Penal crosses on display at Mayo's National Museum of Country Life
A FASCINATING selection of 21 penal crosses, ranging from the early 18th to the middle of the 19th century, have been taken out of storage and put on temporary display until the end of October at the National Museum of Country Life in Mayo.
The display is part of Folk21, a yearlong programme to mark the 21st anniversary of the Irish Folklife Collection at Turlough Park, Castlebar.
Penal crosses have been described as one of the few examples of Irish folk art to survive until present times.
The crosses were likely carved and sold to pilgrims in the vicinity of Lough Derg, Co. Donegal. The dates carved onto the crosses recorded the year a pilgrimage was undertaken.
They are on display on Level C of the exhibition galleries.
JOIN A GUIDED TOUR
The museum is offering free guided tours at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. every Saturday from September to December.
Join an experienced museum guide to journey back in time and marvel at the innovation and endurance of our rural ancestors through the National Folklife Collection. The tours also explore the history of the Fitzgerald family of Turlough Park, the neo Gothic house, and the gardens and parkland.
Tours start at reception in the museum galleries. No booking is required. Places are on a first-come, first-served basis.
BENEATH | BEOFHÓD
An exhibition of photography exploring the bogs of the Irish midlands - and the culture around them - continues this September in the Courtyard Gallery (next to the museum café). Beneath | Beofhód, by Shane Hynan, draws on the themes of tradition and modernity and how they overlap in modern Ireland.
Bogs are intrinsic to the cultural identity of the Irish midlands through decades of peat harvesting for employment, and centuries of turf cutting for domestic fuel. These activities, however, have led to significant depletion of peatlands and in recent years legitimate environmental concerns have resulted in pressure to preserve the remaining bogs.
Although this body of work records the end of an era, as Ireland’s working relationship with bogs transitions towards conservation, it is also a metaphorical exploration of Ireland, society and self.
OUR IRISH CHAIR
The temporary exhibition Our Irish Chair: Tradition Revisited has been extended to March 2023.
This popular exhibition explores the design and exceptional crafting tradition of a three-legged Irish chair type known as the Sligo or Tuam Chair. The museum's full collection of these chairs is on display for the first time, taking a closer look at the chair type and its place in the story of Irish design. The exhibition celebrates the makers who preserved this crafting tradition; and also showcases the work of some modern makers and artists who continue to be inspired by the chair.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Admission to the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life, Turlough Park House & Gardens is free. No booking is required for general admission.
The exhibition galleries, café and shop are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday to Monday from 1 to 5 p.m.