Clare Museum facts for kids
| Músaem an Chláir | |
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 2000 |
|---|---|
| Location | Ennis, County Clare, Ireland |
| Type | County museum |
The Clare Museum (also known as Músaem an Chláir in Irish) is a cool place to learn about the long history of County Clare in Ireland. It's located right in the middle of Ennis, inside a building that used to be a convent and school.
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's Story
From School to Museum
The building where the Clare Museum is today has a really interesting past! It was originally a school and chapel built in 1854 by the Sisters of Mercy. A famous Irish leader, Daniel O'Connell, had a cousin named Charles O'Connell. Charles often visited this convent in the 1820s when he was working for Catholic Emancipation. This was a time when Catholics in Ireland were fighting for equal rights.
The part of the building that now holds the museum was built as a primary school in 1865. Later, in 1869, a chapel and more classrooms were added.
How the Museum Started
The museum is managed by the local government. It was created thanks to the hard work of Ennis Urban District Council and Clare County Council. They also got help from a government department that supports arts and heritage.
The old chapel and school buildings were carefully fixed up and made new again. The Clare Museum finally opened its doors to the public in October 2000.
What You Can See: The Riches of Clare
Exploring 6,000 Years of History
The museum's collections show the history of County Clare over an amazing 6,000 years! There's a special exhibit called The Riches of Clare that you can explore in two main rooms. This exhibit displays many different kinds of objects.
You can see items found at old archaeological sites. There are also things that tell stories about how people lived long ago. You'll find objects from religious places and tools used in farming. The museum even has items connected to the Spanish Armada, which were Spanish ships that crashed off the coast of Ireland a long time ago.
Music, Politics, and Sports
The museum also celebrates Clare's strong tradition of music. You can learn about famous musicians from the area. There are collections related to Éamon de Valera, who was a very important Irish politician and leader. You can also see the journal of Patrick Brennan, who was an Irish politician.
For sports fans, there's an exhibit about the 1914 All-Ireland Hurling Championship. This shows the senior and junior teams from that year.
Protecting History
The 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. The National Museum of Ireland has given Clare Museum the important job of collecting archaeological finds from the area. This means they help protect new discoveries!
