Ulster Gazette - News - Museum Move?

News

Museum Move?

Thursday, 5 January 2012

Door 'ajar' for city Military Gallery.

ARMAGH is still in contention as a possible location for a Royal Irish Military Gallery, as discussions continue regarding the future location for a regional museum.
In a letter to Armagh Council, it was revealed that, while discussions have been ongoing with the National Museums of Northern Ireland (NMNI) over a possible collocation with its existing site at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, the door is still "ajar" for the city.
The letter from the regimental secretary of the Royal Irish Regiment explained the Ministry of Defence is conscious of a need to maintain other options, until such time as the National Museums confirm whether or not the Cultra proposal is acceptable.
“Your offer to consider Armagh as a location is very welcome in this context and fits in with other locations which, if Cultra fails to materialise, we would consider developing," stated the letter from the retired major.
“I appreciate that this is not the absolute confirmation you might hope for, that Armagh can be embraced immediately as a primary option for our consolidated Military Gallery.
“The past months have been consumed in working through a number of proposals and exploration of options which have resulted in quite a fluid situation as regards options for any Military Gallery we might eventually succeed in establishing.
“I do hope, however, that Armagh City and District Council will feel able to keep the door ajar at least, until we have a clear idea of the future in Belfast."
The Ministry of Defence currently has three Royal Irish Regiment museums situated across Northern Ireland - at The Mall in Armagh, St Patrick's Barracks in Ballymena and at Enniskillen Castle.
The aim by the MoD is to amalgamate and develop a regional museum in Northern Ireland on the one site.
As negotiations continue over a future site, Armagh councillors are planning further discussions with the Royal Irish Regiment regarding the possibility of locating a regional museum in the city.
Speaking to the Gazette, Ulster Unionist Councillor Sylvia McRoberts revealed she has been campaigning for the retention of the Fusiliers Museum in Armagh for around three years.
The city councillor said the Royal Irish Regiment Museum on The Mall has been part of Armagh for centuries, given the area's long military tradition.
“The MoD were seeking to bring the museums in Enniskillen, Ballymena and Armagh to a central site in Belfast," explained Councillor McRoberts.
“Eventually the MoD decided the Enniskillen Museum would not merge and it was going to be Armagh and Ballymena brought to Belfast.
“I feel it would be quite wrong to remove the military museum and I had proposed that Armagh should have the facility sited here.
“There have been ongoing negotiations in the background with the MoD and the chairman of the Fusiliers Museum, as the council was proposing they would become involved in securing a military museum in Armagh, if that was at all possible.
“We are very much of the view Armagh should be the central location for Ballymena, Armagh and Belfast collectively.
“This means you would have Armagh as the centre, where the wonderful artefacts of the city would be complemented with all the collections from other areas.
“If the existing premises are not large enough for the entire collections, the possibility of looking at other sites could be explored.
“I've always been optimistic in bringing the regional museum to Armagh, because of the long tradition to military service, as Armagh has been a garrison town for centuries."
Councillor McRoberts also expressed her gratitude to the curator and staff of the Fusiliers Museum, who she said have worked hard to imaginatively display collections.
“Armagh has already established itself and the curator of the Fusiliers Museum has raised the profile to international status through her collections and displays.
“Every year we would have large numbers of people who would come to Armagh purely to visit the Fusiliers Museum and to carry out research.
“Armagh City and District Council has worked very closely with the Ministry of Defence for the retention of the museum in Armagh and it is the will of the council that Armagh is the most appropriate site," added Councillor McRoberts.