Maker unknown
Tuam chair
Tuam chair. NMI Collections F:1953.1
Tuam chair. NMI Collections F:1953.1
F:1953.1
The making of three-legged chairs has a long tradition throughout Europe. In Ireland they were made by carpenters in Connacht in the 19th century, but may have been made even earlier than that. Today they are known as Sligo or Tuam Chairs.
The chairs have three legs, a triangular seat, a narrow, curved back formed from the back leg, and feature traditional joints. Versions can be found with or without armrests. This chair was acquired by the NMI in 1953 through the Irish Folklore Commission, and its structure reflects the three-legged armchairs made in Tuam, Co. Galway from the 1960s through to today.
- View an online exhibition of Tuam/Sligo chairs
- Watch an NMI Symposium exploring the history and design of the Tuam/Sligo chair
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