ACHS Conference Detail

ACHS Galway Conference 2024

The Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS) biennial and international conferences are the largest academic events focused on heritage. The 7th ACHS 2024 will be held in Galway, Ireland, at the National University of Ireland, from the 3rd to the 6th of June 2024. Tours across Galway from the 7th to the 9th of June 2024.

ACHS Galway 2024 Welcomes You to
Our County!

The theme of “Custodianship” links communities to heritage ownership to preserve for future generations. This means that our universal values are held in trust as a way to safeguard both natural and cultural heritage; tangible and intangible heritage as intricate and intertwined values. The conference wants to explore the subject of critical heritage discourse within these narratives. Fostering equity of engagement of all people as universal custodians of their cultural heritage. It is often assumed that in places where these operate, communities share homogenous values about natural and cultural resources.
As citizens of the world, the engagement of the custodianship of different cultural heritages and with different cultural associations at the community and individual levels as a combination of five dispositions such as 1) Sense of self 2) Belonging 3) Potency 4) Continuance and 5) Responsibility.

ACHS Galway 2024 Welcomes You to
Our County!

Galway is often referred to as the City of Tribes. This is a reference to the fourteen tribes of Galway or the fourteen merchant families who once dominated Galway between the mid-13th and late 19th centuries. The fourteen tribes included the following families: Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D’Arcy, Deane, Font, Ffrench, Joyce (One of whom was Richard Joyce – Creator of the Claddagh Ring), Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerritt.

These families first came to Galway during the Middle Ages and had become very wealthy through trade with France and Spain. Most of these tribes were Anglo-Norman and considered themselves separate from the Gaelic natives that lived outside of the city walls. With their arrival they drove the Gaelic family the O’Flahertys to the rough and wild landscape of Connemara. The O’Flaherty’s became feared and on the surrounding wall of the city the words “From the Ferocious O’Flaherty’s O Lord deliver us” were inscribed.

These fourteen families had enormous influence in society in Galway and held huge political power and wealth. This is evident in the buildings they lived in. Lynches castle is a prime example of their extravagance with elaborate stonework carved into the building.

It was Cromwell’s forces that referred to them as “The Tribes of Galway” in an attempt to belittle them, but in an act of rebellion and defiance the merchant families adopted the name.

Today you can walk around the streets of Galway and see many relics from old Galway. In the city you can see Lynches castle, Blakes castle, St Nicolas church and the Lynch memorial window. Many streets, lanes, bars and restaurants in Galway also pay homage to these famous tribes.
For the conference we introduced an additional logo to symbolise the  diaspora and immigrants in Galway.
This logo is dedicated to the new Tribe in Galway!

Latest News

Best News For You

Travel Fellowships

The Association of Critical Heritage Studies is pleased to announce its support for a limited number of travel fellowships to facilitate participation in the conference in Galway in June 2024. These fellowships are designed to prioritize students, early-career researchers (ECRs), scholars from the the Global South. To apply, follow this link: https://forms.gle/xvC5jH6VeQmE4Bzj8

The City of Galway Hosting

The city of Galway in Ireland has been chosen as the location for the highly anticipated ACHS 2024 conference. This premier event will bring together some of the most brilliant minds in the industry, offering a unique opportunity for professionals to share their knowledge and collaborate on cutting-edge research and innovation.

css.php