Friday 26 June 2015

Lose yourself in Irish heritage this weekend

http://repository.dri.ie/
I just love websites like the Digital Repository of Ireland, which launched yesterday.

It's a site where you can lose yourself in Irish heritage, whether you're searching for something specific or just want to soak up some culture.

Among its gems are a collection of postcards, letters and hurriedly written notes from the excellent Letters 1916 project; cultural heritage objects – paintings, sculptures, crafts – from the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork; paintings, film and installations exploring ideas of space, identity, language, communication, conflict, consciousness, and other aspects of life and modern art, from the Irish Museum of Modern Art; and a great collection of photos, manuscripts and drawings by Irish artists of the 19th and 20th century from the National Library of Ireland.

There's also a vast collection of historical material – documents, manuscripts, photographs, posters and maps – covering major events, political movements, policies, and personalities in Ireland from the 17th to the 20th century, from the National Archives of Ireland.

In its introduction, the Digital Repository of Ireland site explains: 'We have created this repository with two central purposes: to preserve Ireland’s digital heritage for the long term, and to provide you, the user, with access to that heritage.'

So pull up a chair over the weekend and start acquainting yourself with this terrific online treasure chest.