Exhibition Opening: Recovered Voices – Stories of the Irish at War 1914 - 1915
Heather Humphreys will officially open our most recent exhibition; Recovered Voices – Stories of the Irish at War 1914 – 1915
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND
PREAS RÁITEAS THAR CEANN ARD-MHÚSAEM NA hÉIREANN
Wednesday, 28th January 2015
Exhibition Opening
Recovered Voices – Stories of the Irish at War 1914 - 1915
at the
National Museum of Ireland - Decorative Arts and History,
Collins Barracks, Benburb Street, Dublin 7
Today, Wednesday 28th January at the National Museum of Ireland – Decorative Arts & History, Minister Heather Humphreys will officially open our most recent exhibition; Recovered Voices – Stories of the Irish at War 1914 – 1915
This is a major contribution to the Decade of Centenaries programme. The exhibition unveils the complexity of the Great War and its remembrance in Ireland by showing the huge variety of ways in which Irish men and women were personally involved. The Exhibition looks at the social, economic and political reasons for Irish soldiers to join the British Army and what happened to them, remembering that more than half of them were dead by Christmas 1914. In particular it looks at the Irish regiments in the British Army who went to the Western Front in 1914 and to Gallipoli in 1915. However the story is broader than just these regiments. Irish emigrants fought in the Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and South African Armies. At the same time, many women supported the war effort by working in shell factories or volunteering as nurses at the front.
The exhibition has been installed over two galleries, covering the years 1914 and 1915. Text panels mediate the bigger picture by shedding light on critical events and themes while 21 personal stories linked to the exhibition objects will be used to engage the visitors and facilitate easy access to the topic.
Commenting on the exhibition, Raghnall Ó Floinn – Director of the National Museum stated; “We hope visitors will get a different sense of the engagement of Irish men and women in the early years of the war effort. It also includes the experiences of Irish emigrants who enlisted in the armies of Canada, Newfoundland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. They participated in a variety of ways - as recruits, doctors, nurses and munitions factory workers, not only at home and on the Western Front but also in far-flung theatres of war such as Gallipoli and the Middle East.”
In conjunction with the exhibition ‘PALS - THE IRISH AT GALLIPOLI’ Historical Theatre will explore the untold Irish experiences of World War I
‘Pals – The Irish At Gallipoli’ is a partnership project with partners ANU Productions, the National Museum of Ireland and the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht in association with the National Archives of Ireland.
Award-winning innovators ANU Productions present an immersive World War I experience based on the events surrounding the campaign at Gallipoli in Turkey and inspired by the previously untold stories of the 7th Battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers – and the everyday lives of the Irish people who were affected by the Great War.
‘Pals – The Irish At Gallipoli’ will be performed at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks from Tuesday, 3 February to Thursday, 30 April. The show will run Wednesday to Sunday each week with five public performances a day. Performances on Tuesdays will be reserved for and specifically targeted at transition year students.
Matthew Smyth, Producer of PALS commented ''At a time when Ireland is exploring the decade of the foundation of the state, ANU’s work is an important critique of our social and cultural history. Presented with empathy, sophistication and artistic rigor. Bringing voices of the past to the fore, PALS delves into historical events of WW1 with both scalpel like precision and dreamlike intensity.''
Minister Heather Humphreys said: “This major new exhibition at the National Museum is an important element of the Decade of Centenaries, which is being led by my Department. The Irish experience of World War 1 was complex and varied. Through a series of personal stories, this exhibition highlights how Irish men and women were involved and brings to life the difficult choices and extremely harsh conditions they faced throughout 1914 and 1915.
“The second element of the exhibition focuses on the Irish at Gallipoli. The battle at Gallipoli led to incredible bloodshed and loss of life. Four thousand Irish men who went to fight at Gallipoli never returned home. I am pleased that some of the PALS performances are being specifically targeted at transition year students, as it is important that we educate our young people about the devastating realities of war.”
FOR MORE PRESS INFORMATION CONTACT
Maureen Gaule, Marketing Executive, Marketing Department,
T: 01 648 6429 | M: 087 9031690| E: mgaule@museum.ie
Notes to the Editor:
A Photocall will take place at 12.30 today within the Exhibition space.
Additional information on the exhibition can be found here.
The above exhibition is open to the Public. Free Admission.
Images available on request
Paul Sherwood – Photographer paul@sherwood.ie 087 2309096
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