Museum of Country Life
Museum Events - 22 Aug - 13 Sep 2014
By Bernie Byron
23, Aug 2014 - 13:02

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND - COUNTRY LIFE
TURLOUGH PARK, CASTLEBAR, CO. MAYO
PUBLIC PROGRAMME 22 AUGUST - 13 SEPTEMBER 2014

Contents:
* One to Watch.... * Programme of events *Temporary Exhibitions * Museum Shop & Café * Memory Book Project * On-line Resources * Other Details

01. ONE TO WATCH..........

1st to 31st August:
Six Word Story Competition. Choose your favourite object and write a story about it in just six words. Entries will be judged by Irish Independent Editor, Katie Byrne and published in the Weekend Magazine. See attached for entry form or pick one up from Museum reception. Adults. See http://www.ouririshheritage.org/page/six_word_story_competition_for_adults for further details.

02. PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
1st to 31st August:
Six Word Story Competition. Choose your favourite object and write a story about it in just six words. Entries will be judged by Irish Independent Editor, Katie Byrne and published in the Weekend Magazine. Pick up your entry form at reception. Adults.

1st to 31st August:
My Favourite Object Competition. Select your favourite artefact from the folklife collection then simply complete one of our ‘My Favourite Object' activity sheets. Prizes for the best filled out activity sheet - available in English and Irish language.
Children 7-12 Years.

HERITAGE WEEK: 23rd to 30th August 2014
Saturday 30th August:
Hoof It! Annual Donkey Day. The team from ‘The Donkey Sanctuary'; ‘Sathya Sai', Sligo and ‘The Mayo Donkey Sanctuary', Kiltimagh are back! Come along, meet the donkeys and watch hoof trimming and feeding demonstrations. Lots to do and see for all of the family. Family. No booking required.

Friday 5th September:
11.00am - 1.00pm. Drop-in Activity: Knitting: Not Just For Nanas! Make your own summer-time knits and crochet. Start a new project or get help finishing an old one! Learn a new skill for life. Holiday makers and beginners welcome. Adults & children 7yrs+. No booking required.

Saturday 6th September:
3.00pm-5.00pm. Drop-in Activity: Music Circle. Dust down that fiddle, polish that whistle and join the Music Circle to practice, share, play tunes and song. Adults. No booking required.

Saturday 13th September:
11.30am-1.00pm. Drop-in Activity: Mayo Genealogy Group. If you have an interest in finding out about your family history come along for free practical tips with the Mayo Genealogy Group. Adults. No booking required. New researches welcome.

Saturday 13th September:
3.00pm-4.00pm. Talk. Maamtrasna Murders and their Aftermath. Hear about Tim Harrington's quest to find the truth behind the Maamtrasna murders, the political climate of the time and how this case caused a sensation when it was first published in 1884!. With Ronnie O'Gorman of the Galway Advertiser. Adults. Booking required.

03. TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS
Preserving the Peace: Policing on the Island of Ireland: 1814-2014
The Peace Preservation Act of 1814 allowed for the creation of the Peace Preservation Force which is seen by many as the precursor to the establishment of the Irish Constabulary and of the modern police services on the island of Ireland. To mark this bicentenary, the National Museum of Ireland-Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo has opened Preserving the Peace: Policing on the Island of Ireland: 1814-2014, a major new exhibition dedicated to Irish policing on 14 June 2014. The exhibition will run until Easter 2015 and forms part of the National Museum of Ireland's Decade of Commemorations calendar of events. The exhibition focuses on organised policing over two hundred years on the island, exploring the degree to which standard policing has metamorphosed or remained static against the backdrop of British and Irish rule. A comprehensive public programme is running as part of the exhibition - see the exhibition website for further details.
Other exhibitions include:

· 100 OBJECTS MUSEUM TRAIL

In a partnership between the National Museum of Ireland (NMI), the Irish Times and the Royal Irish Academy, 100 objects have been chosen by journalist Fintan O'Toole to take us through the history of people in Ireland over 7,000 years. 4 of these objects can be seen in the NMI-Country Life, Turlough Park.

· No. 81 EMPTY COOKING POT, 1845-9

· No. 82 EMIGRANT'S TEAPOT, 1850-1950.

· No. 93 BOYNE CORACLE, 1928

· No. 95 EMIGRANT'S SUITCASE, 1950s.

No. 66 CRUCIFIXION STONE, 1740 & No. 77 WICKER CRADLE, 19th & 20th Centuries are also from the NMI-Country Life's Folklife collection and are based in NMI-Decorative Arts & History, Collins Barracks, Dublin.

Further details can be found on:
http://www.museum.ie/en/list/history-of-ireland-in-100-objects.aspx and on http://www.100objects.ie/

Visit http://www.museum.ie/en/exhibition-list/country-life-temporary-exhibitions.aspx for details about temporary exhibitions which are ongoing in the Museum Galleries

CAFÉ ART PROJECT : On Wings
An exhibition showcasing a variety of textile work - handmade birds, felted work and silk hangings - by the Rural Training Centre is currently running in the Museum Café extension during July and August.

04. MUSEUM SHOP & CAFÉ

Museum Shop: Broad range of specialist books and Museum-branded and handcrafted gifts to suit all budgets. Further details from the Museum Shop: 094 90 31767 or E-mail: shoptp@museum.ie

Museum Café: See above for details of Café vacancies. Visit the Museum Café for a wide variety of tasty and seasonal meals and snacks. Enjoy our freshly baked produce and speciality teas and coffees; the perfect complement to your museum visit. For queries and bookings contact the Museum Café: 094 928 9972 or E-mail: maeve@brambles.ie

05. MEMORY BOOK PROJECT
Your Stories - Our Histories: Memory Book Project
During your Museum visit, please take a seat at our Memory Book to record personal memories and stories related to the objects and exhibitions you have encountered in the Museum. The Memory Book form can be downloaded and returned to the Museum. This form can be completed even if you haven't been to the Museum yet as we would still like to hear your memories relating to Irish country life.

06. ON-LINE RESOURCES
Blog by the Museum's Documentation Department
The Documentation Department in the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life have launched a blog as a spin off from the Museum's Inventory Project - http://turloughparkhouse.wordpress.com/. Visit this blog to get some information on objects in the Museum's collection.
Website for local heritage
www.ouririshheritage.org features articles on local history and heritage from around the country. Anyone with an interest in their local area can contribute to this website which, it is hoped, will eventually reflect the local history of the island of Ireland. Groups and organisations are welcome to promote their cultural and heritage events via the online events form.

07. GENERAL INFORMATION
Visit http://www.museum.ie/en/list/calendar-of-events.aspx for details of the current programme of events.
Contact tpark@museum.ie if you would like to join the Museum's e-mail distribution list.
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/National-Museum-of-Ireland/94907090068?ref=hl
and Twitter: https://twitter.com/NMIreland.

08. MUSEUM OPENING TIMES
Museum: Tuesday-Saturday: 10am - 5pm Sunday: 2-5pm. Closed Mondays (incl. Bank Holiday).
Museum Shop & Café: open during Museum hours with extended opening from 12pm each Sunday.

09. CONTACT DETAILS
GENERAL INFORMATION: Museum Reception: 094 903 1755
MUSEUM CAFÉ: 094 928 9972; e-mail: maeve@brambles.ie