The public has been invited to discover Ireland’s past through national and local archives through this year's Explore Your Archive campaign. 2018 marks the sixth outing for the Explore Your Archive campaign, which is coordinated jointly by the Archives and Records Association, Ireland (ARAI) and the Archives and Records Association in the UK.
It aims to highlight the richness and diversity of archives throughout the island, and encourage the public to explore their own past through greater engagement with their local, regional and national archives. Participating organisations, both north and south of the border, will open their vaults to display collections of stories, films, photos and other rare manuscripts throughout the campaign.
Highlights from the 2018 programme, which runs from Saturday 17 November to Sunday 25 November – include:
- The National Archives of Ireland will host a free talk to discuss the ways in which the past can save the future. Guest speaker and RTÉ current affairs broadcaster, David McCullagh will explore how archived evidence can be used to prevent history from repeating itself. Wednesday 21 November, 6pm–7pm.
- The Cork City and County Archives will host ‘Denny Lane (1818-1895): Renaissance Man’, an exhibition showcasing the personal archive of the eminent Corkman, scholar, businessman and politician. The exhibition celebrates the bicentenary of Denny Lane’s birth in 1918. Monday 19 November – Friday 30 November.
- The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) will host a conference to mark the centenary of the 1918 general election. The conference will explore the impact the election had in Ireland; women and the vote; suffrage and creative responses; voices from the archives; and the absent voters lists of 1918. Thursday 22 November, 2pm–4.30pm.
- The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) will reflect on its 287 years of philanthropic commitment to the economic and cultural advancement of Ireland. It will host a presentation on the history and development of its archives and collections which represent its corporate memory. Thursday 22 November, 2.30pm.
- Dublin City Library and Archive will hold a special walking tour of St Stephen’s Green and its environs. Led by Dublin City Council Historian in Residence, Maeve Casserly, the tour will explore the connections of the local area with the Irish suffrage movement. Friday 24 November, 1pm.
- The Irish Traditional Music Archive will bring its archival songs to life through a three-part live radio broadcast series on Dublin’s Near FM from the historically rich surrounds of its Georgian premises on Merrion Square. The broadcast will include performances and interviews. Thursday 22 November – Saturday 24 November, from 1pm.