Limerick City and County Council Archives Service in partnership with the National Archives proudly presents "The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives". This touring exhibition has been produced by the National Archives in collaboration with the Royal Irish Academy, the National Library of Ireland and the Office of Public Works, with records from the collections of the Military Archives, Dublin and University College Dublin Archives.
In 2022, Limerick Archives was part of a group of Local Authority Archive services who participated in the national tour of "The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives"
Using contemporary reportage, images and footage, The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives locates the Treaty negotiations in the political context of the Irish revolution and a world turned upside down by the First World War. Beginning with the exploratory talks between Éamon de Valera, President of Dáil Éireann, and British Prime Minister David Lloyd George during the summer of 1921, it details the work of the Irish plenipotentiaries and their secretariat, by presenting the documentary record that they left behind.
The exhibition also chronicles day-to-day life in London for the men and women who made up the Irish delegation, from parties attended, dinners hosted and appearances at theatre and gala performances, to the tense final days and hours leading to the signing of the Treaty just after 2am on 6 December 1921. Finally, it documents the delegation’s return to Dublin, and the Dáil Éireann cabinet meeting that pointed to the split in the independence movement that emerged over the terms of the Treaty, and the divisions that would lead to Civil War.
Exhibition Launch and Limerick Leg of the Tour
The Limerick exhibition kicks off on the 9th of June. The official launch takes place at 6pm in Istabraq Hall, Corporate Headquarters, Merchant's Quay, Limerick. RSVP is essential, and can be sent to archives@limerick.ie
The exhibition is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. . If you want to book a personalised tour, please email archives@limerick.ie
We are also excited to bring you a series of lunchtime lectures to accompany the National Archives touring exhibition on the signing of the Anglo Irish Treaty in 1922. Details are available here
The exhibition will be complimented by local material from Limerick Archives, including minute books, letters, and other artefacts.
Orlaith McBride, Director of the National Archives, said:
“We are delighted to bring this exhibition to Limerick. The wide and vivid range of documents, images and text presented capture as never before the drama that was the Treaty negotiations in London in 1921 and does so in a way that evokes the personal stories and personalities with all the attendant tensions, hopes and disagreements. It represents a really significant contribution to our understanding of one of the most important few weeks in our country's history.”
Dr Pat Daly, Chief Executive Limerick City and County Council, said:
Limerick City and County Council is delighted to welcome this important exhibition to Limerick. The signing of the Treaty in London had been noted in the minute books of Limerick City and County Councils in January 1921 but no doubt these short lines could not adequately represent the seismic change in the political and social life the country was about to undergo. This national exhibition is an opportunity to share our own local archive collections within the national context to further deepen our understanding of these events.
Jacqui Hayes, Archivist with Limerick City and County Council, said:
“The Treaty was a decisive moment in our history and this exhibition provides a vital connection to the foundation of our State. By showing us the documents of the time, we see the difficult decisions unfolding, the role of diplomacy and compromise in any negotiations and the courage of those who sat at the table and those that accompanied them to London.'
An education resource pack is available here