Gallagher guitar and Collins flag among Cork items on show in Dublin

Several items of historical significance from Cork have been unveiled as part of the Changing Ireland Galleries exhibit at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin’s Collins Barracks.

The exhibit marks the biggest expansion of public galleries at the National Museum of Ireland in more than two decades.

Key objects from Cork featured in the exhibit include the 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar owned and modified by musician Rory Gallagher, and a 1922 Red Cross flag that covered Michael Collins’s body after he was killed in an ambush at Béal na Bláth in 1922.

Other items include a delicate handkerchief bordered with Youghal needlepoint lace (made circa 1912) and a lace sample for Queen Mary’s dress train commissioned by the Ulster Women’s Unionist Council in 1911, both made by the Youghal Co-operative Lace Society; a topee helmet worn on foreign service by Henry Ross of Cork in the Indian Medical Service at the turn of the 20th century; and a razor wire from the Good Shepherd Convent and Laundry, Sunday’s Well, dated from 1961.

The new public galleries opened 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. 

The renovation was undertaken by the Office of Public Works, funded by the Department of Culture, Communications, and Sport.

The galleries have been meticulously designed to accommodate regular display changes, offering visitors open access to the museum’s extensive collection, and supporting the long-term conservation of the objects.

Director of the National Museum of Ireland, Lynn Scarff, said the opening of the Changing Ireland Galleries marked a “transformational moment” for the museum”.

“Reflecting the new direction set out in our strategic plan, it is object-focused, non-linear, and exploratory, and aims to be a place of sanctuary and surprise without predetermined narratives,” 

said Ms Scarff.

“By including many voices in the gallery spaces, we have been able to create a space that will change and evolve, and more accurately reflect the dynamic nature of our contemporary history and its intergenerational impact right up to the present day.”

Lead curator Brenda Malone said the exhibition will help us to preserve 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,” said Ms Malone.

The Changing Ireland Galleries exhibit is now open with free admission to the public.