On Friday January 10th 40 Cork RTAI members met in Collins Barrack’s Museum Cork for a guided tour.
What a hidden gem of a museum and even more so its curator Sge Denis McGarry. It charts the history of the Irish Defence Forces from their inception in 1922 to the present day.
But it’s the context in which this sits and the establishment of the Barracks, then Victoria Barracks in the 1800s, the role of Michael Collins, Tomás Kent, Éamonn DeValera, Cumann na mBan et al that made this visit such a valuable learning experience. Artefacts, letters, original photos, uniforms and weaponry are clearly displayed and ably explained by Sge McGarry in a factually accurate, nonpartisan way.
The 1 1/2 hour visit passed so quickly and we were coincidentally overlooking the main Barracks square (largest in Europe) when the Irish flag lowering ceremony took place.
Many expressed an interest in a return visit.
Opening hours: Tues-Thurs 10.00-13.00, Fri 10.00-13.00 and 14.00-15.30. Adm free, just ring the door bell.
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