Donating Items

Since its inception in 1994, the Somme Museum has relied on the generosity and commitment of the general public. It is these people, who have understood the need for the preservation of those objects that would help all generations remember, interpret and understand the Irish experience of two World Wars. The Museum holds an extensive collection of items that continue to tell the story of the Irish Soldier, the role of women, the War at Sea and in the air and the social changes in this particular period of our history.

Themes:

• The Home Rule Crisis and the First World War in Ireland 1912-1919.
• The Irish contribution to the First World War around the world 1914-1919.
• The Irish contribution to World War Two, at home and overseas, 1939-1945.
• Commemoration of the First World War and Second World War.
• Women in the First World War.
• The War at Sea.
  
  
  Collections:
• Medals and insignia, arm bands, badges, flashes, medals, regimental insignia, death plaques.
• Uniforms - tunics, webbing, belts, trousers, caps, helmets, boots, spurs, satchels.
• Personal equipment - items of equipment and personal effects of ‘participants’ including sewing
  kits, cleaning equipment, cigarette cases, watches, binoculars, jewellery, musical instruments.
• Military equipment - communications equipment, tools, trench periscopes.
• Weapons - rifles, handguns, grenades, shells, ammunition, swords, bayonets, trench weapons.
• Personal documents - letters, diaries, notebooks, postcards, bibles, photographs.
• Official documents of a military nature - maps, training manuals, pay books, certificates, photographs, message books, letters.
• Trench art - items produced by soldiers and by craftsmen, during and post war.
• Oral history - oral and video recordings of veterans.
• Commemoration - papers regarding veterans associations, commemorative events, records of war dead,
  details of individual and group military service, memorial tablets and plaques.

• Secondary material - general history books, biographies, memoirs.

  
  
  

If you would like to donate items to the Museum please contact the Director Carol Walker on 028 91 823202 or email:sommeassociation@btconnect.com