Limerick items to take pride of place in new Dublin exhibition

A COLLECTION of objects from County Limerick feature in Changing Ireland Galleries, an exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.

This includes a handkerchief decorated and signed in 1977 by republican paramilitary prisoners Rita O’Hare, Rose Dugdale, Marian Coyle, Marie Murray, and Angela Duffin in Limerick Prison, symbolising resistance and solidarity; and an Irish Volunteer uniform tunic button belonging to Edward Daly. Edward was executed on May 4, 1916, connecting the county to Ireland’s revolutionary history.

Commandant Daly's Irish Volunteer tunic button was given by him to a nun in the North Dublin Union. The nun had it inscribed and later presented it to his sister, Madge Daly. The button was later fitted with a pin to wear as a brooch, but the pin is missing.

With capital funding from the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport’s Decade of Centenaries Programme, and working in partnership with the Office of Public Works, the new galleries open following a full refurbishment of a part of Collins Barracks that had been untouched since the departure of the Defence Forces almost 30 years ago.

READ MORE: New website launched to support flood relief efforts along River Shannon

The Changing Ireland Galleries feature hundreds of political, social and cultural objects from the Museum’s 20th and 21st century collections – extraordinary and everyday artefacts that have borne witness to the last 150 years. On entering the galleries, visitors are invited to reflect on the objects and consider the question 'Cad Is Ann Éire Dar Leat?' – 'What Is Ireland to You?'

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan TD, said:

“The Changing Ireland Galleries are a legacy project of the Decade of Centenaries Programme and a testament to the power of cultural reflection. This new space at the National Museum ensures that our shared history, in all its complexity, can be explored by future generations.”

Chair of the National Museum of Ireland Board, Professor Cathal O’Donoghue, added:

“This is a momentous day for the National Museum, and we would like to express our gratitude to Government for the funding to expand the galleries in this way. There are millions of objects in the Museum’s collection, and our physical infrastructure only allows us to have a fraction of that on display at any one time. The expansion of our galleries and the nature of this new display will ensure that the Museum can share more of Ireland’s history with visitors in years to come.”

Lead Curator of the Changing Ireland Galleries, Brenda Malone, concluded:

“The galleries have been designed to allow for the regular rotation of objects, which helps us to preserve these important artefacts for future generations while ensuring the galleries remain dynamic and continually offer fresh perspectives on modern Ireland’s history. The galleries also embrace sensory experiences, using music, visuals, and immersive audiovisual installations to add context, mood, and texture to the display.”

The exhibition is now open at Collins Barracks. Admission is free.