Anti–Brexit placard among Louth memorabilia at new National Museum galleries

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

It was one of the most divisive and defining eras in recent border history, and now memorabilia from anti-Brexit protests are set to be featured in The Changing Ireland Galleries at the National Museum of Ireland.

Objects from County Louth feature prominently in the galleries, including a protest placard used at the official Border Communities Against Brexit demonstration at Carrickcarnon, which took place on the Dundalk / Newry border on January 26, 2019 symbolising the local community’s response to Brexit.

The Border Communities Against Brexit (BCAB) group featured representatives from a range of business, community and farming sectors. it was set up to lobby against any “hard border” on the island of Ireland due to the UK’s decision to leave the European Union in 2016.

BCAB were awarded a European Citizen’s prize in 2017 for their cross-border campaign which ran throughout the contentious Brexit negotiations.

The National Museum also features a number of other historical items from County Louth including an Irish Army crate of shell dressings manufactured by Ovelle, Dundalk (1939–1946), and a shell fragment found on Donore Terrace after a bombing by German aircraft on 3 January 1941 during World War II.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, Simon Harris, T.D., visited the National Museum to officially open the galleries, accompanied by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan T.D., and Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Kevin Boxer Moran T.D.

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.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence, Simon Harris, T.D., said: “These new galleries provide an important opportunity to reflect on and connect with Ireland’s story in fresh and deeply meaningful ways. It reminds us that our shared history is not static but continues to evolve with every generation, shaped by the people who call this island home.”

Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan T.D., 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.”

Lead Curator of the Changing Ireland Galleries, Brenda Malone, said: “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 Changing Ireland Galleries at the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks is now open. Admission is free.