Hello!
Welcome to the Community Engagement programme at the Museum of Childhood Ireland, we’re thrilled you stopped by.
Here you will find stories, memories and interviews shared by our friends and followers about all things childhood, and growing up in Ireland and amongst the diaspora.
We at the Museum feel that the community should be at the heart of everything that we do – we want to create a space that reflects the shared (and varied) lived experience of everyone connected to our Emerald Isle – no matter where you are from or where you are now.
We would love to hear from you, for stories long and short, for memories past and present, adults and children alike!
At intervals, we will run more themed programming – such as Hallowe’en in October or Christmas in December – but this is just a guide. We want to hear and share your stories of anything you can think of – we’re excited to be here, and we’re excited to be hearing!
You can send us your stories, memories, anecdotes, pictures, thoughts or videos at any time – on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, or by email to cbrowne@museumofchildhood.ie.
Want to share your story but remain anonymous too? That is more than okay! We’re just here to create a communal space where we can all talk about the wonderful topic that is childhood.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Please contact Chloe Browne: cbrowne@museumofchildhood.ie
Diaspora Engagement
“it is time to imagine how they stood there, what they stood with, that their possessions may become our power”
– Eavan Boland, The Emigrant Irish.
How have the Irish diaspora adapted and assimilated? Where have new traditions developed by way of cultural translation? And where have things remained and been retained?
The story of the island of Ireland, from the perspective of its children, can’t be told without considering the story of emigration. It has shaped our story in waves particularly since the ‘Great Hunger’ famine, and continues to be felt and sustained, today.
With so much of Irish tourism and citizenship focused around the idea of coming home, or of a warm Irish welcome, we’d like to create a space for Irish Diaspora childhood history.
The Museum of Childhood Ireland embraces the child’s experience of emmigration, ‘Irishness’ abroad, and how immigration was and is felt for all those who have made Ireland their home. As we raise awareness of this new museum project, we invite the Irish diaspora community to engage with us, by sharing their stories and the presence of our museum in their countries.
The museum will be an inter-generational and hybrid model which allows for both a child friendly, interactive space for play and discovery and reflective spaces that tell the diverse history and stories of childhood.
Begun in 2016, It is the first Museum of Childhood for the island of Ireland.
We are raising the profile of the museum, it’s extensive collections and funding needs, as it prepares for its permanent home in Waterford City.
Please contact Majella McAllister: mmcallister@museumofchildhood.ie
Our Community and Diaspora Engagement Team:
Chloe Browne, Community Engagement Lead
Majella McAllister, Diaspora Engagement Lead
Áine Furey, Folklore
Dr Catherine Gilliand, Inter – generational Storytelling
Sorcha De Brun, Irish language Consultant
Aoife Ní Chorráin, Irish Language
Sonia Sartor, Italian language
Viktoria Kozak, with Elise and Matthew – Ukrainian Voices
Contact: cbrowne@museumofchildhood.ie
Contact: mmcallister@museumofchildhood.ie