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The Staff at Newry and Mourne Museum have been saddened by the recent death of Hal O’Brien, former Editor of the Newry Reporter who, over the years, gave the Museum much valued support and encouragement. With a deep interest in history and heritage, Hal rarely missed a lecture or an exhibition launch. He was always keen to know what new events were planned and was among the first to book a place once booking for a lecture opened or to send a reply when invited to a launch.
However, Hal’s interest in local history chiefly manifested itself in a series of generous donations which he made to the Museum in the years leading up to the opening of the new Museum at Bagenal’s Castle. Believing in the preservation of local material culture for future generations and its educational value, Hal was particularly enthusiastic about the development of a new museum for the Newry and Mourne area. This stimulated him to donate over three hundred artefacts to the Museum Collection.
The items donated by Hal reflect his childhood and early family life in St. Mary’s Terrace in Newry during the 1930s and 1940s, his career as a journalist and Editor of the Newry Reporter his interest in photography. The oldest items date from the 1930s and more especially, from World War II when Hal’s father, Henry, was an ARP Warden in Newry. The donation includes various certificates and leaflets from Henry O’Brien’s work. Included too is a child’s ‘Mickey Mouse’ gasmask, a booklet from the popular wartime radio series, ITMA (It’s that Man Again) and a wireless license from 1946.
Hal’s career as a journalist put him in a unique position to collect material from many aspects of local life. He reported on many significant events and developments in the history of the Newry and Mourne area and, as Editor of the Newry Reporter, was invited to many important occasions. The archival material donated by Hal relates to various Council and civic events, church events, the opening of new businesses, particularly factories, and the number of programmes from productions by local drama and musical groups attest to the importance of the local performing arts in Hal’s personal and professional life. The material donated by Hal also contains bus and train timetables and various tickets, some of which date from the 1950s early 1960s when the local transport network saw many changes.
Throughout his life Hal had an interest in photography and was a founder member of the Newry Camera Club which first met in the Snack Bar in Hill Street in the 1950s. He was Secretary of the Club and continued as a member until it closed in the 1990s. Hal donated a number of cameras and various pieces of photographic and developing equipment to the Museum which he used when a member of the Club.
The artefacts donated by Hal O’Brien are, in many ways, a commentary on the social and economic history of Newry and its hinterland from the 1950s up to the 1990s. As such, many of them have been featured in various exhibitions, including our current temporary exhibition on World War II. We are indebted to Hal for being so public spirited and leaving such an invaluable legacy to the people of the Newry and Mourne area.
The Museum is currently offering free tours of the exhibition galleries on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 11.00 am. These must be booked in advance by calling our Education Officer at 0330 137 4422.
Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museum@nmandd.org for further information.
