Mary Cunningham on the Fr.Tom Burke statue for 'Those We Remember' historical walkabout (Culture Night 2025)

This short talk by Mary Cunningham is one of eight talks delivered on a walk through Galway on Culture Night, 19 September 2025. The focus was on the individuals remembered in statues and public spaces around the city centre. 

The subject here is the Domincan priest Fr. Tom Burke who was famed for his remarkable oratory skills. His ability earned him the title 'Prince of Preachers' from Pope Pius IX. There is information on the sculptor John Kavanagh, the commissioning and unveiling of the statue located on Fr. Griffin Road near Claddagh in 1948.

Mary Cunningham is a teacher who records and publishes oral histories of Galway. 

The walkabout was coordinated by John Cunningham for the Galway City Museum in association with the Galway Archaeological and Historical  Society.