Objects, War and Memory in Ireland past and present

'Objects, War and Memory in Ireland past and present' is a new exhibition at Kilmainham Gaol Museum exploring how special objects, brought to Ireland by refugees, tell stories of courage, resilience, love and hope in the face of conflict. They include items like the distinctive multi-coloured coat worn by Kateryna during the siege of Mariupol in Ukraine: a glimpse of the coat caught on camera during the Red Cross evacuation of the city told her family and friends that she had survived.

Also featured are objects from Kilmainham Gaol’s War of Independence and Civil War collections, revealing resonances between the experiences of refugees today and experiences of war and displacement in Ireland’s recent past.