Irish Motor Museums

Silvera · 08-03-2005 8:26pm #1

While we have no purpose-built National Motor Museum, fortunately we do posess forward-looking individuals who have established motor museums around Ireland !

Museum of Irish Transport (Sadly now closed! 2-7-07),
Killarney,
Co. Kerry.
064 34677

www.gleneaglehotel.com/transmues.htm

I have visited this museum and, in my opinion, it is currently the best in the Republic.
The collection includes the unique Irish-built 1907 Silver Stream car, a red (!) DeLorean DMC12, the largest collection of Wolsely cars in the world and a huge collection of original Irish roads signs, car magazines and memorabilia, etc.
It even has a small re-created 1930's garage!

Museum of Transport (NOW CLOSED ??? 26-4-06)
Gortnafleur Business Park,
Clonmel,
Co. Tipperary.
052-29727 (Phone before visiting).

www.visitclonmel.com/MuseumOfTransport.asp

Another excellent motor museum with a collection of c.20 cars and memorabilia.

Kilgarvan Motor Museum
Kilgarvan,
Co. Kerry.
064-85346

www.kenmare.net/jjmitchell/

A family-run museum established in 1985.
Vintage and classic cars and memorabilia. Coffee Shop.
Restoration, repair and servicing service.

I haven't visited this museum as yet. Information from leaflet.

An Dun Transport And Heritage Museum
Doon, Ballinahown,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath.
0902-30106

www.shannonregiontourism.ie/detail.asp?memberID=12173

Collection of vintage and classic cars, trucks and farm machinery.
I have been told that this is an excellent museum.

Motor Museum
Castle Avenue,
Buncrana,
Co. Donegal.
077-61130

Private collection of vintage/classic cars incl a 1929 Rolls Royce and ex-Douglas Bader (Battle of Britain fighter ace) 1951 Alvis Drophead Coupe.
Vehicles displayed in large warehouse beside B&B.
Open Summer 10am-6pm and Sundays only rest of year.

National Transport Museum
Howth Demesne
Howth,
Dublin 13.
01-832 0427 (during opening hours only)

www.nationaltransportmuseum.org

A large collection of commercial vehicles, ex-public service vehicles (i.e. buses, military vehicles).Many restored and on public display.
The collection comprises of 170+ vehicles with the oldest dating from 1883 and the newest 1984.
The volunteers who maintain this collection deserve high praise for retaining many vehicles which would otherwise have been scrapped or exported !
(N.B. - Donations or helping hands always required !)

Irish Agricultural Museum
Johnstown Castle,
Co. Wexford.

The award-winning museum has a display of Ferguson tractors and associated implements, a David Drown Cropmaster, a Renault 4 (!) ....along with a vast array of agricultural equipment. Well worth a visit!
(Lovely grounds around the castle for a stroll!)

el tel · 20-09-2005 11:28am

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Cultra,
Holywood,
Co. Down
BT18 OEU, Northern Ireland,
TEL +44 (0)28 9042 8428

http://www.uftm.org.uk/

The award winning galleries of the Transport Museum display Ireland's most comprehensive transport collections from horse drawn carts to Irish built motor cars, from the mighty steam locomotives which graced our railways to the history of ship and aircraft building (info from website - The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, voted Irish Museum of the Year)

I go here quite often and it's a fantastic day out for a family. As well as the transport museum the adjoining folk museum is well worth a visit.

G Luxel · 10-12-2005 1:13am

I have thought of two other museums not mentioned.

When I was younger, I once had a Cardall Postcard of the Blarney Motor Museum, but no one seems to remember where it was.

I also remember a photograph of a number of cars in an Irish Tourist book by
John Hinde in the early 80s taken at the Dunleer motor museum. One of the
cars was a Volvo P coupe and i think a fire engine.

Perhaps maybe there might be an update on what happened to them.

Silvera · 10-12-2005 2:20am

G Luxel wrote:

I have thought of two other museums not mentioned.

When I was younger, I once had a Cardall Postcard of the Blarney Motor Museum, but no one seems to remember where it was.

I also remember a photograph of a number of cars in an Irish Tourist book by
John Hinde in the early 80s taken at the Dunleer motor museum. One of the
cars was a Volvo P coupe and i think a fire engine.

Perhaps maybe there might be an update on what happened to them.

Perhaps Blarney Museum is now the Museum of Irish Transport in Killarney.

CJhaughey · 05-02-2006 9:55pm

Silvera wrote:

Perhaps Blarney Museum is now the Museum of Irish Transport in Killarney.

Since when did Kerry annex a large part of Cork?

G Luxel · 28-03-2006 11:49pm

thought u might like to know that the museum of transport in clonmel is closed. Maybe someone knows if it has moved to another premises. There is now a coffee shop there now.

(See edited Museum details above)

Silvera · 27-04-2006 11:48pm

CJhaughey wrote:

Since when did Kerry annex a large part of Cork?

The collection could have been moved to Killarney years ago

Thanks for the update G Luxel!

corktina · 28-04-2006 6:22pm

the Kilgarven Museum in Kerry is well worth a visit.Run by friendly lnowledgable enthusiast family and has a GRRRRRRRRREAT scrapyard out the back.....:)

Silvera · 28-04-2006 7:00pm

corktina,

What sort of vehicles are scrapped there?
Do they sell parts from the vehicles?
(If so we could list them in the 'Dismantlers' thread)

Cheers
Silvera.

corktina · 28-04-2006 8:05pm

theres a bit of forest with alot of clasics of various makes...i think they would sell you soem bits if you really needed them......not sure though

junkyard · 10-06-2006 11:19am

There's all sorts of cars there from a Rolls Silver Sprit, beetles, rovers, old fords and a few old american classics and a few old Bmw's. Its a great place for looking around, you could spend hours there.

Silvera · 30-07-2006 4:08pm

Irish Museums Listing
Irish Museum Association

www.irishmuseums.org/directory.asp

A useful directory for all sorts of museums around Ireland!

G Luxel · 07-11-2006 11:41pm

What happened to the Museum in Killarney? I couldnt find it.

hi5 · 14-06-2007 7:24pm

The transport museum in Kilarney closed down recently and its particularly Irish collection of rare cars were auctioned off in the UK on April 30 2007

http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2007/04/22/story23031.asp

G Luxel · 04-07-2007 5:58pm

Is there or Was there a Transport museum in Dunleer, Co. louth?

Lauder · 23-01-2008 1:55am

There is a new Agricultural/Country Machinery and Tractor Museum in Charleville, North Cork run by Bob Troy. Fascinating spot and well run. Not sure of contacts though but ya cant miss it in Charleville

PanhardPL · 09-03-2008 5:21pm

el tel wrote: »

The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum
Cultra,
Holywood,
Co. Down
BT18 OEU, Northern Ireland,
TEL +44 (0)28 9042 8428

http://www.uftm.org.uk/

The award winning galleries of the Transport Museum display Ireland's most comprehensive transport collections from horse drawn carts to Irish built motor cars, from the mighty steam locomotives which graced our railways to the history of ship and aircraft building (info from website - The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, voted Irish Museum of the Year)

I go here quite often and it's a fantastic day out for a family. As well as the transport museum the adjoining folk museum is well worth a visit.

105E Anglia at Cultra.

penfold944 · 01-04-2008 9:00pm

corktina wrote: »

the Kilgarven Museum in Kerry is well worth a visit.Run by friendly lnowledgable enthusiast family and has a GRRRRRRRRREAT scrapyard out the back.....:)

I dropped in to visit that place back in 2005 but it appeared all closed up...

On the plus side, there was a sign that said Bantry 20 miles - and it was the most amazing mountain road I've driven in my life... Top down in a Porsche across a mountain top.. Amazing !

Although, the Stelvio Pass is pretty special too

Best museum I've ever visited was the Princes car collection in Monte Carlo... If you ever happen to be there, really worth a visit..

Pity we dont have much like that here

carchaeologist · 01-04-2008 9:19pm

corktina wrote: »

the Kilgarven Museum in Kerry is well worth a visit.Run by friendly lnowledgable enthusiast family and has a GRRRRRRRRREAT scrapyard out the back.....:)

re penfold 944----Its still open as far as i know,though for some reason not on sundays for some reason iv been told. Iv been meaning to get down there one of these weekends, just havent got around to it yet!

v300 · 08-04-2008 3:26pm

Just in case someone from our esteemed government reads this section, I thought I would add my voice to the many who are seeking a National Motor Museum to be build in Nass, to house the fantastic "Boland" collection, and to aggregate together some other collections, whose owners are feeling the march of time.

If this museum is not build in the near future, we may loose the Boland collection and many other collections to the enivitable auction that happens when the original curator / collector is not in a position to keep the collection in tip top condition.

We need a large modern building with humidity control.

Ireland deserves a National Motor Museum of note.

G Luxel · 08-04-2008 3:38pm

ok,whats the boland collection? never heard of it? anything of interest?

m2p2008 · 08-04-2008 3:46pm

there youst to be one in tipp years a go

MercMad · 08-04-2008 4:36pm

The Boland collection is a private collection owned by Jim Boland, member of various Clubs in Ireland, based close to Nass. Jim kindly allows people to see the collection by prior arrangement.

There are various Rolls Royce cars, Bugatti's, Mercedes...............you name it and most have been owned by "celebrities" or have fascinating histories.

v300 · 08-04-2008 6:35pm

Correct.

MercMad wrote: »

The Boland collection is a private collection owned by Jim Boland, member of various Clubs in Ireland, based close to Nass. Jim kindly allows people to see the collection by prior arrangement.

There are various Rolls Royce cars, Bugatti's, Mercedes...............you name it and most have been owned by "celebrities" or have fascinating histories.

G Luxel · 03-07-2009 1:56am

Found this page from the John Hinde Book, Ireland - Its beauty and Splendour
It was printed after 1979 so this museum in Dunleer called the Rathgory is still there? havent ever heard any mention of it anywhere....

MercMad · 03-07-2009 11:09am

Mmmm interesting !

I never heard of it but they do have a very similar fire tender in the museum in Howth.Could be the same one ?

There was also a small musuem in Lusk/Rush back in the 70's/early 80's. I recall going there and there was a coffee shop and working watermill wheel there all indoors. Nobody else seems to remember it and I cant recall exactly where it was ?

DaveCol · 05-07-2009 11:19pm

MercMad wrote: »

Mmmm interesting !

I never heard of it but they do have a very similar fire tender in the museum in Howth.Could be the same one ?

There was also a small musuem in Lusk/Rush back in the 70's/early 80's. I recall going there and there was a coffee shop and working watermill wheel there all indoors. Nobody else seems to remember it and I cant recall exactly where it was ?

Yes, I remember being there once when I was about 7 in the mid 70's

MorrisCooper · 06-07-2009 9:53am

The Killarney Museum was a collection of cars accummulated by the late Denis Lucey from Macroom. Denis was a country vet and found many of the cars in barns etc in the course of his work. The collection was housed in Scotts Gardens, at the back of a hotel in Killarney. When the hotel decided to expand, the collection had to either move or be sold off. While there were offers to house the collection elsewhere, no one was prepared to cover the costs of the daily running/wages etc involved so Denis' family arranged to have to lot auctioned off.

The Killarney museum held the largest collection of vintage Wolseleys but my favourite aspect of it was all the small items such as the tools and components, magazines etc.

There is another small collection near Firies near Farranfore, Co. Kerry. I've been there but can't remember the contact details.

Years ago, there was an attempt to open a car museum in part of the Galway Crystal factory but it never came to fruition. Pity.

McCrack · 06-07-2009 5:42pm

I was at the National Transport Museum in Howth today.

Well worth a visit if you havent been already. Some pretty historic vehicles, my only gripe was it was a very tight in space to actually get in and around for a decent look.

There were some artic tractor units from the 60's used by CIE there that are really unbelievably huge.

Ballykine43 · 29-01-2010 6:18pm

Does anyone know if there is still a Car and Transport Museum in Slane, Co Meath. The Tourism sites refer to it but I can't find anything about it.

RS1700T · 30-01-2010 9:54am

Ballykine43 wrote: »

Does anyone know if there is still a Car and Transport Museum in Slane, Co Meath. The Tourism sites refer to it but I can't find anything about it.

Closed many years ago , had some interesting cars including a Glas IIRC on period Irish plates , though I had never seen it on the road before visiting the museum .

kev1.3s · 30-01-2010 2:10pm

I remember being in a museum in donegal years ago he had a yellow shelby gt350 and a 57 chevy amongst others anybody know if this is still there?

PanhardPL · 30-01-2010 3:19pm

kev1.3s wrote: »

I remember being in a museum in donegal years ago he had a yellow shelby gt350 and a 57 chevy amongst others anybody know if this is still there?

That Museum is in Buncrana and could still be operating.

Ballykine43 · 30-01-2010 5:43pm

Buncrana Motor Museum.
A friend went looking for it last year. Not finding it he asked around and was put in touch with the owner, who agreed to show him the collection. I think it would now be more correct to call it a private collection, rather than a museum.

And thanks to RS1700T for the info on Slane.

squid600 · 22-12-2011 11:16am

Just rang these guys - they said they have been closed for 5 or 6 years....

An Dun Transport And Heritage Museum
Doon, Ballinahown,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath.
0902-30106

http://www.shannonregiontourism.ie/d...memberID=12173

foxcoverteddy · 05-06-2012 9:07am

Hi, what a lot of effort put in by you guy's regarding collections, what a pity someone like Irish vintage could not collate all the information from it's readers as to where the collections are.
Someone wrote about the one in Clonmel,. as far as I know yes the one in the town centre closed but is supposed to have moved up off the ring road not far from the race course or tesco which is on the wrong side of the road.
Richard Strang might be a source of information as he sells classics near to Bulmer's plant.
There are enough vintage,classic clubs to be able to obtain the info, trouble is getting them on to Boards, so many people are not aware of the interesting info available
Have a good drive, regards Foxcover teddy, by the way there is nothing in Kilkenny

gfwd · 05-06-2012 10:05am

I visited the Clonmel museum 2 years ago. I had to ring to make an appointment, agreed a time and met the owner and his mate outside. They opened up, said take your time and toddled off to the local coffee shop and left me to my own devices. It was great. Took plenty of pics. I'll post some up later.

They arrived (in the pissing rain) in a 50s Ford Consul convertible. Sweet.

jaygile · 05-06-2012 1:09pm

there is a transport museum in Howth -
http://www.nationaltransportmuseum.org/

there is also two or three cars on display in Dundrum Airfield - can't remember the model type now which is useless but they were the owners cars and have a story surrounding them which is quite nice.

Silvera · 05-06-2012 10:30pm

jaygile wrote: »

there is a transport museum in Howth -
http://www.nationaltransportmuseum.org/

There is also two or three cars on display in Dundrum Airfield - can't remember the model type now which is useless but they were the owners cars and have a story surrounding them which is quite nice.

I presume you mean 'Airfield House' in Dundrum (as opposed to an airfield in Dundrum)? I know of one of the cars there...a 1927 Rolls Royce. It was maintained by one of two sisters (who trained in the Rolls Royce UK factory to service the car back in the 1920's/30's). Apparently the sisters (who never married) used the car regularly up until the 1960's or 70's.

They subsequently left the house/lands/cars to the Irish State.

Kevin_Herron · 07-06-2012 11:16am

Silvera wrote: »

I presume you mean 'Airfield House' in Dundrum (as opposed to an airfield in Dundrum)? I know of one of the cars there...a 1927 Rolls Royce. It was maintained by one of two sisters (who trained in the Rolls Royce UK factory to service the car back in the 1920's/30's). Apparently the sisters (who never married) used the car regularly up until the 1960's or 70's.

They subsequently left the house/lands/cars to the Irish State.

That is the Overend Rolls Royce. Z 287 is the reg. A lovely 20hp tourer.

The House, gardens, farm and small museum with the families cars is well worth visiting.

tony.aspergers · 07-06-2012 5:42pm

If you zoom (on Google maps) into the area known as Kilmatead, which is located next to Corkagh Park in Clondalkin, Dublin...........

Most of Kilmatead, including the redundant greenhouses located towards the front by the N7 Naas Road, and the historic Mill House, is in fact currently up for sale at this very moment. Total price for the whole lot is in the region of 4 million Euro.

This, in my opinion, would make the perfect location for a new National Road Transport & Heritage Museum, easy access, lots of space, would need purpose built display areas, buildings, workshops..........

What does anyone else think?

Silvera · 07-06-2012 7:42pm

tony.aspergers wrote: »

If you zoom (on Google maps) into the area known as Kilmatead, which is located next to Corkagh Park in Clondalkin, Dublin...........

Most of Kilmatead, including the redundant greenhouses located towards the front by the N7 Naas Road, and the historic Mill House, is in fact currently up for sale at this very moment. Total price for the whole lot is in the region of 4 million Euro.

This, in my opinion, would make the perfect location for a new National Road Transport & Heritage Museum, easy access, lots of space, would need purpose built display areas, buildings, workshops..........

What does anyone else think?

Sounds like a nice plot of land for a museum.
However, I seriously doubt funds in the region of €4 million will ever be available for a national car museum in Ireland. The current museum in Howth struggles to even get a little state funding for its security measures.

A site in Mullingar was previously proposed, however I believe the premises was hemmed-in on all sides by railway tracks/roads and offered little room for future expansion.

Another idea could be to purchase/be provided with a large NAMA industrial premises outside of the capital to establish a new museum. Surely the govt/NAMA have many such premises which may never be put to any industrial usage?

tony.aspergers · 07-06-2012 7:44pm

The southern part of Kilmatead is being sold by NAMA.....

Silvera · 07-06-2012 7:56pm

tony.aspergers wrote: »

The southern part of Kilmatead is being sold by NAMA.....

However, being in such a prime location I doubt they would consider a token price for it to allow the establishment of a national car museum. It's more likely they would consider a low price for a premises outside of the capital.

tony.aspergers · 08-06-2012 1:15pm

One other thing that would be favourable about Kilmatead is the fact that South Dublin County Council wish to keep the lands preserved and used for heritage/community operations as opposed to further industrial or housing use.....

tony.aspergers · 08-06-2012 1:17pm

It strikes me that a Committee needs to be formed with a view to seriously attempting to develop a new Motor Museum, be that an extensive reconstruction of the existing lands at Howth or somewhere else. There is the potential to exhibit many hundreds of vehicles and to provide jobs and training too....

Silvera · 08-06-2012 4:58pm

tony.aspergers wrote: »

One other thing that would be favourable about Kilmatead is the fact that South Dublin County Council wish to keep the lands preserved and used for heritage/community operations as opposed to further industrial or housing use.....

Thats very positive. Maybe it could well be a suitable site so.

gfwd · 10-06-2012 1:32am

jaygile · 12-06-2012 12:57pm

Silvera wrote: »

I presume you mean 'Airfield House' in Dundrum (as opposed to an airfield in Dundrum)?

That's where I was referring too yea, a nice day out

jaygile · 12-06-2012 12:59pm

tony.aspergers wrote: »

It strikes me that a Committee needs to be formed with a view to seriously attempting to develop a new Motor Museum, be that an extensive reconstruction of the existing lands at Howth or somewhere else. There is the potential to exhibit many hundreds of vehicles and to provide jobs and training too....

that sounds like a great idea.

Irish Motor Museums

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