The museum’s main focus is on the history of the Irish Defence Forces. Displays feature the uniforms and insignia of the Defence Forces through the years and document their United Nations service in the Congo , Lebanon and Somalia . Other displays focus on the involvement of Carlow people in military service from the Carlow Militia to Captain Myles Keogh of the US 7th Cavalry and up to the First World War.
Old Church ,
St. Dympna’s,
Athy Road,
Carlow.
Opening Times
Each Sunday from March to November from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Group tours may be arranged outside normal opening dates and times.
Admission charged.
The museum opened in 1985 and was conceived as a tribute to soldiers from the barracks on lost their lives in the line of duty. Its core collection is that of memorabilia associated with Michael Collins, including his personal diary, some personal papers, two of his revolvers and his War of Independence medal. In addition, the museum houses a large photographic collection dedicated to the history of the barracks.
Access to the museum is controlled.
Write to Officer Commanding Collins Barracks, Cork.
The new museum is located in the old guard room adjacent to the main gate. It is a most suitable location, as thousands of soldiers of differing race, creeds, uniforms and corps, have toiled in its hall and cells since it was built in 1815. This is also the very building in which the legendary Gen Sean McEoin, ‘the blacksmith of Ballinalee’ was incarcerated in March 1921. This followed his arrest at Mullingar train station by British forces.
This museum was formerly known as the Columb Barracks and Military Museum until the barracks closed. We are listing here under its former name until such time as it is renamed.
It is currently located at:
Custume Barracks
Athlone
Co. Westmeath.
In June 2002 the New Connaught Rangers Association was set up in King House in Boyle, Co Roscommon by a number of individuals with a strong interest and family links to the old regiment. The objectives of the Association were to gather material and information on the regiment and preserve it for the generations to come. This material includes papers, diaries, publications, letters, photographs and other memorabilia associated with Connaught Rangers.
Connaught Rangers Association.
King House,
Boyle,
Co. Roscommon
IRELAND.
Originally built to guard against French naval incursion between 1798 and 1800, by 1900 Fort Dunree was a modern coastal defence fortification. During October 1914 its guns protected the British Grand Fleet while it sheltered in Lough Swilly. In 1938 the fort was handed over to the Irish Free State and was an important part of the defence effort during the Emergency. It continued to be used for military training until the 1980s. The museum uses interactive technology to bring to life the history of the fort.
Dunree
Linsfort
Buncrana
Co. Donegal.
Opening Times
June-September: Monday to -Saturday 10.30am-6.00pm. Sunday 1.00-6.00pm.
The Irish Air Corps Museum and Heritage Project, as it now exists, began its journey during the autumn of 2000. It comes under the establishment of No 4 Support Wing (Engineering) and was set up to identify, collect, catalogue and preserve as much of the history and heritage of the Air Corps as possible. The museum itself is housed in a hangar built by the Royal Flying Corps in 1917.
It is manned full time by a single member of staff but has the assistance of retired Air Corps personnel on a part-time basis, as well as serving members who regularly give up their time. All restoration work is carried out by Air Corps staff.
Museum Curator:
Airman Michael Whelan M.A.,
Irish Air Corps Museum & Heritage Project
Location:
Irish Air Corps Museum & Heritage Project,
Casement Aerodrome,
Baldonnel Dublin 22, Ireland.
Opening Times:
Mon - Fri Working Hours (Access limited)
The museum is accessible by prior arrangement only through Air Corps Headquarters.
Contact:
The Station Commander Irish Air Corps Headquarters,
Casement Aerodrome,
Baldonnel Dublin 22, Ireland.
Tel: +353 1 403 7800
Originally the depot of the Connaught Rangers, Renmore has been an Irish Army base since 1922. Several exhibits commemorate the Connaught Rangers with uniforms, weapons and a regimental drum on display. The War of Independence and Civil War displays include weapons landed from the Asgard in 1914, and guns belonging to Dan Breen, Michael Collins and the Countess Markievicz. There is also a motorcycle belonging to IRA leader Liam Mellows. Among the items featured from the Emergency period is a parachute used by downed German airmen in Galway .
Finally the various peacekeeping missions of the Defence Forces are illustrated, most poignantly by weapons from the 1960 Niemba ambush in the Congo in which 9 Irish soldiers died.
Military Museum ,
Dun Ui Mhaoiliosa,
Renmore Barracks,
Galway .
Visits by appointment only - call a week in advance if possible
The museum holds the uniforms, medals and regalia of the regiment, known as the ‘Faughs' from their battle cry ‘Faugh-a-Ballagh' (Clear the Way). Exhibits tell the story of the Royal Irish Fusiliers (RIr Fus) from its formation in 1793 during the Napoleonic Wars, through the Crimean War, the Boer War, where the regiment relieved the besieged Ladysmith, to extensive service in the First and Second World Wars where the Fusiliers fought at the Somme, Dunkirk, north Africa and in Italy.
The regiment amalgamated with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1968 to form the Royal Irish Rangers (RIr Rang).
The Sovereign's House,
Mall East,
Armagh, BT61 9DL
Open Times
Monday to Friday: 10.00am-12.30pm and 1.00pm-4.00pm
Admission charged.
This Heritage Centre holds over 5000 artefacts dealing with the First World War. Education is central to the Centre’s aims and guided tours and education packs aimed at school goers are available. Elements of the battlefields of the War are reconstructed in a multi-media exhibition and the political background to pre war Ireland is illustrated through the use of material from the Irish and Ulster Volunteers.
There is a database of Irish fatalities of the Great War for those wishing to trace details of relatives. The Somme Association, which coordinates research into Ireland ’s part in the First World War, is based at the Centre.
233 Bangor Road,
Newtownards,
Co. Down, BT23 7PH
Tel:
Opening Times
Monday to Thursday: 10.00am to 4.00pm
Saturday and Sunday: 12.00pm to 4.00pm.
Over the years the military has become part of the Curragh, and the Curragh part of us. Right under our feet is history dating back to prehistoric times; the Fianna used to meet at the Hill of Allen; Henry II camped here on his way to Dublin in 1171; the Jacobite army trained here in 1686-7 and the British after establishing a permanent post in 1855, trained men to go and fight in the Boer War and the trenches of the Somme during World War I.
Now, after several years of research and planning, the Curragh has its own museum, that you can visit and take in the marvels of this magnificent geographical and historical site. we took in all aspects of the Curragh - military, civilian, equitation, conservation and archaeology. The museum is sub-divided into three parts. The environment encompassing archaeology, flora and fauna; the British military presence up to 1922 and finally the Defence Forces.
Before visitors view the exhibits, they can watch an audio visual presentation that has some magnificent aerial shots of the plains including the ring fort at Dun Ailinne, which at one time was part of the Curragh. The grasslands and the aquifer were the main reasons the British Army built a camp here. Some of the flora and fauna on the plains is unique to this part of the world
Curator: Sgt Charlie Walsh
Opening Times:
Opening Hours & Contact details:
Monday to Wednesday 1000hrs – 1300hrs 1500hrs – 1700hrs
Thursday 1400hrs – 2000hrs
Sunday 1400hrs – 1700hrs
Closed Friday, Saturday and Bank Holidays
Admision Free and there is free car parking.
The museum tells the story of Enniskillen's two famous regiments, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards.
Situated in the historic building of Enniskillen Castle, the museum consists of a series of show cases containing a wide selection of artefacts, uniforms, weapons and regimental silver. Each case also contains information panels telling the regiments' history. There are also a number of figure reconstructions representing episodes in the regiments' history. Hundreds of campaign and gallantry medals are displayed. Touch screens further enrich the visitors' experience. Also on show are military vehicles such as would have been used by the regiments. In the ground floor is a virtual reality tour for the handicapped.
The library contains archives relevant to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and these may be consulted by appointment.
The Castle
Enniskillen
Co. Fermanagh BT74 7HL
Opening Times
May to September: Monday to Saturday - 10.00am-5.00pm
Sunday 2.00pm-5.00pm during July & August)
Admission charged
This museum that holds collections of uniforms, medals, badges, diaries and photographs relating to the history of this regiment, which bore the name Royal Irish Rifles (RIr Rif) until it was changed to Royal Ulster Rifles on 1 January 1922.
There are over 4,000 items in a collection which covers service from Egypt in 1801, through India in 1857, the Boer War, the First and Second World Wars and Korea .
5 Waring Street,
Belfast BT1 2EW
Opening times:
Monday to Thursday 10.00am-12.30pm & 2.00pm-4.00pm
Museum closes at 3.00pm on Friday
Admission free.