Public Programme for November 2009:

STRAW, HAY AND RUSHES
You can imagine a mat made from straw. How about sleeping on a straw mattress, horse riding using a saddle made from rushes, making a rain coat from a wheat sheaf or insulating your home with plaited straw draft excluders.  The Museum’s new temporary exhibition includes more than a hundred objects made from these natural materials some of which you can experience for yourself.  You never know, in these days of credit crunches and recession, you might even pick up some money saving ideas.  This exhibition continues until Spring 2010.
 
 
Extended to Spring 2010: The Moylough Belt Shrine: Objects associated with saints in early Ireland were often preserved after the saint's death and these relics were encased in precious metal shrines.  A belt belonging to an unknown saint was found in Moylough, Co. Sligo in the 1940s by local man John Towey when he was cutting turf.  The leather belt was encased in a bronze shrine.  This was richly decorated with silver, glass and enamel.  The Moylough Belt Shrine dates from the eighth century and is one of the great treasures of early Ireland.
 
LOOK OUT FOR MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS TRAVELLING TO OTHER VENUES
Down Memory Lane currently on display in Fermanagh Co. Museum, Enniskillen.
Originally developed by the National Museum Ireland – Country Life, Turlough Park, this exhibition has now travelled to Fermanagh Co. Museum, Enniskillen.  This exhibition illustrates childhood in the 1950s through objects from the Irish Folklife Collection of the National Museum of Ireland.  Aspects of childhood covered include Birth and Christening, Sleeping, Food and Drink, Health and Grooming, Schooldays and Leisure Time. There is also an exhibit dealing with indoor and outdoor traditional toys and games.  Tel:  048 6632 5000