Irish soldiers’ military service commemorated through new museums exploring untold stories of service and reconciliation across generations.
A new museum set across two sites is set to explore the history of Irish soldiers in the British armed forces.
The £13.6m project ‘The UNTOLD: Stories of the Irish in the British Army’, will see a location open first in Belfast, and a second in Enniskillen, backed by funding the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Phase one of the project will see a new museum open in Belfast’s Bedford Street in 2027. Galleries are to built inside a former linen warehouse, designed by architect W.J Barre. The museum’s eventual opening will see the warehouse fully accessible to the public for the first time.
The second phase will see the redevelopment of an existing museum space at Enniskillen Castle. Its galleries will be redeveloped, with future design work to address the environmental impact of museum displays and the long-term conservation of collections and facilities.
Objects from the collections of six museums are to be “consolidated” for display at the new museum. This will include objects from The Inniskillings Museum, Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum, Royal Ulster Rifles Museum, Royal Irish Regiment Museum, Collections and Archives of the Royal Irish Regiment, and Collections and Archives of the North Irish Horse.
The objects are to be redisplayed with “modern, objective interpretative design,” said the new charity.
Its chair Hugh Crossey, said: “Stories of the Irish in the British Army will hopefully inspire people to see things differently and make meaningful connections across generations.”
“Education will be at the heart of all the exhibitions, offering our visitors the chance to explore the lives of the Irish men and women who rose above divisions of class, politics and religion and overcame extremes of hardship to make an indelible mark on our history.
“In sharing these stories, UNTOLD seeks to contribute to ongoing peace and reconciliation across the island.
Dr Paul Mullan, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Northern Ireland director said the grant and museum plan will “bring back into use an exceptional heritage building in Belfast’s Linen Quarter”.
“We wish the team every success in this development phase and encourage people to get involved in consultation activities that will shape plans to reflect on the diverse stories from four hundred years of military history in an inclusive and accessible space.”
On the Charity Commission website, UNTOLD said it will “promote the widest ownership of the continuing story across the island of Ireland, contributing to the esteem and security of the veteran community, and will “work with education groups, community groups, veterans’ associations and formal organisations, to ensure all programming and exhibition development is co-designed with participants, promoting shared authority of this shared heritage.”
