish Parade next to the Spanish Arch, where Quay Street meets the Corrib, a five minute walk from Shop Street and about ten from Eyre Square. There is no parking at the museum itself, so use one of the multi-storey car parks on the ring of the centre and walk in through the old town. Ceannt Station and the Eyre Square bus stops are both within walking distance. By road, Galway is reached on the M6 and N6 from Dublin, the N17 from Tuam, the N18 from Ennis and Limerick, and the N59 from Clifden and Connemara.