IE Ongoing

When God Was a Gasúr

Name: When God Was a Gasúr
Start: 2026-10-01
End: 2026-10-10
Location: Galway

When God Was a Gasúr is a poignant multimedia exhibition by contemporary Irish artist Sinéad Burke, featuring paintings based on archival family footage from rural County Mayo filmed in 1960. The exhibition is hosted at Galway City Library.

Date: Oct 1-10, 2026
Location: Galway
Status: Ongoing

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Event summary

Highlights

Paintings based on 1960 archival family footage
Immersive multimedia display with original film and audio recordings
Soundscape of traditional Irish music
Handcrafted turf sods by the artist

This exhibition, titled "When God Was a Gasúr," delves into themes of emigration, storytelling, rural Irish identity, manual labour, and the endurance of family history. The core of the exhibition is a series of paintings by Sinéad Burke, derived from stills of archival family footage recorded in rural County Mayo in 1960. The exhibition's title originates from a phrase the artist’s father often used when reflecting on past times, conveying humour, myth, and nostalgia for a fading world.

The immersive experience features the original 1960 family footage screened alongside intimate audio recordings of the artist’s father, uncle, and aunts reminiscing. A soundscape of traditional Irish music, performed by adults who were children in the original footage, enhances the sensory journey. The exhibition also includes handcrafted turf sods made from used teabags by the artist, reflecting on turf-saving traditions and the strong tea served during these expeditions, with the actual kettle from the archival footage displayed on top.

Practical details

Location described by the source: Galway City Library; www.con-telegraph.ie
Area for browsing nearby events: Galway

Organizer — source statement: GALWAY City Library is hosting a poignant new exhibition of paintings by contemporary Irish artist Sinéad Burke.; www.con-telegraph.ie

Before attending

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