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.
helmet / British Army, WWI
British Army helmet, World War I, 1914 - 1918. This helmet is of the type used by the British Army at the time of the 1916 Rising.
rifle / Jack Byrne, Fianna Éireann
One of the American Boy Scout rifles of the type used by boys of Fianna Éireann. The boys subscribed and purchased their own weapons. The cost price was about 35/-. Considerable financial support for the Fianna Organisation came from honorary members who comprised the fathers and friends of the...
barrister's wig / Patrick Pearse
Patrick Pearse's barrister's wig. Horsehair barrister wig, made by Madden & Black, Bar, Wig and Robe Makers, 145 Capel Street, Dublin. 'Pearse' handwritten in ink on maker's label.
cap / Monteith, Casement's Brigade, 1916
Captain Robert Monteith's cap, of Casement's Irish Brigade. Part of a set of uniforms belonging to Captain Monteith as an Officer of Casement's Brigade.
convict cap / Thomas Ashe, 1917, Portland and Lewes
The prison cap worn by Thomas Ashe in Portland and Lewes Jail, 1917. Regulation pattern fawn felt cap, red six-pointed star in front and on black patch on left side "q102".
revolver / Cathal Brugha, 1916
Double action Smith and Wesson Revolver, about 1906. Used by Cathal Brugha, 1916. Fixed foresight with sighting ridge on strap of six chamber cylinder. Locking notches on side of cylinder. Checked collar on ejection rod head. Checked thumb grip on hammer. Timber checked grips at Lanyard swivel....
rifle / Irish Citizen Army, 1916
One Italian magazine bolt action rifle of the pattern used by the Citizen Army in 1916. Found by the British in a dump. On butt "ARTICA FABA D'ARMI TERNI-1888-RIPARAZIONE", Italian arms and serial no. KB 772. KB 772 on breech end of barrel and Terni 1884. Note: This is a Vetterli rifle and should...
service tunic / South Irish Horse, trooper
Service tunic, trooper's, of the South Irish Horse, 1914-1922. Belonging to Private John Honner. With wound stripe on left sleeve. The regiment was one of several Irish Regiments in the British Army disbanded in 1922.
greatcoat / Michael Collins
Michael Collins' greatcoat. Worn at the time of his death as result of ambush near Bandon, County Cork, 22nd August, 1922. There are the remains of dried mud on the bottom flap of the coat. Some evidence of blood under the collar on the right hand side. The coat and cap came from President...
riding uniform / Monteith, Casement's Brigade
Riding uniform jacket belonging to Captain Monteith as Officer of Casement's Brigade.
braces / Liam Lynch, 1923
Civilian clothing of Liam Lynch, worn at the time of his death. Short brown jacket, green breeches, waistcoat, shirt and collar. Blood stained at the rear left of the waistcoat. Worn by Lynch on the occasion of his death in action at Crohane, Newcastle, Clonmel, April 10th 1923. Prout was...
jacket / Helena Mary Hoyne, Cumann na mBan
Cumann na mBan uniform. Jacket, skirt and Sam Browne belt worn by Miss H.M. Hoyne (Helena Mary Hoyne, or Nellie Hoyne) Hoyne, of 69 South Circular Road, Portobello, Dublin, later in U.S.A. Nellie was imprisoned in Kilmainham Jail after the Rising. Belt later than 1916. Add to this green collar...
automatic pistol / de Valera / Michael Malone
Automatic Mauser pistol, about 1910. Owned by Eamon de Valera. Mauser pistol with wooden holster, owned by Eamon de Valera but used by Michael Malone in Haddington Raod, 1916. Fixed foresight and graduated rear sight. Milled grips to back of slide. Milled thumb grip on hammer. Milled timber grip...
automatic pistol / Countess Markievicz, 1916
Countess Markievicz's Mauser automatic pistol. With detachable carbine stock which acts as a holster or case. Calibre .30. 5'' rifled barrel. Rear-sight 50 - 1,000 metres. Barrel marked with manufacturer's marks as above. Serial number 162742. With a contemporary note, written by Major Harry de...
walking stick / Patrick Pearse, 1916
Sword-stick which belonged to Commandant General Patrick Pearse. Blade of diamond section, 26'' long, with rough hued and gilt decoration towards the hilt, mounted in brown lacquered cane. The cane has a horn handle extending at right angles to its main axis and there is a silver band 1' wide at...
holster / Con Colbert, 1916
Captain Con Colbert's Webley & Scott automatic pistol. It was given by him to a friend, a short time before Easter Week, 1916. Serial No. 115555.
automatic pistol / Joseph Plunkett to Grace Gifford, 1916
An automatic pistol which was presented by Joseph Mary Plunkett to his wife Grace Gifford in 1916. On the grip along the butt strap is incised - 'From Joseph Mary Plunkett, to Grace Gifford, Holy Saturday, 1916'. Scratched on ends of gutta percha (or composition)...