Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
'The Things Around Us' - A Community Museum from Co. Wexford
00:00 - Owen Dunbar, Denis Flynn, Steve Earle and Denny Hanlon: ‘Black Diamonds’, snuff, and funeral and mourning customs and stories
09:34 - Ciarán Bolger: memorabilia from the old Annagh Post Office, including the original rule book, a stamp, scales; and a 1939 map of Hollyfort
13:19 - Owen Dunbar: a replica of an early Bronze Age bowl found at Ballinagore, Co. Wicklow; and tubes similar to those carried by messenger pigeons during World War II
17:46 - John Gethings: the small drum and the staff from the old Kilanerin Fife and Drum Band, and a photo of the same band from 1903
21:04 - Steve Earle: an old wind-up, battery-operated telephone; and mineral pyrite (or ‘fool’s gold’), both from the Avoca Mines; and an unused horse clippers in its original box
27:21 - Michael Murphy: a piece of bog oak found at Baker’s Cross, outside Gorey, from a tree estimated to have been felled in the 12th Century, and which had been part of a horizontal mill at the same location
31:09 - Colm Brennan: a loy or an ancient Irish spade that was used to turn soil for thousands of years in rural Ireland
35:12 - Triston Eravenstein and Elaine Ní Bhraonáin: an old Bosco doll and Triston’s great-grandmother’s wedding cake topper
38:00 - Mick Higgins: a child’s vintage all-in-one high-chair, rocking chair, and potty
42:21 - Name required: her (late?) father, Michael Walsh’s United Nations/Irish Defence Forces…;a glass baby’s bottle, and a dudeen,
About the Project:
The Things Around Us’ is a community-collection project exploring the objects in the hands of ordinary people that reveal the social history of Kilanerin and Co. Wexford. The project was been devised by artist/folklorist Michael Fortune in conjunction with David Williams and Conor Murphy from Kilanerin Tidy Towns, and during the month of June 2025 they hosted a series of pop-up road-show styled sessions in Kilanerin Hall and inviting people to bring their object along to tell Michael and the team all about it.
The project centred around people and the objects and Michael and the team created a space where they could bring forward objects to share their stories and spark memories and conversations with neighbours and friends.
The sessions took place over four days in June:
Sunday the 8th of June (12pm - 3pm)
Thursday the 12th of June (6.30pm to 9.30pm)
Sunday the 15th of June (12pm - 3pm)
Sunday the 22nd of June (12pm - 3pm)
The project was kindly supported by the Arts Department of Wexford County Council via their 'Creative Communities Scheme'.
'The Things Around Us' - A Community Museum from Co. Wexford
00:00 - Owen Dunbar, Denis Flynn, Steve Earle and Denny Hanlon: ‘Black Diamonds’, snuff, and funeral and mourning customs and stories
09:34 - Ciarán Bolger: memorabilia from the old Annagh Post Office, including the original rule book, a stamp, scales; and a 1939 map of Hollyfort
13:19 - Owen Dunbar: a replica of an early Bronze Age bowl found at Ballinagore, Co. Wicklow; and tubes similar to those carried by messenger pigeons during World War II
17:46 - John Gethings: the small drum and the staff from the old Kilanerin Fife and Drum Band, and a photo of the same band from 1903
21:04 - Steve Earle: an old wind-up, battery-operated telephone; and mineral pyrite (or ‘fool’s gold’), both from the Avoca Mines; and an unused horse clippers in its original box
27:21 - Michael Murphy: a piece of bog oak found at Baker’s Cross, outside Gorey, from a tree estimated to have been felled in the 12th Century, and which had been part of a horizontal mill at the same location
31:09 - Colm Brennan: a loy or an ancient Irish spade that was used to turn soil for thousands of years in rural Ireland
35:12 - Triston Eravenstein and Elaine Ní Bhraonáin: an old Bosco doll and Triston’s great-grandmother’s wedding cake topper
38:00 - Mick Higgins: a child’s vintage all-in-one high-chair, rocking chair, and potty
42:21 - Name required: her (late?) father, Michael Walsh’s United Nations/Irish Defence Forces…;a glass baby’s bottle, and a dudeen,
About the Project:
The Things Around Us’ is a community-collection project exploring the objects in the hands of ordinary people that reveal the social history of Kilanerin and Co. Wexford. The project was been devised by artist/folklorist Michael Fortune in conjunction with David Williams and Conor Murphy from Kilanerin Tidy Towns, and during the month of June 2025 they hosted a series of pop-up road-show styled sessions in Kilanerin Hall and inviting people to bring their object along to tell Michael and the team all about it.
The project centred around people and the objects and Michael and the team created a space where they could bring forward objects to share their stories and spark memories and conversations with neighbours and friends.
The sessions took place over four days in June:
Sunday the 8th of June (12pm - 3pm)
Thursday the 12th of June (6.30pm to 9.30pm)
Sunday the 15th of June (12pm - 3pm)
Sunday the 22nd of June (12pm - 3pm)
The project was kindly supported by the Arts Department of Wexford County Council via their 'Creative Communities Scheme'.
