Ireland’s National Archives to unveil free new “Society & State” exhibition this month
The new exhibition “Society & State - Ireland Through Its Records” will open to the public on Wednesday, April 17 in Dublin.
Ahead of the new exhibit’s opening, Ire‐ land’s National Archives said: “The Irish Free State came into existence in De‐ cember 1922, a year on from the sign‐ ing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and after a decade of upheaval and revolution. “A snapshot of the new State was taken on 18 April 1926 when the first post-in‐ dependence census was held and this provided the government of the day with an invaluable portrait of Ireland and its people at that point in time. “Census 1926 is due for public release by the National Archives in 2026 and ‘Society & State - Ireland Through Its Records’ takes that first census as a starting point from which to explore as‐ pects of life in independent Ireland, as reflected in the records we hold. “These documents form the very heart of the exhibition and will give visitors a flavour of the richness and variety of our archival collections.
“We have chosen over one hundred records to vividly reveal how the State and Irish society interacted from the 1920s to the end of the 20th century, the majority of which are being put on public display for the first time.
“In addition to the records themselves, illustrated text and archival film footage will form key elements of the exhibition and will cover a wide range of themes such as leisure and popular culture, public religion and morality, the arts and social change in the State. "'Society & State - Ireland Through Its
Records' also places Ireland in the wider world and highlights the important roles it has played in the international space over the last century.”
We're really excited about our new exhi‐ bition "Society & State - Ireland Through
Its Records" which will open in Dublin Castle's Coach House Gallery on 17 April and run until 8 September. Read all about it at https://t.co/h2Smgb70tG! @DeptCultureIRL #SocietyAnd‐ StateIRL pic.twitter.com/IFfMCgVPYx - National Archives, Ireland (@NARIre‐ land) April 4, 2024
Ireland’s National Archives said they are “really excited” about their dynamic multimedia exhibition.
“Society & State - Ireland Through Its Records” will be hosted at Coach House Gallery, Dublin Castle Gardens, Dublin 2 from 10 am - 5 pm daily from April 17 through September 8.
You can learn more about “Society & State - Ireland Through Its Records” here, or follow @@ NARIreland and #SocietyAndStateIRL on social media.