Clare Museum facts for kids
| Músaem an Chláir | |
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| Established | 2000 |
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| Location | Ennis, County Clare, Ireland |
| Type | County museum |
Clare Museum (which is Músaem an Chláir in Irish) is a special place that tells the story of County Clare in Ireland. It shows how people lived and what happened in the county over thousands of years. The museum is located in the middle of Ennis, inside an old building that used to be a convent for the Sisters of Mercy.
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History of the Museum Building
The building where Clare Museum is today has a long history. It was first built in 1854 as a school and chapel for the Sisters of Mercy. These were nuns who dedicated their lives to helping others, especially through education.
Building's Early Days
In the 1820s, a famous person named Charles O'Connell often visited this area. He was a cousin of Daniel O'Connell, who was a very important leader in Ireland. Charles O'Connell was working to help Irish Catholics gain more rights. This movement was called Catholic Emancipation.
The part of the building that now holds the museum was built in 1865. It was used as a primary school for children. A few years later, in 1869, more classrooms and a chapel were added.
How the Museum Started
The Clare Museum was created by the local government. Different groups worked together to make it happen. These included the Ennis Urban District Council, Clare County Council, and a government department focused on arts and heritage. They used a special program to help develop cultural places.
The old chapel and school buildings were carefully fixed up and made new again. After all the hard work, the Clare Museum officially opened its doors to the public in October 2000.
What You Can See at Clare Museum
The museum has many amazing things that show the history of County Clare. These items cover more than 6,000 years! There is a main exhibition called The Riches of Clare. It is spread across two galleries and displays many of these special objects.
Exhibits and Collections
The items on display come from different parts of history:
- Ancient Discoveries: Objects found at old archaeological sites. These tell us about people who lived long, long ago.
- Daily Life: Things that show how people lived their everyday lives in the past.
- Religious History: Items from old churches and other religious places.
- Farming Life: Tools and objects related to farming, which was very important in Clare.
- Spanish Armada: Stories and items connected to the Spanish Armada. This was a fleet of Spanish ships that tried to invade England in 1588, and some of them were shipwrecked off the coast of Clare.
- Music: Information and items about Clare's rich tradition of Irish music.
- Famous People: Collections related to Éamon de Valera, who was a very important political leader in Ireland.
The museum also has the diary of Patrick Brennan. He was a volunteer with the IRA and later became a TD, which is a member of the Irish Parliament. You can also see an exhibition about the 1914 All-Ireland Hurling Championship teams. Hurling is a very popular Irish sport.
Museum Standards and Loans
Clare Museum is part of a special program run by the Heritage Council. This program helps museums keep high standards. The museum also has many objects on loan from the National Museum of Ireland. This means they borrow items from the national museum to show them in Clare.
The National Museum of Ireland has also given Clare Museum a special job. It is allowed to collect new archaeological finds that are discovered in the area. This helps make sure that important historical items from County Clare stay in the county.
