Historical Collections Online
Search our Historical Collections Online, a sample of 10,000 artefacts from the National Museum of Ireland’s Historical, Military and Easter Week Collections, published as part of the Decade of Commemorations.
photograph / Weldon
Photograph, British Army Regiment, led by band, World War I period, parading on a town or village street. Connected to L.F.B. Weldon.
sword / William III, Battle of the Boyne, 1690
Sword; ivory hilt carved with a hound's head on either end and a recumbent hound between. Lion seated on a hound makes up the handle. Presented by William of Orange to an Irish family, the Bentincts, for William Bentinct's service at the Battle of the Boyne, 1690.
autograph album / Michael Donnolly, Tintown No.2, 1923
Autograph book of Michael Donnolly, 9517 Hut 15, Tintown Camp No. 2, Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare, dated 25 November 1923. Michael Donnolly was a member of the 4th Northern Division.
lance / 1916 Rising
Wooden lance with metal head. Inscribed along the shaft in paint is 'Left behind by rebels in No.5 Upper Castle Yard, 1916, Dublin'.
ammunition / Magazine Fort, 1916
Clip of burnt and torn rifle ammunition from the fire at the Magazine Fort, Phoenix Park, Easter 1916. Four round clip, full. Bullets missing, cartridge cases burnt.
revolver / Mallow Military Barracks, 1920
A revolver captured at Mallow Military Barracks, 1920. American Smith & Wesson 6-shot .45 calibre revolver, seemingly an earlier model than that of 1917 - the barrel is longer than the 1917 model. Solid frame with swingout cylinder. On circular brass plates on butt and again on frame monogram of...
trousers / Irish Citizen Army
Irish Citizen Army uniform of the pattern worn after Easter Week 1916 (more service-like). Jacket or tunic, trousers, hat and boots with puttees.
waistcoat / British Secret Service, c.1920-21
Steel bullet-proof waistcoat worn by officers of the British Secret Service and by the officers of the auxiliaries and the Black and Tans. Before adopting this device the steel used was tested in the Dublin Dockyard Company (It was found that it could not be pierced by the heavy punching machines...
signal pistol / Ballytrain R.I.C. Barracks, 1920
Verey Light Signal pistol. Captured in attack on Ballytram (Ballytrain) R.I.C. Barracks, Co. Monaghan, February 1920.
clip (arms equipment) / Magazine Fort, 1916
Burnt rifle ammunition from The Magazine Fort, Phoenix Park. The Fort was partially destroyed by fire as a result of an Irish attack in 1916. A block 6" by 6" by 1.5" composed of cartridges, bullets, clips, melted metal, wood. Received by Edward Mulcahy at the time as a souvenir.
tin can bomb / 1916 Rising
A home-made tin can bomb, 1916. An ordinary tin can, with lid, which was filled with explosive material and fragments of metal, nails etc. This particular type failed to function due to having the hole at the top in the lid.
duty roster / Royal College of Surgeons, 1916
Writing table which was used as a notice board by Republican Forces occupying The Royal College of Surgeons, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin during The Rising 1916. Consisting of a sheet of porcelain, white, framed in wood, 11.5" x 9" overall. It appears to have been the property of the College and was...
hat / Patrick Pearse, Irish Volunteer
Padraig Pearse's Irish Volunteer hat. Dull green felt hat, bound with silk pugree of almost the same shade. Brim turned up on one side and secured to crown by stud, slouch fashion. Brown leather band and strap inside. No badge or other users mark. Said to have belonged to Padraig Mac Piarais, and...
waistcoat / D.M.P., 1919
Dublin Metropolitan Police body shield or steel waistcoat. Back and breast defence composed of four steel plates for back and four for breast; each group of four held in position by steel bands crossing at the junctions of the plates. Both back and breast covered with khaki twill, and with straps...
sign / 'Helga', 1916
Name plate of TSS Helga, the Fisheries Patrol Vessel from which Liberty Hall was shelled on the Wednesday of Easter Week, 1916. Five brass 5" sans-ceraph block letters, screwed to wooden board 28" by 7.75" with rounded ends.
flag / 'Helga', 1916
Blue ensign flag of TSS. 'Helga', the gun boat which shelled Liberty Hall during the Easter Rising 1916. Blue hop-sack cloth. Fly, 4'., hoist, 2' 6", with Union Jack in top left hand corner. In centre of ensign, yellow harp with eight white strings, surrounded by...
memoriam card / Sean Treacy, 1920
Memoriam Card for Sean Treacy. Printed with snapshot of Treacy attached.prisoner list / female prisoners, 1916
List of female prisoners, 1916, on Government notepaper, including names, ages and other biographical details. Included are Josephine Plunkett, 58, 26 Upr Fitzgibbon Street; Kathleen Lynn, 42, 9 Belgrave Road; Winifred Carney, 28, 43 Belvidere Pl. Typist National Health...
button / Irish Volunteer / WWI, T.F. Gill, 1915
Irish Volunteers Belt. Worn by T.F. Gill throughout World War I and bearing as souvenir badges etc. Derbyshire, Australian Commonwealth Military Forces, Gordon Highlanders, Grenadier Button, Middlesex Regiment, two Canadian buttons, Royal Irish Dragoon Guards, a crown, London Irish button,...