Minister O’Donovan announces intention to open branch of National Museum of Ireland in Limerick, to host permanent museum dedicated to Women’s Stories
Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan T.D. has announced that he updated Government today on proposals to accept a purpose-built exhibition property on O’Connell Street, Limerick – the home of the former International Rugby Experience – under the State Property Act 1954.
His intention is that this purpose-built exhibition building will provide a new regional branch of the National Museum of Ireland and will host a permanent exhibition telling the stories of women in Ireland. This follows the recommendation of the recently published report of the Women’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Stories.
This multi award-winning building, completed in 2023, was designed by Niall McLaughlin, this year’s RIBA Royal Gold medal winner and previous winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize for architectural excellence.
Minister O’Donovan expressed his great appreciation and gratitude to the property owners, the McManus Family, for enabling this opportunity. It provides a unique opportunity to enhance the regional balance across the National Cultural Institutions and provide a new quality cultural offering in Limerick and the Mid-West, which will complement existing cultural, museum and community amenities. Final acquisition will require completion of a due diligence process in the normal way.
The Government noted the Minister’s plans today to engage fully with the McManus Family, the Board and Management of the National Museum, the Office of Public Works, and other key stakeholders to realise this exciting proposal and to explore the expansion of the galleries of the National Museum of Ireland and develop a permanent women’s museum in Limerick.
This would enable the State to respond appropriately to a key recommendation in the report of the Advisory Committee on Women’s Stories – offering a permanent, dedicated women’s museum, with space for exhibitions and programming to enhance women’s stories and voices, in all their diversity, as well as potentially providing for advocacy, research, education and outreach. The site could also provide space for other exhibitions, including temporary exhibitions, under the National Museum of Ireland.
Speaking today, Minister O’Donovan said:
“This magnificent building presents a wonderful opportunity to enhance the cultural footprint in Limerick and the wider Mid-West and I would like to thank Mr. McManus and his team for supporting this shared vision for the region.
It offers great potential to amplify the representation of women’s voices and lived experiences, in all their diversity, and with a special focus on under-represented and marginalised communities. It is a significant step in expanding the reach of our national cultural institutions beyond the Capital, It will join the Crawford Gallery in Cork, now undergoing a major redevelopment project, and the Museum of Country Living in Co Mayo as a new regional centre. This is very much in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to ensure that our national cultural institutions reach right across the country. Furthermore, I believe that a new museum dedicated to women’s stories would respond very meaningfully to the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Women’s Stories.
I am conscious that there is a detailed process to undertake to realise this proposal, and I know that developing any new museum is a sensitive and complex process. There are many factors to be considered, which will take time to fully work through. I am committed to working collaboratively with all involved to fully explore the potential and feasibility of this and I welcome the support of my Government colleagues as I and my Department work through this process.”
