'Their memory remains etched forever': An Post launch stamp to commemorate Dromcollogher Cinema Disaster
The commemorative stamp design by Ger Garland features a contemporary photograph of the aftermath of the fire, as mourners pay their respects in Church Street, Dromcollogher
MINISTER for Culture, Communications and Sport and Limerick TD, Patrick O’Donovan has unveiled a stamp commemorating the Dromcollogher Cinema Disaster, a tragic fire on September 5, 1926, which claimed the lives of 48 people, from Dromcollogher and surrounding areas.
The stamp unveiling is one of a series of national commemorative events to mark the centenary.
Households and generations of families were attending a film show in the loft of a local storehouse when fire engulfed the building. The level of devastation caused was extreme – almost one in ten of the population perished.
Commenting on the Dromcollogher Cinema Disaster Centenary and the new stamp, Minister O’Donovan said:
“This stamp will serve as a timeless mark to carry forward forty-eight lives cut short, and to ensure that their memory remains etched forever in the nation’s heart. This stamp stands not as a reminder of the disaster, but as an enduring testament to memory, dignity, and a community’s unbroken bond with those lost a century ago in Dromcollogher. I want to pay tribute to the local community in Dromcollogher, who have kept these enduring memories alive.”
The commemorative stamp design by Ger Garland features a contemporary photograph of the aftermath of the fire, as mourners pay their respects in Church Street, Dromcollogher. The ‘N’ rate stamp for postage on the island of Ireland and a first day cover envelope with special postmark are available at Dromcollogher and neighbouring post offices and at anpost.com/shop with free delivery.
At the unveiling, Gerry Keyes, Chairperson of the Commemoration Group said:
“The members of the community in Dromcollogher who have been working to mark the Centenary of the Dromcollogher Cinema Disaster are delighted to welcome this special commemorative stamp by An Post. It is a tremendous honour to the memory of all the people who were lost in Dromcollogher in 1926. The care and sensitivity that are apparent in the design and production of the stamp are also very much appreciated.”
In the lead up to the centenary, local people including families affected by the cinema fire disaster, united to form the Dromcollogher Centenary Commemoration Group, to remember the centenary, to research the lives of the victims, the tragedy of their deaths, and to ensure the community continues to preserve their history.
The group has worked to access official records and newspaper reports and to gather oral histories from many families to inform a programme of commemorative events including a State Commemoration on Saturday.