Trisha Shetty (Editor)

National Maritime Museum of Ireland

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Established
  
1978

Province
  
Leinster

Founded
  
1978

Type
  
Maritime museum

Phone
  
+353 1 280 0969

Public transit access
  
Dublin Bus, Train

National Maritime Museum of Ireland

Location
  
Haigh Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Ireland

Website
  
Maritime Institute of Ireland

Address
  
Haigh Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, Ireland

Hours
  
Closed now Tuesday11AM–5PMWednesday11AM–5PMThursday11AM–5PMFriday11AM–5PMSaturday11AM–5PMSunday11AM–5PMMonday11AM–5PMSuggest an edit

Similar
  
James Joyce Tower an, National Transport Museum, National Museum of Ireland, People's Park - Dún Laoghaire, Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Mu

Profiles

Irishtimes com national maritime museum of ireland


The National Maritime Museum of Ireland (Irish: Músaem Mhuirí Náisiúnta na hÉireann) opened in 1978 in the former Mariners' Church in Haigh Terrace, near the centre of Dún Laoghaire town, southeast of Dublin city.

Contents

The church was built in 1837 for seafarers and remained open until 1971. In 1974 the Church of Ireland and the Maritime Institute of Ireland signed an agreement that led to the museum's opening.

Popular exhibits include:

  • The Irish Lights: this exhibit is dominated by the Baily Optic from the Baily Lighthouse on Howth Head, which was in use from 1902 to 1972. It includes some inventions of John Richardson Wigham.
  • The Great Eastern display: a history of the SS Great Eastern (designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel) including items belonging to its captain Robert Halpin and a clockwork model of the ship.
  • Artefacts recovered from the wreck of the RMS Leinster and some contemporary accounts of the event. It was torpedoed in 1918 off the Kish lighthouse, within sight of Dún Laoghaire. Over 500 people were drowned. There are mirror-backed half-models of the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company's ships: RMS Ulster, RMS Leinster, RMS Munster and RMS Connaught.
  • St Columba's Chapel: this area remembers Irish ships during World War II. There is a collection of paintings by Kenneth King and the bullet-holed flag of the MV Kerlogue.
  • In July 2011 two stained-glass windows by artist Peadar Lamb were installed in the former church, sponsored by the Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company.

    The Museum has been refurbished. In 2006 substantial funding was authorised by the Government for capital expenditure to cover the cost of the refurbishment, however this funding has since been cut off, and the Museum is now dependent upon door receipts, fund raising events and donations. It is operated by volunteers and a community employment scheme provided by the Department of Social Protection . It reopened Tuesday 5 June 2012 11:30 a.m. President Michael D. Higgins officially re-opened the museum. It operates from 11am to 5pm every day.

    The national maritime museum of ireland


    References

    National Maritime Museum of Ireland Wikipedia