Black and white photograph, no captions, of Brian Friel and Thomas Kilroy, sitting side by side and fronting the camera, but looking and laughing at one another. Informal surroundings; Friel with a cigarette, Kilroy with a glass tumbler.

The content of this collection barely relates to the Blakes of Ballyglunin but rather to the ffrench family of Rahasane. Four diverse items represent the Blakes in the form of a letter book, rent account book, printed lease and scribbling diary. The letter book of Pierce Joyce portrays the extensive trade of one of Galway's leading merchants in just one fortnight in February 1778. The rent account book of John Blake records the administration of part of the Ballyglunin estate, during the minority of his nephew Martin J. Blake. Only part of these two items has survived.

The papers generated by the ffrench family are more coherent and reflect the financial difficulties of some land owning families, even before the Great Famine. They include legal papers, accounts and letters. Letters from Brabazon Browne, attorney, comprise the main part of the collection and include letters to Robert J. ffrench, Mrs. Ffrench, James Smyth and others. The letters relate to Robert J. ffrench's legal and financial affairs and to the settlement of his debts over a period of thirteen years. They give an insight into the relationship between a landlord and his legal representative. B. Browne often writes that his standing in Dublin business circles was frequently discredited by Robert J. ffrench's treatment of him. B Browne was also legal advisor to Charles, 2nd Lord Clanmorris and may have become involved in Robert J. ffrench's affairs after Robert J. ffrench's marriage to Lord Clanmorris' sister. There are also some personal letters to Lady Clanmorris from her sons and nephews.

Conservation note: most of the papers in this collection are in a delicate state. Many of the items have been damaged by hydrolysis and should be handled with great care.

Bound volume containing drafts of the minutes for meetings of the Galway Town Commissioners. The minute book is a custom printed book which includes structured folios with headings for each meeting. Includes A-Z index. Each folio contains the following printed headings 'Minutes of Proceedings of the Galway Town Improvement Commissioners at their Monthly Meeting held on Thursday...', 'Present', 'No.1 Account', 'No.2 Account', 'Reports of Committees read and disposed of as follows, namely:-', 'The following Special Business came before the Meeting'. In many instances extra pages are attached which contain more information relating to Special Business, in some instances printed material from newspapers is also attached to the minute book. Meeting were usually held on the first Thursday of every month, extra meetings were held periodically. This volume is used both for the minutes of the Galway Town Commissioners and the Galway Urban District Council, Galway Urban District Council took over the functions of the Town Commissioners following the Local Government (Ireland) Act which was passed in 1898. Although this volume may be regarded as one physical item for the purposes of arrangement and description it is treated as two items and a description of the relevant section is includes in the finding aid for the Galway Urban District Council Collection (LA4). According to entry dated 26 March 1891 'The Question of the wires of the Galway Electric Company came on for the consideration of the Board, every member having been duly notified, and M McDougall proposed and M O'Sullivan seconded that we report to the board of trade that no accident of any kind has occurred with the overhead wires at present in Galway.' According to entry dated 18 February 1892 the 'Midland Company intended to supply themselves with water from Newcastle by running a line of pipes to their station at Galway...' it was resolved by the Town Commissioners that the 'secretary direct Mr. Blake at once to communicate with Mr. Bell parliamentary Agent, to lodge a petition on the part of the Commissioners to oppose the Bill in the interests of the town of Galway with which the proposed work will interfere in annihilating the water supply to the town.' Entry dated 3 March 1892 states 'read letter from...Dublin Corporation references to Irish Exhibits at the coming "World's Fair" Chicago. Secretary was directed to communicate the contents to W. Persse, the jute factory and other manufacturers in the town.' According to entry dated 6 October 1892 'W. Duggan for the Telephone Co. of Ireland waited at the Board and asked for liberty to erect poles required for the use of a proposed telephone exchange for Galway ordered to convene a special meeting to consider the question.' Entry dated 2 February 1893 states that 'A discussion arose on the subject of the broken stones supplied to the town through the jail. M. J. O'Sullivan stated he objected to this means of obtaining metal and stated he would give notice that a contract be entered for the purpose.' Entry dated 10 August 1893 states that 'the consideration of the letter from the National Education Board, on the subject of appointing a local Education Committee came before the Board. The Secretary having read the Irish Education Act 1892 to the Board by which it appeared that it was imperative on the Commissioners to appoint a Committee. According to entry dated 5 March 1896 Mr. M A. Lynch moved that 'six wooden seats be procured and placed along the promenade at Salthill.' According to entry dated 5 February 1897 'On consideration of the application of the Galway Electronic Company for a provisional order from the Board of Trade, W. Perry came before the board and stated that if the Commissioners insisted on the insertion in the schedule to the proposed provisional order of Salthill he would be unable to float his company but that if the Commissioners would waive the insertion of Salthill in the schedule he would on the part of his company undertake to extend the electric light mains to this locality after a short time.

Bound volume containing the minutes of the proceedings of the Galway Urban Sanitary Authority. The pages include printed formatting and fields, each entry is spread over three pages. Each entry contains the following fields 'Minutes of Proceedings of the Galway Urban Sanitary Authority, at their meeting held on ...', 'Present', 'in the Chair' 'Other members Present', 'Reports of Committees read and disposed of as follows, namely:', 'Record of Sanitary work performed since the date of the last Meeting', 'The following communications from the Local Government Board were read', 'The following Special Business came before the Meeting', 'The following Accounts were laid before the Meeting, and Cheques drawn for the amounts:', 'Reports of Medical Officers of Health, and Orders made thereon:', 'Monthly Report of the Medical Officer of Health read, and the following Orders made thereon:', 'The Report as to the Inspection of Common Lodging Houses was read as follows, and the following Orders were made thereon:'. It is evident that some entries relate to the business of the Urban District Council rather than the Sanitary Authority, some entries are replicated in the minute books of the Urban District Council. (See LA4). According to entry dated 5 December 1907 the following motion was moved 'That the undertaking given by the Council in the old lease of Fairhill slob lands to spend £1000 thereon in the erection of a weighhouse etc., be altered and that the Council instead undertake to layout £1000 on the erection of Labourers Cottages there, and that the new lease to the council be prepared accordingly.' A report dated from the medical officer Dr. J.M. MacDonagh dated 11 November 1918 'Owing to the severe character of the present epidemic of influenza and the wide distribution of the disease all over the town, the council should use whatever authority it has to have all schools and places of amusement closed for the present.'

Box of t-shirts featuring logos and designs from the Galway Arts Festival, the 'Children's Galway Arts Festival' and the Baboró International Children's Festival.

Bundle of report cards from Presentation College, Carrick-on-Shannon giving subjects, marks and general comments on John McGahern at school. Also a copy of his birth and baptismal certificates. Also letter from Roscommon County Council noting that he is not availing of the university scholarship (23 Oct 1953). Also, letter from Head Office, Northern Bank Ltd., Belfast, to Francis McGahern, Cootehall, Boyle, County Roscommon, giving the marks John received when he sat their exams for clerkships.

A public interview between Dr Niall Ó Dochartaigh and members of Brendan Duddy's family. The interview was organised to launch the Brendan Duddy Digital Archive on 25th October 2016. Its title was 'Can You Keep a Secret? Family Life with a Secret Peacemaker', and it was held in NUI Galway's Hardiman Research Building. The interviews offer insight into the personal reality of Duddy's work, focusing on their memories of the Hunger Strikes negotiations (10:00), the 1975 talks (16:00), the beginning of the 1974 cease-fire negotiations (22:30), the beginnings of the archive (29:30), Bobby Sands' death (37:50), and logistical difficulties in the Hunger Strikes negotiations (42:30).

Copy of printed booklet by Mathúin Mac Fheorais (ed) The hurlers of Kilfenora and Kilmacduagh with the poem 'Iománaithe Chill Chóirne' (Dublin 2009). With foreword by Br Seán Mac Namara. (This item was gifted to the NUI Galway Archives by Edward O'Loghlen in February 2010.)

Copies of printed 'Testimonials of Surgeon-Major P J Freyer, MA, MD, M Ch, Bengal Medical Service' 1874-1887, including references from many of the professors of QCG in 1874 and from the Inspector General of Civil Hospitals in the North West Provinces of India in 1887. The prizes and scholarships won by Freyer at QCG are recorded and a copy of a petition from the residents of Mussoorie to the Lieutenant Governor of the North West Provinces and Oudh asking for an extension to Freyer's service in the area is included (1886). An extract from the report of President Moffett, QCG, for the session 1888-1889, which mentions Freyer's treatment of one of the native princes of India, is attached to one copy. 2 copies include a page listing the publications and contributions to medical literature by Freyer, published between 1877 and 1889 and one of these, inscribed 'proof', also has an advertising flyer for The Modern Treatment of Stone in the Bladder by Litholapaxy by Peter Freyer, in 8 volumes, with 21 engravings, sold by Thacker, Spink and Co, Calcutta and Bombay [see P57/110] as an attachment.

Copy letter from [McDermott and Allen], Galway, to Mrs Kathleen Griffin, 5 Bowling Green, Galway, enclosing Notice of Additional Assessments on the estate of her late mother, and advises her to consult an Accountant.