The sinking of the liner in May 1915 was a cause of a huge surge in anti-German sentiment and became a feature of military recruitment campaigns, including this iconic poster. ‘Lisburn’s Lost’: The Sinking of the Lusitania (May 1915) May 7th 2015 marks the centenary of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, one [...]
Image: The Mayor, Councillor Thomas Beckett with Councillor Paul Porter, Chairman of Leisure, Finny O’Sullivan, whose father fought at Gallipoli, and Rosemary Bunting, Chairman of Lisburn Historical Society at the opening of the Gallipoli display in the Museum. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Gallipoli campaign during World War I, on [...]
Exhibition (April 2015) - The ‘dreaded peninsula’ April 25th (Anzac Day), marks the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign, a series of disastrous allied landings in, what is now, modern-day Turkey during the First World War (1914-1918). Turkey’s entry into the war had cut off the supply route between Britain and France and their ally Russia [...]
On April 21 2015 the statue of Brigadier-General John Nicholson returned to Market Square. Originally erected in January 1922 in the centre of Market Square (currently under construction), the statue was designed by the sculpture F.W. Pomeroy and gifted by Henry Musgrave. It was moved to make way for the re-development of Market Square. Have a quick read [...]
Happy Paddy’s Day To celebrate St Patrick’s Day we’re featuring a beautiful postcard from the museum’s archive (Ref: 1990.136). This St Patrick’s day why not drop in to the museum and enjoy our new exhibition Lisburn, 1912-1914 or explore the fascinating history of Wallace Park in our temporary display. […]
BBC's Imagining Ulster, featuring material from the museum's collection Did you see William Crawley's fantastic Imagining Ulster? Recently featured on BBC One NI, the show: "explores some of the social, cultural and political influences that have shaped aspects of identity in Northern Ireland. It looks at how Ulster has been a meeting place between different [...]
Project Linlon with Nora Fok 21st March - 18th April 2015 Opening events Saturday 21 March: Artist talk 1-2pm (free) Jewellery making Masterclass 2-5pm (£20) In collaboration with the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum and McConville’s Mill & Museum Dromore, Co Down, international jewellery artist Nora Fok developed “linlon”, a linen and nylon mixed [...]
Booking information SCIENCE PROGRAMME 2015 Bring your class to our popular FREE science programme at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum! This year’s theme is the ‘Science of Flight’. Length: Workshops are 1 hour 30 minutes and are suitable for P2 – P7 To book call reception on 028 9266 3377 What will [...]
Free Drop-in Workshops: Science Week On March 7th we are running another popular 'drop-in' workshops, come along with the family and enjoy our FREE science week programme. All ages welcome, workshops are free of charge and there is no need to book - just come along. Morning sessions from 10am-12.00 or afternoon 2pm-4pm, you can stay as long [...]
Pictured (left to right): Brian Mackey, Ciaran Toal, Alan Carlisle and Pat Catney at the launch. On February 2 2015 the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum launched its latest research project at St Joseph’s Parish Hall, St Patrick’s, Chapel Hill, Lisburn. The project, ‘Lisburn Catholics and the Great War’, aims to explore the untold [...]
Drop-in Valentine's Day Workshops at the museum On Valentine's day (make a note in your diary, it's this Saturday!) we are running our popular 'drop-in' workshops, come along with the family and make a Valentine craft. All ages welcome, workshops are free of charge and there is no need to book - just come along. [...]
Scottish Diaspora Tapestry: Hilden Mill The museum as recently involved in the first and second editions of the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry. This is a 'community arts project celebrating the Scottish Diaspora through embroidery'. The museum made a number of contributions, notably on the Barbour panel.
Royal Irish Rifles 'Brodie' Helmet Taken from our collection, this Royal Irish Rifles 'Brodie' Helmet - named after its designer John Brodie - was donated by Mr J A Anderson. It belonged to Corporal James Anderson (1895-1945), originally from Boardmills but later Belfast, who fought in the Great War with the 1st Battalion of the [...]
Research Project: Lisburn Catholics and the Great War - 2nd February 2015 The museum will be holding an exploratory meeting/talk on February 2nd 2015 at St Patrick’s Parish Centre at 7pm for those interested in getting involved in our latest research project: Lisburn Catholics and the Great War, this will include a talk by the [...]
Cardiff and Lisburn Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit Cardiff. As I explored the city, particularly the castle, I noted that both Lisburn and Cardiff have similar histories. For example: 1. Both have histories that can be traced back to the First Millennium, and beyond. Lisburn, and its name, owes much to the [...]
The Irish Volunteers at Christmas (1914) Formed in November 1913, the Irish Volunteers were, in part, a nationalist reaction to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). The Volunteers, with Eoin MacNeill acting as a figurehead, although they were largely controlled by the secretive Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), who would later launch the Easter Rising in 1916. Bulmer Hobson (1883-1969), [...]
A Gift to the People of Lisburn: 130 Years of Wallace Park Gifted to Lisburn by its landlord Sir Richard Wallace in 1884 as ‘a public park and recreation ground’, the grounds that make up today’s Wallace Park have a rich history that can be traced back to the 17th century. The duck pond, [...]
Natural Colours Guest Post: this post was written by Megan, a second year student studying Textile Art, Design and Fashion from the University of Ulster, Belfast. Megan has been on a placement at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum preparing a natural dyeing project, experimenting with extracting dyes from various organic matters. "Dyeing with plants is a kind [...]
Visit Santa at Lisburn Museum! (2015) Ho, Ho, Ho! Visit Santa at the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum! Arriving by sleigh on his favourite reindeer on Saturday 29th November at 10:45am, your little ones can visit his Victorian grotto and receive a FREE gift, or meet Rudolph in Market Square from 11am-1.30pm (29th only)! [...]
Dr Eamon Phoenix delivered a fantastic talk at the museum on November 18th 2014. Speaking on the topic of northern nationalists and southern unionists, Dr Phoenix captivated the audience with his command of Irish history, moving with ease from the Home Rule Bill of 1914 through to the Swanzy riots of 1920, and setting in [...]
Dr Eamon Phoenix will speaking on the topic of northern nationalists and southern unionists at the museum on November 18th 2014. For tickets, email us here or phone reception on 02890663377 or get your ticket on our Eventbrite page.
The November/December issue of History Ireland features an article from our Research Officer Ciaran Toal on local suffragette Lillian Metge and her attempt to blow up Lisburn Cathedral in the fight for women's suffrage. The article brings together primary and secondary research and not only examines the events surrounding the August 1914- bombing of [...]
We thought we would share something fitting for Halloween night. Rose McGrory came into the museum to do a very special reading of her prose piece 'One Hundred Days' it was filmed in the cottage of our exhibition Flax to Fabric. One Hundred Days features in the book 'Linen Poetry & Prose Anthology', a [...]
'We are all one in the suffrage faith' Lecture: 'We are all one in the suffrage faith' - Dr Margaret Ward. When? Tuesday 28th October 2014 Where? Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum Email or call 02892663377 for FREE tickets. #suffrage #ulster #ireland #metge #women #lisburn #lovelisburn
Glenmore Bleach Works and Glenmore House Guest Post: this post was written by Callum, a year 12 student from Laurelhill Community College who spent a week in the museum on work experience. Fantastic job Callum! Glenmore House was originally called Lambeg House, one of the original owners of the house was Francis Seymour, 1st Viscount Conway. [...]
Basil Blackshaw was born in Glengormley, County Antrim in 1932, and brought up in Boardmills near Lisburn. Educated at Methodist College Belfast, at 16 he enrolled in the Belfast College of Art (1948-51) and was awarded a CEMA scholarship to study in Paris. Noted for his early expressionist approach, Blackshaw’s themes have included local [...]
Eamonn Mallie at Lisburn Museum To mark the recent presentation to the museum of Blackshaw’s ‘Colin Mountain from Hillsborough’ (c.1970) by the Lisburn Historic Quarter Arts Group, Eamonn Mallie, the organiser and editor of the publication ‘Blackshaw’ (2003) was invited to give a guest lecture on the artist. To a packed Assembly Rooms on October [...]
The eldest of 11 children, John Ballance (1839-1893) was born in Ballypitmave, Glenavy. With little interest in farming, he Ulster at age 18, briefly settling in Birmingham before emigrating to New Zealand with his wife in 1864. Settling in Wanganui, on New Zealand’s North Island, Ballance established the Evening Herald in 1867, before turning his [...]
The award winning movie War Horse, based on the book of the same name, is coming to the Lisburn Museum this Thursday night. This movie tells the tale of the relationship between a horse and its master throughout the horrors of the First World War. This movie is free, so gallop down to the museum [...]
There was a great turnout for Nurse Edith Cavell at Lisburn Museum's latest WW1 film on Thursday 9th October. On Thursday 16th we have a FREE showing of War Horse (2011). PM for tickets, or call reception on 02892663377 #Lisburn #LisburnMuseum #GreatWar #FilmNight
On Tuesday 30th September 2014, the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum hosted Dr Fearghal McGarry, Reader in Modern Irish History at Queen's University Belfast. To a packed house, Dr McGarry discussed Ireland and the Great War, dispelling some popular myths before opening the floor to questions. This was the second in our series of [...]
Guest Post: this post was written by Matthew, a year 12 student from Fort Hill who spent a week in the museum in October 2014 on work experience. Great job Matthew!John Barbour moved from Scotland to Co. Down, Ireland in 1784 to establish a linen- thread making business at the Plantation, Lisburn. The Barbour's Mill [...]
Great news for the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum: our Museum Accreditation has been renewed! What is Museum Accreditation? The Accreditation Scheme The Accreditation Scheme sets nationally agreed standards for museums in the UK. There are currently just under 1,800 museums participating in the scheme, demonstrating their commitment to managing collections effectively for the [...]
Robert Wilson's poem Millie, read by Geraldine Treacy In honour of National Poetry Day here's a reading of Robert Wilson's poem Millie, read by Geraldine Treacy and recorded in the museum. The poem was written as a result of a collaboration between the museum and Zion Writers' Group. For more information see here. [...]
Autumn Programme at the Lisburn Museum To see our full Autumn Programme of events please click on the link below Autumn programme
'Riverland - The River Lagan' The BBC's new series Riverlands explores Ireland's waterways, and in the first episode 'The River Lagan' the show features pictures videos from the museum's collections. Special attention is given to the Lagan's role in supporting the linen trade, including: Lisburn's canals, Barbours' Hilden Mill and the retting dams and ponds [...]
'Linen Poetry & Prose Anthology' Linen Poetry & Prose Anthology, a collaboration between the Zion Writers' Group and Lisburn Museum is now available on the Kindle platform. On the collaboration: The Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum has worked in partnership with the Zion Writers Group over the last few years in enhancing education [...]
Aerolinen at Airwaves Portrush Our Research Officer Ciaran was recently involved in BBC Northern Ireland's World War One at Home roadshow at Air Waves Portrush. Along with Ernie Cromie of the Ulster Aviation Society and Larry Lamb, he discussed flax production, aerolinen and aviation during the Great War. If you're interested in Aerolinen, then contact [...]
Lisburn's Republicans: the Irish Volunteers The Museum's latest exhibition was recently featured in a piece in the Andersonstown News. The Irish Volunteers uniform is featured in a section on Ernest Blythe, the Magheragall-born Protestant, Irish republican, and Gaelic-language enthusiast. For more information visit 'Lisburn, 1912-1914' .
Aerolinen - The War Was Won On Ulster Wings Our Research Officer recently sat down with Jenny Witt from the BBC to discuss the role aerolinen played in the First World War. The talk is featured as part of the BBC's fantastic Word War One at Home series. Today Andrews' Mill in Comber is a [...]
Courtesy of Lisburn City Council A new, free exhibition entitled ‘Lisburn 1912-1914’ was officially opened in the Irish Linen Centre and Lisburn Museum this week. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come along and learn about the people and the place in the crisis years leading up to the outbreak of the Great War. Alderman [...]
The Great War: Lights out To mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of WWI the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum will be extinguishing its lights between 10pm to 11pm on August 4th 2012. "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time." Sir [...]
