Latest news with #EPICTheIrishEmigrationMuseum
RTÉ News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Dublin museum offers deep dive into Oasis' Irish roots
As Oasismania reaches fever pitch in Ireland this weekend with the band's two dates at Croke Park, one Dublin museum is getting in on the act and offering fans a chance to take a deep dive into the rockers' Irish roots. EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is presenting Definitely Irish: The Oasis Tour, an exploration of Noel and Liam Gallagher's connections to Mayo and Meath. All the original line-up of Oasis have Irish roots, with the brothers' parents, Peggy and Tommy, hailing from Mayo and Meath respectively. Liam and Noel spent many childhood summers in their ancestral home and both claim their trips to Ireland had a huge impact on their music and lyrics. Noel Gallagher has previously described the band's celebrated debut 1994 album, Definitely Maybe, as "the sound of five second-generation Irish Catholics coming out of a council estate." Guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs, who has rejoined Oasis for their reunion tour. has said that the Celtic blood of cities like Liverpool and Manchester that explains Ireland's outsized impact on Oasis' music. Speaking about Definitely Irish: The Oasis Tour, a spokesperson for EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum said, "It's impossible to overstate the significance of Noel and Liam Gallagher reuniting for a world tour. "The Definitely Irish Oasis Tour shines a spotlight on just how deeply rooted that heritage is, from the cultural backdrop that shaped their music to the emotional pull of home that still echoes through their lyrics." Oasis are due to play to 160,000 fans this Saturday and Sunday night in Croke Park in what will be their first Irish shows since they played Slane Castle in summer 2009.
Irish Post
08-07-2025
- Irish Post
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum truly lives up to its name
ON a recent trip to Dublin, after getting through catch-ups with various family members by the skin of my teeth, I decided to do a few activities usually aimed at tourists, and no I don't mean a jaunty trip to Temple Bar. I paid a visit to EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, situated right on the banks of the Liffey. The museum, less than ten years old, is a marvel of glass and steel, and just a short walk from the city centre. Unlike traditional galleries and museums, EPIC offers an immersive journey through interactive storytelling. The museum has won "Europe's Leading Tourist Attraction" at the World Travel Awards for three years in a row. Founded in 2016 by Neville Isdell - former Coca-Cola CEO - EPIC was inaugurated by former President Mary Robinson the same year. Since then, it has become a tribute to the journeys and achievements of the Irish diaspora. Organised into four themes - Migration; Motivation; Influence; and Diaspora Today - the exhibitions guide visitors through the last fifteen hundred years of emigration. You can trace your own roots at EPIC (Wikimedia Commons/Photo by Holger Uwe Schmitt) My personal favourite was the 'Migration' section, which chronicles periods ranging from the Famine to exile, aided by compelling videos featuring people like Thomas Quinn and Ellen Mahony. EPIC also offers the 'Power of a Name' programme that allows people to submit the names, origins and departure years of emigrant ancestors, which are then projected onto the Legacy Wall. As a bonus, people can enter a draw for a bespoke genealogy session, offered in partnership with the Irish Family History Centre, allowing an exploration into their own family histories. One standout figure in the museum's collection is James Hoban, the Irish-born architect who designed the White House. A native of Kilkenny, Hoban emigrated in the late 1700s and was personally selected by George Washington to oversee the construction of the President's House. His contributions were highlighted in 2014, when then-Vice President Joe Biden addressed an audience in the White House's East Room - flanked by Irish and American flags - quoting President Kennedy's 1963 address to Ireland's Parliament: 'Our two nations, divided by distance, have been united by history and nothing exemplifies this bond more than this building. It was designed by an Irishman named James Hoban.' One couple who I spoke with, Tim and Barbara O'Brian, were visiting from Boston in the US. With Irish heritage on both sides, they said the museum was a remarkable experience. 'We were last here in 2007, and there was nothing like this then", he said, beaming with American enthusiasm. Barbara added, in a similarly cheerful tone: 'It's so great learning about all the Irish history.' In last year's major showcase, ' Look Back to Look Forward: 50 Years of the Irish in Britain,' EPIC showed the deep connection between Ireland and Britain. Its current headline exhibit, ' On the Move: A Century of the Irish Passport,' celebrates a century of Irish passports and its evolution over the years. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris TD said at the opening of the new exhibit, 'I am especially delighted to see submissions from citizens who have shared their significant and historic family passport stories, which highlight the experiences that make the Irish passport so special.' On a personal note, my parents emigrated from Ireland to Britain roughly 30 years ago, although I suspect instead of crossing the sea on a ferry with nothing but hope and a suitcase, they crossed by Ryanair with a wriggling baby and a hangover. Learning about the different journeys of people stretching all the way back to 500 AD was both fascinating and moving. Whether you're an enthusiastic tourist, a frequent visitor or simply curious about your own roots EPIC offers so much more than just a history lesson - its about a connection that millions of us share. It's a reminder that the story of Ireland is written, not just in its 32 counties, but all over the world.
RTÉ News
11-06-2025
- RTÉ News
It's been 100 years since the Irish Passport came to be
Catherine Healy, Historian-in-Residence at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, discusses their new exhibit on 100 years of the Irish passport.
Irish Post
01-05-2025
- Irish Post
Irish passport represents ‘our identity and freedom', Tánaiste says
TÁNAISTE Simon Harris has revealed his pride in the Irish passport on the 100-year anniversary of its launch. Mr Harris claimed the document represents the 'identity and freedom' of the people of Ireland, as a new exhibition opened at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum marking its anniversary. On the Move: A Century of the Irish Passport uses archive material as well as public submissions to tell the story of the passport over the past 100 years. The Irish passport is 100 years old this year 'Our passport is a source of great pride for our citizens, it represents our identity, our freedom, and our connections to the world,' Mr Harris said. 'This exhibition is a wonderful celebration of 100 years of the Irish Passport and its impact on the lives of Irish people at home and abroad,' he added. 'I am especially delighted to see submissions from citizens who have shared their significant and historic family passport stories, which highlight the experiences that make the Irish passport so special.' In March, EPIC received an 'overwhelmingly positive response' to a public callout for personal stories to be featured in the exhibition. 'Contributions have ranged from heartwarming anecdotes about emigration to memories of receiving an Irish passport for the first time,' they explain. These stories, alongside original historical records and archival footage, now make up part of the exhibition, which opened in Dublin today. 'The Irish passport is much more than a document - it's a symbol of connection, resilience, and the enduring spirit of the Irish people,' EPIC CEO Aileesh Carew said. 'As we mark 100 years of the passport, we're excited to showcase not only its rich history but also the personal stories of millions who have journeyed across the globe,' she added. 'This exhibition is a celebration of those who have carried the Irish passport with pride and the remarkable impact they've had on the world.' Visitors to the exhibition will get to explore a range of themes, including the role of the Irish passport in times of war, social change, and global mobility. The display also tackles what the passport means to Irish citizens, both at home and abroad. Catherine Healy, Historian-in-Residence at EPIC, said the the issuing of the very first Irish passport was an 'important moment in the history of Ireland'. 'A symbol of Irish identity, it provided clear evidence of a commitment to engage with the world as an independent nation,' she explained. 'Irish passports have since facilitated millions of journeys across the world, whether for work, love or intellectual freedom. 'The issuing of a passport could represent the start of a difficult departure from home, but for millions with Irish heritage it could also be a powerful reminder of family connection,' she added.
