THE NATIONAL Archives has launched a limited edition commemorative book to coincide with an exhibition tour of records from the 1921 Treaty around Ireland.
'The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives' exhibition will tour Ireland following a four month stint at Dublin Castle, where the Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921 went on public display for the first time in the history of the State.
The exhibition marks the centenary of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty (6 December 1921) and will tour Wicklow, Tipperary, Donegal, Wexford, Limerick and Cork from April until July 2022.
The exhibition is presented by the National Archives in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Royal Irish Academy, the National Library of Ireland with records from the collections of the Military Archives and University College Dublin Archives.
Speaking in advance of the launch of the commemorative book, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD said:
"As Minister with responsibility for the State’s Commemorations Programme, I am committed to ensuring that this complex period in our history is remembered appropriately and meaningfully.
"I am delighted therefore that this book, commemorating the Treaty negotiations and the ultimate signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, will contribute further to our understanding of this period in our history and with original records held in the collections of the National Archives will allow us to better reflect and appreciate the difficult decisions that were made at that time".
At the launch of the book and the announcement of The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives regional tour, Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives said:
"We are delighted to launch this exquisite publication. This illustrated book, based on the original exhibition, explores the negotiation and signing of the Treaty by the Irish delegation that travelled to London in October 1921, and their day-to-day experience of life in London as the negotiations moved towards their conclusion.
"It does so through the documentary record that they left behind, much of it retained by the National Archives in Dublin and other archives in Ireland. The exhibition on which this book is based will close this week in Dublin and will then tour to six counties across Ireland over the coming months. I am delighted that, together with the virtual tour, this important exhibition will be accessible to people across the country and further afield."
Written in conjunction with the Royal Irish Academy, ‘The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives’ is a collection of all of the records from 1921 that featured in the exhibition and is available from the Royal Irish Academy and book shops across the country.
The exhibition and book are presented as part of the government's Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 National Programme.
A virtual exhibition is also available online at www.nationalarchives.ie
A learning resource for schools has also been developed and will be available for secondary school teachers and pupils from next month.
