Galway Camera Club

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Galway Camera Club

Offering beginner classes in photography , presentations and competitions for all categories in photography every Thursday night from September to May.

Galway Camera Club has been running for over 40 years. We are a diverse group of individuals interested in taking and viewing photographs. With a broad range of members from Professional to Amateur, we cater to all kinds of photography, from Digital to Film. We have members with interests in Infrared, Pinhole and Lomographic photography, along with more standard fare such as Landscape and Portrait

photography. There are also photography classes available to all paid up club members. Feel free to come to a meeting at any time. We are temporarily relocating to Knocknacarra Community Rooms (Over Tesco's) on the Bearne Road, Galway, H91 E7KW, which construction work is taking place in ATU. We meet on Thursday nights and the club season runs from September through to May. We meeting informally during the Summer months also.

27/05/2026

What a wonderful exhibition, in a wonderful location. Thanks to everyone who worked soo hard to get this done and to people who came to look, gaze and enjoy what was on display. We wish to thank The Mayor, Mike Cubbard, for opening our exhibition, Ruth Mulhern from the City Council who also attended and also for their support and help. St. Columbas Credit Union for support from their Community Fund. Galway Camera Club wish to thank Prof David Burn, President of Galway University, for hosting our exhibition in such beautiful surroundings. Again thanks to all above - your support to local community activities is much appreciated.

Galway Camera Club is now on our Summer Holidays, but do keep an eye on our website and socials for an opening date in September. Members keep an eye on the club wattsapp group for information on possible outings/meet ups during the Summer.

So until September keep safe, enjoy the Summer and happy snapping!

11/05/2026

Thanks to everyone for attending our Awards Night and AGM. It was a great turnout and a great way to close our 2025-2026 Season.

Congratulations to the award winners - John Kelly was the Beginners Winner, with John Murphy getting the "Most Improved Beginner". Tom Quinn was awarded the Photographer of the Year and the Chair's special award went to a very deserving Ann Sweeney for her many years of committment to the club.

The AGM went through the secretaries and the Treasurer's report. We had some resignations from the committee but also had some members coming on. Patricia Donohue gave the chair's summary and would like to thank everyone for their kind comments and support during the last year. We look forward to our two day, exhibition which will be held this coming weekend Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th in the O'Donoghue Theatre in the University of Galway from 10am - 5pm with the Mayor of Galway in attendance at 10am on Saturday 16th. Admission is free and we would love to welcome everyone to come along and enjoy the talent of our members.

05/05/2026

Whoow what a fantastic night of photography in our last competition of the 2025-2026 season and congratulations to the winners - just go to "Results" in the club website header for details. Macro/Closeup definitely brought out the best in everyone - so well done to all entrants! A fantastic night of judging from Sean McConaghy of Lane Studios Galway. He certainly turned the tables by asking the members questions about their entries and it certainly brought engagement - Thanks Sean!

Our AGM is this Thursday 7th and it is one of the important nights of the club. It’s a chance to get more involved in the club, hear about what’s been going on, and help shape what we do next—your voice and perhaps fresh ideas and possible skills that could be put to use within the club, genuinely matters. We’ll also be revealing some early hints about potential themes for next season’s competitions, so it’s a great opportunity to get inspired and stay ahead. Please do make it we’d really love to see as many of you as possible at there for 8pm.

Dont forget we are having our 3rd Exhibition on the 16th & 17th May in the O'Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway H91 RTR6 10am-5pm. We are honoured to have the Mayor of Galway, Cllr Mike Hubbard in attendance at 10am on Saturday 16th. We will be delighted to welcome everyone to experience our exhibition at any time over the weekend of the 16th & 17th May

29/04/2026

Congratulations to Martin Whyte - winner of the member's "Favourite Picture" - it was definitely one of those lovely captures. Well done Martin and enjoy spending the voucher!

We have the last of our competitions being judged this coming Thursday and for this task, we welcome Sean McConaghy from Lane Studios. The theme is Macro/Closeup and excuse the pun, but the title of POTY is that close - so could be an interesting night!

Also, please remember we have our AGM on the following Thursday the 7th May and needless to say it is important for members to attend.

Dont forget to spread the word about our upcoming exhibition being held on the 16th & 17th May in the O'Donoghue Theatre, University of Galway. We are delighted to have the Mayor of Galway in attendance at 10am on Saturday 16th May. See poster for details.

21/04/2026

Thanks very much to Avi Ratnayake for filiing in at short notice to judge our last print competition of the Season - it was very much appreciated and hopefully we will see Avi back again. Avi knows his photography and Connemara well which showed in the critique. Thanks again Avi and if you would like to see some of Avi's work please click on the link and some pictures below. https://www.aviratnayake.com/

Congratulations to Marcin Bochenek who walked away with 1st prize in the Connemara Print. Well done to the other placings and these can be seen by clicking on the "Results" in the above header. Things are getting very close for the Photographer of the Year - its all to play for.

This week on the 23rd, the club member's will be the ones voting on other member's "favourite" picture. Members are entering their favourite/loved picture anonymously so lots of member participation this week so it should be a good night and the winner going home with a €50 voucher.

Our AGM is coming up very fast (7th May) and it would be appreciated if anyone interested in coming on the committee would come forward. The committee is a very important part of any club and new people, with fresh ideas etc is always good for a club.

14/04/2026

Thank you, Lisa, for a truly engaging and informative evening. Your passion for insect photography really shone through, and your presentation offered a fresh perspective that opened our eyes to the beauty and complexity of these small creatures. It was both inspiring and educational, and I’m sure everyone left with a newfound appreciation and knowledge of the tiny world around us.I hope your first visit to Galway Camera Club was an enjoyable one.

This Thursday 16th, we have local photographer Avi Ratnayakethe judging our last print competition themed, "Connemara". Start time 7.30pm.

Dont forget to upload your entries by Midnight this coming Sunday 19th, for "Macro/Close up" digital format for THE LAST competition of the 2025-2026 season.

As mentioned last week, we invite everyone to submit one digital photo—either your favourite or simply one you really like—for judging by fellow members on Thursday the 23rd. To help keep the judging anonymous, it would be preferable if the photo you enter has not been previously shown. Please upload your chosen image to the club email ([email protected]) by Sunday the 19th; this would be greatly appreciated. There will, of course, be a prize awarded to the photo voted “Favourite” by the members.

https://www.aviratnayake.com/

07/04/2026

Galway Camera Club is delighted to welcome for the first time to the club, local photographer Lisa Clancy with our usual start time of 7.30pm. As you will see, this is a different topic, but definitely one that will suit our next competition "Macro/Closeup". Lisa has had her work published and if you would like to know more please log onto the following link https://lisaclancy.yolasite.com or read Lisa's blog.

I have been photographing insects in and around the Burren for over 15 years. I'm originally from Corofin, Co. Clare, and my love of this unique landscape has only grown over the years. My interest in insect photography began in 2009 while completing a MSc in Biological Photography and Imaging at Nottingham University. Following this, I pursued a PhD on insect behaviour at Aberystwyth University, Wales. Currently, I work as a Research Integrity Manager at Compuscript Ltd., Shannon and as Coordinating Editor for ACS Central Science.

Remember start time 7.30pm

photography

31/03/2026

There was lots of sunshine, good company and laughter to be heard last Saturday on our trip to Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin. A few nearly ended up behind bars, but thats another story! We were even treated to Tom Quinn playing the violin in St Catherines church before passing the oldest pub in Dublin, the Brazen Head, enroute to the Ashling Hotel for a bite to eat. We tested lots of modes of transport, train, bus, luas and of course shanks mare. A huge thanks to Mick Dooley for all the wonderful organisation he put into this outing. Enjoy some photos from the day.

10/03/2026

Galway Camera Club is always delighted to welcome Adrian Megahey to give a presentation this coming Thursday with start time 7.30pm. Adrian has been taking photographs for over 40 years both personally and professionally. He spent 12 years as technical director with Changeinspeak Theatre Company, in London, producing photo-montages and slideshows as an integral part of many productions.

Since moving to Galway he has been inspired by the beautiful western Irish light (and rain). A former chairperson and multiple photographer of the year winner, he has since been developing his portfolio of new work as well as revisiting his large film archive.

His work is built up of a mixture of landscape photography and personal projects based around the use of different film cameras: pinhole, medium-format, Lomography and Polaroid as well as alternative process including gold-leaf printing.

Some examples below of Adrian's photography or click on the link https://www.megaheyphoto.ie/

28/02/2026

Thanks to Ann Sweeney for her informative and comprehensive judging of the print competition for the Sweeney Cup, themed "Life in Galway". Congratulations to all the winners - pictures attached and congratulations to Patricia Donohue winner of the Sweeney Cup two years running.

We have two more competitions left in this Season, Connemara print and digital Macro/Closeup - go to programme in header in the club website, for further details.

Next Thursday we have Sarah Deane, a local published photographer, with start time of 7.30pm. Sarah Deane is an Irish visual artist based in County Galway, specialising in photography, collage, and archival materials to explore memory, place, and the transformation of overlooked histories. Her practice reconstructs narratives through slow, process-led techniques—such as lumen prints—often focusing on the bog landscape and the lived experiences of women. Click on link to see information on Sarah. https://www.instagram.com/deanesphoto/?hl=en

7.30pm will be our start time from here on in, which enables us to have time at the end for questions and answers.

Address

ATU, Mervue Campus, Wellpark
Galway
H91DY9Y

Website

http://www.galwaycameraclub.com/

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