Bureau of Military History facts for kids
The Bureau of Military History was a special group in Ireland. It was set up in January 1947 by Oscar Traynor. He was the Minister for Defence and a former Captain in the Irish Volunteers.
The main idea behind the Bureau was to let people who helped Ireland become independent share their stories. These people included members of groups like the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Others were from Cumann na mBan, the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), Sinn Féin, and the Irish Citizen Army. Even relatives of people who had died, but were not part of any group, could share their memories.
The information collected by the Bureau was kept private until 2003. That's when it was finally opened for everyone to see. Later, in 2012, a big part of these stories was put online. This made it much easier for people to learn about Ireland's fight for freedom.
Collecting Stories of Independence
For ten years after it started, the Bureau gathered many important items. They collected 1,773 witness statements, which were like personal interviews. These statements filled 35,000 pages! They also got 334 sets of old documents and 42 photographs. There were even 12 voice recordings.
The goal was to collect and organize all this material. It would then be used to write the history of Ireland's fight for independence. This history would cover the period from November 25, 1913, when the Irish Volunteers began, until July 11, 1921.
Once the Bureau finished its work, they carefully stored everything. The witness statements were put into 83 strong steel boxes. There were also many other documents, photos, and recordings. In March 1959, the entire collection was locked away. It was kept in a special strongroom in Government Buildings. The plan was not to let anyone see it until the last person who had shared their story and received a military pension had passed away.
The Collection Becomes Public
On March 11, 2003, the Bureau of Military History collection was finally made public. This was a very important day for Irish history.
Before this, starting in 1999, a team of archivists worked to get the collection ready. An archivist is someone who organizes and preserves historical records. During this time, the collection was still closed to the public.
Copies of the statements were placed at the National Archives of Ireland. Now, anyone can go there and read them. Many important people attended the opening event. These included the Taoiseach (Ireland's Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern, the Minister for Defence, and army leaders. Historians and even children and grandchildren of the people who gave statements were also there.
Bertie Ahern spoke at the event. He said it was a very important moment for Ireland's modern democracy. He called the collection a "treasure trove" of memories. He said it contained the personal stories of the men and women who helped create Ireland. He also mentioned that it showed an era of sacrifice, bravery, and vision.
Historians also spoke about how important these statements are. They said that the full history of events like the 1916 Rising still needed to be written. These statements would be essential for anyone trying to write that history.
Online Access for Everyone
Today, a large part of the Bureau of Military History records is available online. This means you can search through them from anywhere!
This online collection includes 35,000 pages of stories. It also has 42 collections of photographs and 12 voice recordings. Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan officially launched the online collection on August 7, 2012. This made these amazing historical records much more accessible to students, historians, and anyone interested in Ireland's past.
