Museum of Country Life
Museum Events 17-24 April 2014
By Bernie Byron
14, Apr 2014 - 08:09

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF IRELAND - COUNTRY LIFE
TURLOUGH PARK, CASTLEBAR, CO. MAYO
PUBLIC PROGRAMME 17-24 APRIL 2014

Contents:
* What's On: April-June '14 * Féile na Tuaithe: last call for food participants * Programme of events

* Temporary Exhibitions * May Customs Survey & Memory Collection * Museum Shop & Café
* Memory Book Project * On-line Resources * Other Details

01. WHAT'S ON IN THE NATIONAL MUSEUM (APRIL-JUNE 2014)
Please visit http://www.museum.ie/en/list/calendar-of-events.aspx for details of all events taking place in the National Museum of Ireland's 4 sites this April-June.

02. FÉILE NA TUAITHE - TURLOUGH PARK : LAST CALL FOR FOOD PARTICIPANTS

CALLING ARTISAN FOOD PRODUCERS & CATERERS : LAST FEW PLACES REMAINING IN FOOD AREAS.
The food areas at Féile na Tuaithe offer a unique opportunity for artisan food producers and caterers in the region to showcase and sell their produce, and to take part in our "Meet the Maker" marquee.
A few places are still available so if you are interested in applying for a stand, please contact feile@museum.ie or 094 903 1762 for further details. Selection criteria apply (incl. HSE Registration and compliance with Food Safety regulations). Féile na Tuaithe is expected to attract approx. 20,000 people to this year's event.

03. PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
Visit www.ouririshheritage.org to find out about local Irish history & heritage and to contribute photos and stories about your locality.

Thursday 17th of April:
2.00-4.00pm. Kidz Museum: Easter Decorations. Find out about Easter traditions and join us for some egg decorating, 3D paper decorations and more in this Easter craft egg-stravaganza Family Event. Drop-in. No booking required.

Saturday 19th of April:
3.00-4.00pm. Talk: On Leaving. Join David Monaghan to find out about his large scale photographic work on the subject of emigration. The parting shots, follow ups and a look at what's left behind when the life-changing decision is made to leave home. Adult. Booking required.

Sunday 20th of April:
During opening hours. Drop-in Activity. Easter Competition. Visit the Museum, fill out our Easter activity sheet and win a prize for the best drawn Easter egg or card design. Family. No booking required.

Thursday 24th of April:
11.00am-12noon. Kidz Museum: The Little Red Hen. Hear the story of the little red hen and friends in this interactive gallery session. Junior Activity for children 3-6yrs accompanied by an adult. Booking required.

04. TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS
HAIR HURLING BALLS: Earliest Artefacts of Our National Game
This exciting new exhibition firmly establishes the antiquity of our national game of Hurling with radio-carbon dated hurling balls from 800 years ago! The hair hurling ball collection of the National Museum of Ireland is displayed with an ancient hurling stick. These hurling balls are of matted cow-hair with a plaited horse-hair covering. This exhibition looks at these bog finds in relation to where in the country they were discovered, how they were made and the scientific analysis undertaken by the Museum. This revealed so much more than the naked eye could see... The exhibition runs until May 2014.
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

05. MAY CUSTOMS SURVEY & MEMORY COLLECTION

Do you know of any customs still being carried out on May Eve, May Day or during the month of May? We invite you to help us complete a national survey of May Customs in the 21st Century and to add you May Memories to our collection. Fill in our easy online form by following the link on www.ouririshheritage.org

06. 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: 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

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. 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.

09. 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.

10. 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.

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