PLANS for a museum dedicated to the stories of Irish women were met with a hugely positive reception from Government, bringing the project a huge step closer to realisation.
County Limerick TD and Minister for Culture, Communications, and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, said he updated Government today (Tuesday) on proposals to accept a purpose-built location in the heart of Limerick City – the home of the former International Rugby Experience – under the State Property Act 1954.
It was revealed that after talks with JP McManus failed to see Limerick City and County Council accept the museum as a gift, the billionaire has now offered the building to the State.
Following the briefing – which is understood to have been very positive – Minister O’Donovan said: “This magnificent building presents a wonderful opportunity to enhance the cultural footprint in Limerick and the wider Mid West and I would like to thank Mr McManus and his team for supporting this shared vision for the region.”
“It offers great potential to amplify the representation of women’s voices and lived experiences, in all their diversity, and with a special focus on under-represented and marginalised communities.
“It is a significant step in expanding the reach of our national cultural institutions beyond the capital. It will join the Crawford Gallery in Cork, now undergoing a major redevelopment project, and the Museum of Country Living in County Mayo as a new regional centre”.
The Minster said his intention is that the purpose-built exhibition building will provide a new regional branch of the National Museum of Ireland and host a permanent exhibition telling the stories of women in Ireland.
This follows the recommendation of the recently published report of the Women’s Advisory Committee on Women’s Stories.
It’s proposed to develop the six-storey building on O’Connell as a dedicated women’s museum, focused on the role of Irish women in history, including a focus on those women who have not been previously recognised.
Cathaoirleach of the Metropolitan District of Limerick, Cllr Daniel Butler (FG), welcomed the proposal, deeming it “a major opportunity for Limerick City Centre”.
“A national cultural institution on O’Connell Street would drive footfall, confidence, and long-term regeneration, a key priority of my term as Cathaoirleach,” he said.
“I acknowledge my party colleague, Minister Patrick O’Donovan, for demonstrating the political leadership required to move this forward. This progress shows what happens when experience, decisiveness, and collective engagement are brought to bear on a challenge.”
The multi-award-winning building, completed in 2023, was designed by Niall McLaughlin, this year’s RIBA Royal Gold medal winner and previous winner of the RIBA Stirling Prize for architectural excellence.
Minister O’Donovan expressed his great appreciation and gratitude to the property owners, the McManus Family, for enabling the opportunity.
He said it provides a unique opportunity to enhance the regional balance across the national cultural institutions and provide a new quality cultural offering in Limerick and the Mid West.
Final acquisition will require completion of a due diligence process in the normal way.
The Government noted the Minister’s plans to engage fully with the McManus family, the board and management of the National Museum, the Office of Public Works, and other key stakeholders to realise this exciting proposal and to explore the expansion of the galleries of the National Museum of Ireland and develop a permanent women’s museum in Limerick.
This would enable the State to respond appropriately to a key recommendation in the report of the Advisory Committee on Women’s Stories – offering a permanent, dedicated women’s museum, with space for exhibitions and programming to enhance women’s stories and voices, in all their diversity, as well as potentially providing for advocacy, research, education and outreach.
The site could also provide space for other exhibitions, including temporary exhibitions, under the National Museum of Ireland.
“I am conscious that there is a detailed process to undertake to realise this proposal, and I know that developing any new museum is a sensitive and complex process. There are many factors to be considered, which will take time to fully work through. Â I am committed to working collaboratively with all involved to fully explore the potential and feasibility of this and I welcome the support of my Government colleagues as I and my Department work through this process,” the Minister said.