MUSEUM IRELAND 2020
The role, purpose and future of Local Authority museums and the Local Authority Museums Network (LAMN) Liam Bradley, Eithne Verling, Savina Donohoe & Marie McMahon
Local authorities across Ireland provide resilient,
access and strengthening local communities, Local
creative and imaginative museum services that
Authority Museums are continually developing
underpin local identities, inspire local pride
their engagement practices. As a group of like-
of place, create social cohesion, and support
minded professionals, one of the Network’s
sustainable economic activity. These museums
unique strengths is the ability for its members
play a significant role as engines of tourism,
to work as collaborative pioneers. At the 2019
attracting over half a million direct visitors each
Irish Museums Conference, Cavan, Galway,
year, including from overseas.
Tipperary, and Monaghan County Museums presented on transformations brought about
The Local Authority Museums Network (LAMN)
through major capital projects. Through the prism
represents the 12 Local Authority Museums:
of their own experiences, they reflected on what
Carlow County Museum, Cavan County Museum,
these changes have meant for their services,
Clare Museum, Cork Public Museum, the County
for their visitors and for themselves. These
Museum, Dundalk, Donegal County Museum,
developments, they concluded, have both changed
Galway City Museum, Kerry County Museum,
the physical structures and accessibility of their
Limerick Museum, Monaghan County Museum,
museum services, and have altered ideological
Tipperary Museum of Hidden History and the
understandings of what local authority museums
Waterford Museum of Treasures.
can be.
Local Authority Museums contribute to ensuring
Monaghan County Museum
the best possible quality of life in their areas.
Monaghan County Museum opened to the public in
They do so by preserving and promoting rich
September 1974, becoming the first local authority
historical and archaeological collections; and by
museum in the state with full-time professional
providing events, exhibitions, and education and
staff. This was a time of great sorrow and hardship
outreach activities with far-reaching and catalytic
for the people of Monaghan: just four months
impacts. Firmly rooted in local communities,
previously, in May, a bomb had gone off just
the museums work in partnership with other
yards from the courthouse in Monaghan Town,
services within their local authorities, and with
killing seven people. The Troubles were ravaging
other organisations in their respective regions,
communities all over Northern Ireland and the
government departments, schools and voluntary
border counties, and this was the world to which
groups.
the Museum first opened its doors. It quickly grew to become a focal point for the community,
With the aim of providing the widest possible
reaching out to all sectors to develop links and
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