logo
Museum to return to St Stephen's Green after renovation work

Museum to return to St Stephen's Green after renovation work

RTÉ News​29-04-2025

The Little Museum of Dublin is to return to its home on St Stephen's Green after a €4.3 million renovation.
The doors of the Georgian building are set to reopen in early June.
The museum is currently in a temporary location on Pembroke Street, which will close on 25 May.
The operators of the attraction said that its "historic townhouse has been transformed" and "visitors can look forward to expanded and reimagined exhibition spaces" as well as "an enriched collection of artefacts donated by the people of Dublin".
The renovation work was part-funded by Fáilte Ireland, along with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Dublin City Council, and corporate and individual donors.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Happily ever after with greener bites — staying sustainable on your big day doesn't have to be difficult
Happily ever after with greener bites — staying sustainable on your big day doesn't have to be difficult

Irish Examiner

time15 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Happily ever after with greener bites — staying sustainable on your big day doesn't have to be difficult

A wedding is a joyful opportunity to celebrate two people who want to spend their lives together. It's a special occasion, tied up with hope and tradition. But you don't have to buy in to every tradition. Neither do you have to compromise your 'green' ideals. There are ways to avoid food waste and over-consumption, an especially pertinent topic during this National Food Waste Recycling Week. A 2019 report, published by the Environmental Protection Agency, estimated that the annual cost of food waste (food wholesale, food retail, and food service) was €300m. Hotels have the highest level of food waste, and two-thirds of food waste from this sector can be avoided. Reducing food waste is crucial in tackling climate change, and Ireland is committed to cutting food waste in half by 2030, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.. The number of couples who consider sustainable practices when choosing a wedding venue is increasing, according to WedPro's annual industry report. One of the first places to start is to have a conversation with hotels and venue operators. This eco-awareness is something that Michael O'Neill, manager and part-owner of the family-run Fernhill House Hotel & Gardens, in Clonakilty, has noticed in recent years. 'Customers are more aware now and they're looking for more sustainable weddings,' O'Neill says. 'It's much more common than 10 years ago. We've been doing it for ages, and no one cared. Now they're asking for the hotel's sustainable credentials, and the odd couple would even calculate their wedding carbon footprint.' Eco-awareness is something that Michael O'Neill, manager and part-owner of the family-run Fernhill House Hotel & Gardens, in Clonakilty, has noticed in recent years. Picture: Andy Gibson. The Georgian mansion house at Fernhill has been in the family since Michael's great-grandfather, butcher MJ O'Neill, bought it in 1946, with each generation improving what's on offer in this relaxed and comfortable space. A walkable 2km from Clonakilty town centre, the hotel is set in a naturally landscaped garden developed by renowned designer Mary Reynolds, which encompasses a river valley with old woodland. The hotel has always drawn water from an on-site well, and its solar panels, as O'Neill says, have been 'hopping with the sunshine over the last month'. This area of sustainability is something with which O'Neill is well acquainted. He is a former director of Sustainable Clonakilty, a community-led initiative formed in 2006 that promotes sustainability and energy independence through various initiatives, including energy efficiency and local food production. He was also a board member of EDEN Ireland, an EU project that highlights sustainable tourism destinations. Clonakilty won Ireland's first EDEN sustainable tourism award for outstanding emerging rural destination in 2007. The West Cork town has a long-standing record of community activism, much of it centred around food. In 2003, it became the first Fairtrade town in Ireland. Earlier this year, the Kids Food Revolution embarked on an ambitious drive to create a healthier food environment for children, locally and nationally. Fernhill is one of five West Cork wedding destinations — including Dunmore House Hotel, Camus Farm, Celtic Ross Hotel and Dunowen House — that joined together last year to promote their Waste Not, Want Not sustainable wedding offerings. The recently launched Waste Not, Want Not food waste campaign is a collaboration between Irish environmental charity VOICE, Clonakilty Tidy Towns, and Clonakilty Community Resource Centre. Not surprisingly, Fernhill House Hotel & Gardens was named as one of its Food Waste Champions. Fernhill is one of five West Cork wedding destinations — including Dunmore House Hotel, Camus Farm, Celtic Ross Hotel and Dunowen House — that joined together last year to promote their Waste Not, Want Not sustainable wedding offerings. The team at Fernhill keeps a close eye on food waste. 'The worst things for waste at weddings are vegetable bowls,' says O'Neill. At Fernhill, they do silver service — where waiters serve food from large platters — which cuts down on discarded food. Similarly, the wine is also poured by staff. O'Neill says that the hotel is keen to improve further. 'We brought new things in to try and take it to another level. We encourage couples to let us pick the canapés, vegetables, and desserts, so that we can use foods that are in season locally. Fernhill has worked with local producers for many years: O'Neill still sources meats and black and white puddings from the butcher shop established by the man who bought Fernhill. "You don't want something like broccoli in winter — that's not coming from Ireland. Then, in the summer, if there's a glut, we can use that up to reduce food waste.' 'We watch the bins ourselves,' says O'Neill. 'There's never been a wedding that my family hasn't been here for. We check food waste to see what's going out and always assess what happened. We're able to cut down on a lot of waste by retaining a well-experienced chef — head chef Lukasz Tomaszewicz has been here for 15 years.' On the day of a wedding, understanding the number of main course portions between, for instance, beef and local cod can be difficult and wasteful. 'But,' according to O'Neill, 'Lukasz has it down to a fine art.' Rather than sticking with traditional meat or fish as the two main-course options, it's possible to prioritise vegetarian dishes by having a vegetable dish as one of the main choices. 'Couples can also ask their guests to pre-order their main course. It's something that's common in other countries,' says O'Neill. 'No one is forced to do it, but it does cut down on waste.' If you're planning for future nuptials, opting for a green wedding is more about picking good alternatives, rather than sacrificing ideals. Local sourcing is also vital for sustainability: 'In Ireland, with our climate, we can get amazing vegetables, fish, and meat. Where we are in West Cork is like the craft food capital of Ireland. We're very lucky that it's so easy to work with local suppliers: Glenmar Shellfish in Union Hall for local fish; Clona dairy for our milk; Irish Yogurts Clonakilty, Clonakilty Free Range Eggs, and Mologa honey for breakfast in the morning; and, at this time of the year, we're full up to the brim with Bushby's strawberries.' Fernhill has worked with local producers for many years: O'Neill still sources meats and black and white puddings from the butcher shop established by the man who bought Fernhill. MJ O'Neill Butchers is now run by Haulie O'Neill, a first cousin of Michael's father. 'It's natural to us. Our great-grandfather had his own butcher shop, and he founded our food philosophy here, keeping it local and keeping down the food miles.' If you're planning for future nuptials, opting for a green wedding is more about picking good alternatives, rather than sacrificing ideals. 'It's a nice way to start your married life,' says O'Neill, 'consciously choosing to be more sustainable.' National Food Waste Recycling Week runs until 8 June. More information at Read More Eat your way to the best results — nutritious food to help exam students succeed

Irish citizens travelling to Georgia to obtain a fast-track driving licence in loophole
Irish citizens travelling to Georgia to obtain a fast-track driving licence in loophole

Irish Independent

time21 hours ago

  • Irish Independent

Irish citizens travelling to Georgia to obtain a fast-track driving licence in loophole

Tonight Prime Time on RTÉ will explore how Irish citizens were travelling, in an agreement the that is no longer in operation. Last week, Prime Time travelled to a driving school in Rustavi, a city near the Georgian capital Tbilisi, to look into the trend. Many Irish people travelled there after contacting Mika Vincheuski, a Belarusian living in Georgia who facilitates driving lessons and arranges test dates for non-Georgians who want to get their licence quickly. 'It's a fully legal process,' said Ms Vincheuski. 'People arrive in Georgia, take lessons, pass the tests, and get their licence. We just help them navigate the system.' Georgia's fast and efficient process for driving tests has brought people to the country from all over the world, including some from Ireland. Some companies offered licenses to Irish people in approximately 14 days, with applicants completing a theory test, parking exam and city driving exam for approximately €800. Currently, the average waiting list in Ireland to get a driving test appointment is over 20 weeks. This is after you have completed a theory test, applied for a learner's permit and completed 12 lessons over the course of several months. Ireland is also experiencing a large backlog of driving test applications with more than 83,000 applicants waiting for a driving test in April. Prime Time met a number of Irish people who were in Georgia, who explained why they chose to make the journey. Among those who travelled to the country was Laura, who had passed her motorcycle test and received her licence. She plans to exchange it for the Irish equivalent within weeks of returning home. "I did the motorcycle one, so it's been a success three days in: theory on the first day, on the third day then I did my test - passed, licence in hand," she said. Prime Time has since learned that this process has been officially closed. The Georgian Ministry for Internal Affairs has confirmed to Prime Time that new legislation was enacted last week, requiring applicants for Georgian driving licences to have resided in the country for a minimum of 180 days. This move effectively halts a workaround increasingly used by Irish people facing long delays in the Irish driving test system. The programme will also feature a follow-up to RTÉ Investigates: Inside Ireland's Nursing Homes.

The Little Museum of Dublin reopens on St Stephen's Green after €4.3m refit
The Little Museum of Dublin reopens on St Stephen's Green after €4.3m refit

Irish Independent

time2 days ago

  • Irish Independent

The Little Museum of Dublin reopens on St Stephen's Green after €4.3m refit

The museum had closed its temporary address on 33 Pembroke Street in May to move back into its original refurbished location. Today's official re-opening, attended by Lord Mayor of Dublin, Emma Blain, will allow visitors to enjoy an expanded and reimagined exhibition space and a new reception area. The museum will also welcome a new youth education space, an integrated lift to improve accessibility, a sun-trap patio and an enriched collection of artefacts donated by the people of Ireland. Since its first opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed over one million visitors and remains the titular placeholder for the top spot for Things To Do in Dublin, according to TripAdvisor. The reimagining of the Little Museum of Dublin was partly funded by Fáilte Ireland, along with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts Gaeltacht, Sport & Media. Dublin City Council and private donations got renovations over the line. The museum will open seven days a week from 9.30am to 5pm and will continue to offer guided tours every forty minutes. A new walking tour, The Little Walking Tour of St Stephen's Green, will take place each afternoon at 2.15pm. The walking tours include The Official Walk of Shame, The Football Walking Tour, The Freedom of Dublin and more. Speaking at the launch, Sarah Clancy, CEO of the Little Museum of Dublin, said: 'Thanks to the generosity of the Irish people, the support of the state and the talent of our team, we have managed to reimagine the Little Museum of Dublin for generations to come. 'We are so proud to be reopening our doors and welcoming guests back into our newly renovated and accessible museum at 15 St Stephen's Green.' Lord Mayor Emma Blain added: 'I am delighted to see the Little Museum of Dublin on St Stephen's Green reopen its doors after two years. It is such a great addition to the city centre, bringing Dublin to life in a very real way.' Among the newest artefacts on display are everything from the first ever medal awarded to William Deans under the states Bravery Act 1947, to Mary McAleese's First Holy Communion Rosary beads donated by the [former] President herself. Mary Stack, Head of Product Development – Attractions at Fáilte Ireland said that projected visitor numbers are expected to rise to over 5,000 annually by 2035, with the redevelopment is set to generate an economic impact of €24.7m over the next decade.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store