Donegal County Museum

Donegal County Museum (Irish: Músaem Chontae Dhún na nGall) is a county museum in County Donegal in Ireland. The minutes of the first meeting held by Letterkenny Board of Guardians in July 1841 record that a decision has been taken to build a Workhouse in Letterkenny. The new workhouse was designed by George Wilkinson. Alex Deane, Cork were contracted to build it for £5,792. The flag stone for the floors was bought from Lord Abercorn's Quarry for 20p per sq. yard. In early 1842 the work commenced. It occupied a six-acre site and could accommodate 500 inmates. The final cost of the building was £6,450 plus £1,475 for fixtures and fittings. It was declared fit for the admission of paupers on 16 December 1844, and it admitted the first 46 inmates three months later on 14 March 1845, shortly before the Famine began. The Donegal County Museum is located on the High Road in Letterkenny, its building first opened to the public in 1845 as the Warden's House of the Letterkenny Workhouse. The purpose of Donegal County Museum is to collect, record, preserve, and display the material evidence and associated information of the History and Heritage of County Donegal.

Donegal County Museum
Músaem Chontae Dhún na nGall
Displays within Donegal County Museum
Location within Ireland
Established1987
LocationHigh Road, Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland
Coordinates54.9546°N 7.7349°W / 54.9546; -7.7349
TypeCounty museum

In 2013, the then Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan, said that the museum was among the "best in Ireland" at "dealing with the past and recognising all traditions [and diversity]".[1]

History

In early 1842 the work commenced on building of the Letterkenny Workhouse. It occupied a six-acre site and could accommodate 500 inmates. The final cost of the building was £6,450 plus £1,475 for fixtures and fittings. It was declared fit for the admission of paupers on 16 December 1844, and admitted the first inmates on 14 March 1845– before the Famine began. The first Workhouse Master and Clerk was George Langan. His wife Anne Lane became the Matron. Jane Thompson was the School Mistress. During the famine, temporary sheds were erected to accommodate fever patients. In the 1901 census, the population of the letterkenny Union was 13,080 with 6 officials and 79 inmates in the workhouse. The Workhouse later became the Letterkenny District Hospital, Fever Hospital, Births deaths and Marriages and other purposes. A dispensary was attached to the workhouse and later became Saint Anne's Maternity Hospital. The Workhouse building was demolished to build the Letterkenny Garda HQ. The Master's house/Entrance Block is now home to Donegal County Museum.

The Donegal County Museum first opened to the public in 1987. Due to the success of the museum in the early years, it was extended after it received European Union funding in 1989. It was officially opened by President Mary Robinson on 14 June 1992.

Contents

The role of Donegal County Museum is to collect, record, preserve, communicate and display for the use and enjoyment of the widest community possible, the material evidence and associated information of the history of County Donegal. County Museums are significant in that they are a home for a county’s many historic treasures and they become centres for research, education as well as maintaining high standards of collections care. In Ireland, an official County Museum is one that is operated and funded by a Local Authority. Donegal County Museum is a local authority museum. Currently there are thirteen County Museums throughout Ireland.

The museum holds a collection of original artefacts that have a connection to County Donegal. These items cover subjects such as archaeology, history, social history and folklife. There are two exhibition galleries, and a number of offices within the building. The Temporary Exhibition Gallery shows between 6 and 11 temporary exhibitions per year - local, national and international.

The first floor exhibition tells the story of Donegal from prehistory to the twentieth century. Temporary exhibitions covering a range of topics and are held in the ground floor gallery throughout the year. The Museum is opened year round and is admission free.

An "event and education and outreach" programme also runs throughout the year on a variety of themes and topics.

Designated Museum

As a “Designated Museum”, under the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, 1994, and the National Cultural Institutions Act, 1997, Donegal County Museum is legally entitled to retain objects on behalf of the State. All archaeological objects found with no known owner belong to the State. All such finds must be reported to the National Museum or to a designated museum e.g. Donegal County Museum. If the object is primarily of local importance it will be kept in the Donegal County Museum for educational or display purposes.

Development

The Museum was originally housed in what was once the Warden's house of the Letterkenny Workhouse, building commenced in 1842. Between 1990 and 1991, the existing building underwent renovations and an extension was built. Further renovations was carried out between 1999 and 2000. Multi functional space in Donegal County Museum In 2019 a new multi-functional space opened in Donegal County Museum. The Museum converted an existing space, once the Museum workshop, into a space which accommodates a wide range of public events and activities, such as educational workshops, meetings, film screenings and lectures. This multi functional space enables the Museum to build on its existing programme and will provide a service for both the local community and visitors. The works were part funded through the Arts and Culture Capital Scheme 2016-2018 under the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

References
  1. "Donegal County Museum 'best in Ireland' says Minister". Donegal Daily. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2013. “Donegal is years ahead of everyone else when it comes to diversity, dealing with the past and recognising all traditions. The work of the County Museum is the best in Ireland when it comes to that,” he added.
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