INTERPRET IRELAND AWARDS 2002

AWARD FOR THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF COUNTRY LIFE

The National Museum of Ireland’s newest branch, the Museum of Country Life in Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, has been presented with an Interpret Ireland Award by the Association of Heritage Interpretation in recognition of its “excellent interpretative practice contributing to greater awareness and understanding of Ireland’s Heritage”.  

The award’s citation commended the Museum of Country Life for providing “a building that is both efficient and sensitive in the ways it sits in the landscape of Turlough Park; and above all for such wonderful displays of artefacts that make vivid the lives and hardships of recent ancestors whose way of life has now gone."

The judges also commented that “the displays are a triumph of dealing with themes largely through the excitement of real objects that are both imaginatively juxtaposed and close enough to the visitor to engage the imagination. At times a real sense of spiritual loss is felt by the visitor, especially in a section like 'Life in the Community' where festivals and public events -like St Bridget's Day, May Day, Lunasa, christenings, first communions, weddings and wakes are so brilliantly recalled. Altogether one feels a deep loss at vanished lives (so recently vanished) but also a huge gain in the meticulous and imaginative way in which these lives have been recorded in this excellent new museum”.

Presented by Awards Secretary, Mr. John Iddon, this award was accepted on behalf of the National Museum of Ireland by Mr. Paul Doyle, Manager/Keeper of the Museum of Country Life. Mr. Doyle expressed his delight at receiving this award which “emphasises the importance of the Museum of Country Life as an education resource and the promotion of our cultural heritage both nationally and internationally”.

The Museum of Country Life opened in September 2001 and is a branch of the National Museum of Ireland. The Museum's collection represents the traditions of rural life throughout Ireland during the period 1850 - 1950. Spearheaded by the National Museum, the then Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & the Islands and supported by Mayo County Council and the Office of Public Works, the development at Turlough Park represents a total investment of approximately €19m and took almost five years to complete. Bord Fáilte through the European Regional Development Fund under the Great Gardens of Ireland Restoration Programme supported the extensive renovated gardens. The Exhibition Galleries, which total approximately 1800 sq. metres, were designed by the Office of Public Works.

Facilities on site include a shop, café, audio-visual room, and activity rooms where visitors will be able to enjoy a range of scheduled programming which will include lectures, craft demonstrations and workshops. A new Library & Archive is currently being developed with the assistance of funding from the Irish Farmers Association and the National Millennium Committee.  Admission to the Museum is free.