After the Goldrush….

Words cant express the gratitude I have towards the people who came to the launch on Friday. The estimates are that there were 300 people . I wouldnt know as I spent the entire time behind a desk signing books for all who wanted them!

It was a wonderful experience to see everyone having such a good time and to see people signing each other’s books was heartwarming too.

The gallery is now open from Tuesday to Saturday until Christmas.

Its on Wolfe Tone Bridge, Just off lower Dominic Street

Call in, Ill be there most days

Save November 25th…..

Thats the day this whole thing starts flying. There will be an exhibition of all photos in the book in a very generous A2 format. Seriously,  whatever about looking at them on secrren they absolutely dominate when framed and mounted. Especially when you think there are 90 of them

The exhibition will be at 6.30 in Atlanta House, on Wolfe Tone Bridge, just off Lower Dominic Street. Everyone is invited.

Its going to run through December so please try and make it

Theres also going to be a deal on all print sales. Im trying out something different. Its something Im thinking of rolling out next year so lets see if you like it.

FINALLY:

The book is being finished as we speak.

Its going to retail at €44.95 but on opening night its going for € 40 and is now available on Amazon.co.uk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIBE–Portrait-Galway-Reg-Gordon/dp/0957068204/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321351708&sr=8-1-spell

 

I will have it in my hands on Friday and shipping will start on Monday.

Its really an amazing feeling to think its done.

Now to see how it sells… 🙂

 

Tribe Updates

Tomorrow I will be going into the printers to view the pages before it all goes “whoosh” and is printed. I cant really describe how proud of this project I am . It has been a  ong slog, none more so than the last 4 weeks when Ive been tweaking the book along with the designer, fundraising ( I would not make a good salesman!) and getting my head around the fact tat I willhave a book out in teh next 3 weeks.

It is quite a strange feeling knowing that something you have really slaved over and nurtured will be going out into other peoples homes soon enough

I hae a lot of preorders in so far from people in the US, in Australia as well as a few locals

 

With Michael D Higgins in the Aras Galway has never been at the forefront of peoples minds as it is now. Its a good thing

 

So one more time Im asking people to dig deep and give a little so I can pay for this thing:

http://www.fundit.ie/project/tribe-a-portrait-of-galway

For Galway

 

http://www.fundit.ie/project/tribe-a-portrait-of-galway

I have 10 days to go so Im making a big push over the next few days.

If you have already pledged I appreciate it , a place in my heaven awaits you.

If you live in galway and are even contemplating purchasing the book I would really appreciate it if you clicked over to fundit and pledged a bit of cash

Heres the sweetener: As I receive a printout of all who pledge money Ill take it off the purchase price.

If you pledge 20 euro, Ill take that off the final price of the book.

You can pick it up at the launch on November 25th

 

Think of it as a deposit

If you have pledged more than the purchase price Ill throw in a little something extra.

 

I know its a pain registering for these things but Id really appreciate it.

As Ive said before, If I dont reach my goal I get nothing

you dont want me to get nothing do you  🙂

 

PS: the book goes to the printers on Wednesday ..

Check bcak in a while for a sneak peek

 

Reg

 

Tribe Update

 

Last Friday I finished of photography for Tribe.

It involved first of all 3 circus performers ( image to come soon ) followed by 2 GAA players.

Then I drove home and drank a bottle of prosecco.

It was a great feeling and tied into the fact that it was the week I turned 40 a nice milestone in my life.

It is a strange feeling knowing that is less than 6 weeks I will have a book out there that will last forever.

One  that will be an admittedly incomplete, document of Galway in 2011.

I say incomplete because it is an impossibility to document everyone who makes this town what it is.

Some people I dearly wanted to get but logistics got in the way.

That’s life

Still I know that I can look back and say in all honesty I did my best.And thats a nice feeling

The one thing I dont like is fundraising  but now Im in a position where I will be going pretty heavily  into debt to fulfill a dream so forgive me for begging again

 

I NEED to raise money to finish this.

If you have enjoyed coming here and learning about Galway please reach into your pocket, take out your cards and donate a little .

If everyone who has visited this blog over the last 5 days gave 10 euro that would be enough.

It’s not as though its something for nothing.

Depending on your donation you will receive something back in return.

It’s a small thing but it’s just to let you know I appreciate it.

Also if I go over the amount I need I will be ploughing it straight back into the opening night party so it’s a win win situation:)

http://www.fundit.ie/project/tribe-a-portrait-of-galway

Thanks to all those who have supported the project so far

 

Reg

 

 

 

Michael Meehan and Sean Armstrong

Few things drive passions in Ireland like the GAA

 

The pride people take in their county, indeed in their “parish” is a sight to behold.

 

No matter where you travel in the world you will see Irish people wearing their county jersies with pride.

 

The people who play the game do so with such passion that its easy to forget that they do so as amateurs. They play their hearts out for the love of the game.

Then they go back on Monday to their careers

 

Michael Meehan is a trainee teacher after leaving a career in finance while Sean Armstrong is a qualified secondary school teacher.

Sean has just returned from New York where he flew in on Saturday and out again on Sunday, just to play one game. It means that much to people

 

If you like this please donate to the print fund:http://www.fundit.ie/project/funders/tribe-a-portrait-of-galway

Thanks to all who have so far. We’ve just broken through the € 1000 barrier but theres still a long way to go

 

 

 

Vinnie Browne

Every town has a store like Charlie Byrnes. One of those bookstores where you can stumble across anything. Its a perfect place to escape the rain for an hour or two.

Vinnie has been there for 20 years. When he said it it was the first time he realised it

When I walked in to do this shoot someone else walked in with a massive holdall full of books, turned them out on the floor and Vinnie went to work sorting them, like a man posessed

Originally from Co. Clare he came here for college and never left.

“Well, I went to London for a year but I still never REALLY left”

Even as a kid he knew that working with books was something that he wanted to do.

I cant think of many places better that Charlie Byrnes

I need your support:

http://www.fundit.ie/project/tribe-a-portrait-of-galway

Richard donovan

The expression Ironman is one thats used a lot when it comes to athletics these days.

Richie Donovan is a level above that.

He holds the world record for running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days.

Thats not a typo by the way. 5 days

He has made a career out of doing things, that dont seem possible.

A marathon on the North Pole? done

A marathon on the South Pole?  done

Amazon and Sahara desert? done

Thats only a small part of it

Originally an economist he was even published with the economic advisor to the US president

But he turned his back on the boom to pursue “meaningful things”.

 

If you are a fan of this project please visit

http://www.fundit.ie/project/tribe-a-portrait-of-galwayand help to make it complete

 

 

Michael Swift

Ive never been a sports fans but since Ive moved to Galway Ive become more and more interested in rugby.

In my opinion it is a perfect team sport because if the team doesnt function as a unit, the team doesnt succeed. There is no room for Prima Donnas .

Michael Swift is the longest serving member of Connacht Rugby.

200 caps this year

He came here 12 seasons ago and has made his home here.

Originally from London his parents are from Ireland His mum is from Dun Laoghaire and his dad from Wicklow.

They have both, on the recommendation of their son, retired to Galway.

I need Your support…

Tonight at 7 O’Clock I will be shooting the last person for the project.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribe-a-Portrait-of-Galway/258875357488132

Well,  3 people really but either way it will be the last photograph.

Over the last 2 weeks since I last posted I have been busier that Ive been in years.

I have shot six people but havent had a chance to put them up because I have been running from place to place trying to secure a location for the exhibition because without a location I cant move forward. It really felt like I was banging my head against a brick wall and it all nearly fell apart.

Thanks to,  local papers the Galway Independent

http://www.galwayindependent.com/

and the Galway Advertiser

http://www.advertiser.ie/galway

for their support in publishing my plea.

As it stands today I have found a location, a wonderful one.

Details to be released as soon as I can .

The next part is to raise funding so I can get the book out before Christmas without going too far  into debt.  Its going to cost me a lot of money. €15000 to be exact.

SOOOOO.

If you have enjoyed coming here reading about Galway, if you know someone in the project, if you want to show that community support is still alive please pledge some money. You will get something back in return, from a postcard to a print to a book.

You have to log in but it takes a second,

Yesterday over 600 people visited this blog

If each of them gave € 10 I would have raised enough..

http://www.fundit.ie/project/tribe-a-portrait-of-galway

I have sweated bullets over this, I spent my entire 40th working on this. I have neglected my family and my business for this.

For the record nothing like this has been tried before.

Cope Galway have offered to help sell it when it comes out. Dubray and Charlie Byrnes will be stocking it. Padraic Disconaut will be DJing at the launch.  It will be great when it happens

A section of ther profits will go towards building a famine memorial to comemorate those who had to leave in worse times than these.

If you cant help plese retweet and share so hopefully we can find someone who can

Thanks to the supporters so far

Normal service will be resumed on Monday…