Donations to Waterford Museum

Dummy

I have just watched a piece on the RTE website about donations to Waterford Museum and am very impressed with the generousity & goodwill of the Waterford people.

Some very significant artifacts were handed in. The Curator of the museum sums it all up by saying that if they wished to profit from these valuable artifacts, the donors could easily have done so, but they displayed more pride in their country and their community by donating them to the museum.

http://www.rte.ie/news/av/2010/1108/waterford_av2850420.html#&search=%20treasures

Well done Waterford.

But doesn't it make you wonder what else is out there in peoples homes.

Hedgemeister

I just stumbled across this thread, and fair play to Waterford Museum and the good people of Waterford.
Some time ago I visited two Museums; one being a National Museum, and the other was a County Heritage Museum.
Both had exibitions featuring ' Old time Black-smithing' with an impressive array of tools from that trade. However, while there I noticed that neither exhibition had the old Blacksmiths Drill Press.
'Can't be got anywhere,' I was told.

I happened to have two such Drills, (rather large items) one from 1901 and the other dating from 1850, which I fully restored (when I was a good bit younger) and had mounted for exhibition.
I offered them (for free) to the Museums, and even volunteered to deliver them free of charge!
Neither Museum accepted my offer.
This makes me wonder how much we Irish really value our past - or is it only items from our violent history that we cherish?
And the Drills? Gathering dust in my shed, but will most likely end up in Hammond Lane.

Dummy

Hedgemeister wrote: »

I just stumbled across this thread, and fair play to Waterford Museum and the good people of Waterford.
Some time ago I visited two Museums; one being a National Museum, and the other was a County Heritage Museum.
Both had exibitions featuring ' Old time Black-smithing' with an impressive array of tools from that trade. However, while there I noticed that neither exhibition had the old Blacksmiths Drill Press.
'Can't be got anywhere,' I was told.

I happened to have two such Drills, (rather large items) one from 1901 and the other dating from 1850, which I fully restored (when I was a good bit younger) and had mounted for exhibition.
I offered them (for free) to the Museums, and even volunteered to deliver them free of charge!
Neither Museum accepted my offer.
This makes me wonder how much we Irish really value our past - or is it only items from our violent history that we cherish?
And the Drills? Gathering dust in my shed, but will most likely end up in Hammond Lane.

Please do not give them to Hammond Land (not that there is anything wrong with Hammond Lane). This is part of our Irish heritage & must be maintained.

If you are happy to give them to a museum, I have a friend in one of the museums that I will call tonight on the way home. I imagine he will jump at them. Or at least circulate their availability to the other museums.

What part of the country are you in?

Dummy

What size are they and can you post up any images of them?

gobnaitolunacy

Hedgemeister wrote: »

This makes me wonder how much we Irish really value our past - or is it only items from our violent history that we cherish?

Industrial history isn't on the radar of most of the museums here, the Industrial Revolution never happened south of the border they would have us believe.

Hedgemeister

I live near Athlone Town.
Yes, I agree with the last poster about the Ind Revolution. We've no history of tool making in Ireland, except the Slanes made from the track-irons off the old West Clare Railway back in the '50s, and it was a German chap who saw that opportunity.
I haven't a clue how to put up a pic on the site. Sorry.
One Drill is a 'Reform' make, hand-operated, single speed, and made in 1901, a fine machine. in full working order. It takes half-inch drill bits of a special type but I found one (believe it or not) in a street Market in Birmingham!
The 2nd Drill is of un-known make and dated 1850, also in great order. Both were made in England, and in 'rag-order' when I got them.
The Reform one weighs about 200 lbs, and the other 300 or more.
The Reform Drill stands at about 5 ft.
The other about 6 ft 6 ins.

Dummy

I sent you a PM a few moments ago.

Hedgemeister

Dummy wrote: »

I sent you a PM a few moments ago.

Thanks Dummy,
got it and PM'd you back.

comeraghs

http://www.waterfordtreasures.com/


Both the Bishops Palace museum & the medieval museum are open now & well worth a visit.