Guitar hero Rory’s pick of National Treasures!
the general strike in Limerick is another curio collected at the Munster artefacts road show.
Gerry Casey, who submitted it, said: “The notes were produced during the general strike in Limerick in 1919 known as the Limerick Soviet. One of the signatories is John Cronin, leader of the Limerick Soviet campaign and my great grandfather.” Rory abroad. Curator Roisin Higgins said: “It’s an Irish item which is a staple in everybody’s wardrobe across the world. “This folk item became the epitome of chic and was worn by everybody from Grace Kelly to Steve Mcqueen.” One of the most fascinating stories recounted is of a covert operation at the Ford motor factory in Cork where weapons were made during the War of Independence. Barry Curtin, who submitted a perfectly preserved hand grenade to the project, revealed that a friend of his “dug it out of a pillar” when they were kids. The first of four programmes on National Treasures is on RTE One tonight at 6.30pm. news@irishmirror.ie