Three of the four volumes contain minutes giving the date of meetings, attendance, correspondence and business transacted. The first volume also contains the minutes of the Galway Town Commissioners for the period 6 November 1890 - 31 December 1898, although this is one physical item it can be considered as two items for the purposes of description and arrangement. One of the items in this collection LA4/4 is a letter book which contains copies of correspondence and other items such as reports and for the period 4 May 1922 - 20 December 1922 it includes the copies of the minutes of council meetings. There are no minutes for the period 12 October 1912 - 16 December 1916, however there are some copies of letters for this period.

The volumes in this collection are in good physical condition.

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.

This collection consists primarily of drafts of John McGahern published works, it also includes a small amount of correspondence and other material which relate to publication and John McGahern's writing career in general.

The collection includes drafts of all six of John McGahern's published novels as well as drafts of his unpublished novel 'The End or the Beginning of Love'. It also includes drafts of all 37 of his published short stories, and 10 different dramatic pieces, some of which are adaptations of his own work, others of which were never produced. The collection also includes drafts of most but not all of John McGahern's published non-fiction and several drafts of his autobiographical work Memoir . For the purposes of description drafts are characterized as being either handwritten, typescript or faircopy. 'Faircopy' describes any draft that is almost identical to a published piece and contains few if any handwritten amendments. The vast majority of typescript drafts contain handwritten amendments or additions. In many instances drafts are considered partial in that only part of a longer draft has survived or the original draft was of only part of the complete work. Where drafts consisted of a small number of pages, typically ten or less for novels or three or less for short stories they are described as fragments and grouped together with other fragments of the same format and work for the purposes of description e.g. 'Handwritten fragments of Amongst Women '. It is clear from the presence of fragments and from the pagination on drafts that not all drafts of every work survive. Indeed this is true for the vast majority of works. The number of drafts of each work in the collection varies considerably, for example while only two drafts and a number of fragments of the short story 'The Recruiting Officer' are included in the collection, in contrast 15 drafts and a number of fragments of the short story 'Parachutes' are included in the collection. This may of course be a reflection of the different writing processes involved in writing the two stories. The papers are in very good physical condition.

Literary drafts, of his finished novel and eighteen plays, including adaptations of plays beginning with Chekhov's Seagull. Theatre production files, mostly programmes, promotional material, press reviews, few photographs. Radio and television work, with both adaptations of his plays and original play. Unfinished literary and media work, including novels 'Angela', 'Quirke', television plays; other projects. Administrative records, concerning production and publication of his works, his involvement with The Abbey, and The Field Day Companies. Private correspondence, with fellow playwrights including Tom MacIntyre, Frank McGuinness, and with fellow writers including John McGahern, Seamus Heaney, Seamus Deane. Drama, poetry and prose by other writers. Critical writing about Thomas Kilroy - essays and reviews. Lecture and conference notes. Collected printed material. Photographs, not production-specific.

NOTE: This document is restricted and not available for public consultation

Printed flyer from the Galway Arts Festival detailing a full programme of events and a day-by-day schedule of events in theatre, literature, music and film. Dates, times and venues of events are noted. Acknowledgements from the Galway Arts Festival are also noted.

Printed exhibition catalogue from A Century of Connemara from artist Brian Burke, a Galway Arts Festival touring exhibition. The exhibition was organised by Kieran Corcoran and toured to Nuns Island Arts Centre, Municipal Art Gallery, Limerick, Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Cork, The Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford and the bank of Ireland exhibition hall, Dublin. Catalogue includes an introduction by James White, the number, title, medium, measurements and ownership status of all pieces on display. Also includes biographical details of those who feature in the works and acknowledgements from the Galway Arts Festival. Catalogue designed by Lighthouse Press, Galway and printed by the Nationalist and Leinster Times, Carlow.

Printed colour poster from visual arts event, 'Western Artists, Inaugural Exhibition', as part of the Galway Arts Festival. Exhibition is staged at the Hynes Building, St. Augustine Street, Galway. Grant aided by the Arts Council and Galway Corporation. Main sponsor is noted as being Thermo King Europe.1 item. 9 Aug Photocopy of manuscript poster, drawn in ink. 'Peoples Art Exhibition in Galway on St. Nicholas Collegiate Church Railings' as part of the Galway Arts Festival. 1 item.

File of annual accounts and balance sheets. Some years have multiple copies.

Original press cuttings