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What makes an object worth putting in a museum? Is it its age, its rarity, or its value? Sometimes. But often the most interesting objects are those that tell us something about the lives of ordinary people and the communities they lived in.
That idea is at the heart of a new initiative at Newry & Mourne Museum. Thanks to support from the Northern Ireland Museums Council's Museum Collections Capital Grant Programme, a new display case has been installed on the Level 2 of the museum. Over the coming months it will host a rotating series of "Object of the Month" displays, each highlighting a different item and the story behind it.
an evolving showcase for objects from the museum’s collection and the wider
community.
The project has a simple aim: to bring more objects out of storage, to share a wider range of local stories, and to invite the public to play a role in deciding what those stories should be.
Some objects will come from the museum's own collections. Others may be loaned by local residents, families, businesses or community organisations. Together, they will help reveal the rich and varied history of the Newry, Mourne and Down area, from industry and agriculture to sport, faith, migration, community life and everyday experiences.
The first object chosen for display is a modest but fascinating oak alms box from the former Convent of Mercy in Newry. Dating from around 1880, the box is divided into four compartments labelled "Subscriptions", "Community", "Sundries" and "Poor". While simple in appearance, it provides a remarkable insight into how charitable donations were collected, organised and distributed more than a century ago.
Subscriptions, Community, Sundries and Poor. Subscriptions
supported the wider work of the convent, community funds met the
needs of the Sisters themselves, sundries covered miscellaneous
expenses, and monies placed in the poor fund were distributed
directly to those in need. Newry & Mourne Museum Collection
The object is closely connected to the work of the Sisters of Mercy, who arrived in Newry in 1855. Over the following decades they established schools, visited the sick and poor, cared for orphaned children and provided practical assistance to families facing hardship. Their work touched countless lives across the district.
Following the closure of the convent in 2024, the alms box was acquired by the museum earlier this year. It now serves as a tangible reminder of the important social role played by religious institutions and charitable organisations in supporting local communities.
Yet the Object of the Month programme is not simply about looking back. It is also about asking what stories matter today.
Museum collections are strongest when they reflect the diversity of experiences within a community. We are keen to hear from people across the district about the objects, themes and stories they would like to see represented. Perhaps it is an object connected to a local industry, a sporting achievement, a cultural tradition, a migration story, a community campaign or a significant event in living memory. Perhaps it is something sitting in a drawer at home that captures an aspect of life in the area that deserves to be remembered.
Every object has a story. Sometimes those stories are hidden in plain sight.
As the programme develops, we hope the display case will become a space for discovery, conversation and community involvement. Most importantly, we hope it will encourage people to see local heritage not as something belonging only to the past, but as something that continues to be created and shared today.
If you have an idea for a future Object of the Month, or an item that you would be willing to lend for display, we would love to hear from you.
Have a story to share or an object to suggest?
Visit www.visitmournegullionstrangford.com to submit your idea or offer an item for a future display.
The Object of the Month display case was funded through the Northern Ireland Museums Council (NIMC) Museum Collections Capital Grant Programme, helping Newry & Mourne Museum make more of its collections accessible to the public and create new opportunities for community engagement.
The Museum is currently offering free tours of the main exhibition galleries on Wednesdays at 2.00 pm. These must be booked in advance by calling the 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 museums@nmandd.org for further information.
Visit their website at www.visitmournegullionstrangford.com
