Irish Museums
Not only is Ireland a place with a rich history, it is populated by people who are immensely –and justly– proud of that history. It is no wonder, then, with life changing so quickly and bits of the past dropping farther and farther behind us, that Ireland has put such effort into its wonderful museums in an effort to better preserve that treasured past for the benefit of future generations.
The type of museum you visit when in Ireland will of course depend on where your interests lie. The real beauty in having such a varied culture and diverse history is the diversity it then lends to the exhibits in the many museums the island has to offer. No matter what your particular interest in Irish history is, there is bound to be an exhibit that will appeal to you.
Those interested in Irish whiskey may be interested in booking on one of the distillery tours available in the larger cities. If it’s the cottage industry that really holds your attention, then you may want to pay a visit to one of the museums that have set up working displays; the Ballydugan Weavers’ Home, for example, is a replica of a linen weaver’s home and his workshop. If you are more interested in the relevance of Irish history to pop culture, however remote, you may well want to take a tour of a shipbuilding museum; the ill-fated Titanic was built in Ireland.
Of course, that barely scratches the surface; with a past as colourful as that of Ireland, to properly document it all would take a whole nation of museums! It is wisest to think beforehand which aspect of Irish history you most want to explore. If no one specific area interests you, you may find you are best off simply picking one of the larger museums, as there, they are certain to cover a little bit of everything.
32 Northwood Court, Santry, Dublin 9
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