A year of community and growth at Mayo's Jackie Clarke Collection
THE Ballina-based Jackie Clarke Collection has reflected on a year of community and growth, with much to celebrate over the past 12 months.
An update on activities issued by the museum set out a very busy year, with the appointment of new manager Yvonne Corcoran Loftus, an expansion of the collection's education programme and a packed diary of community events.
Yvonne joined the team in June, with a wealth of knowledge and a background in museum curatorship and finance, coming from her previous role as manager of the Michael Davitt Museum.
'Yvonne hit the ground running and in just six months has implemented a wealth of new ideas and initiatives, including submitting a successful application to the Heritage Council’s Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI). Yvonne also raised the profile of the museum back in October by appearing on the RTÉ Today show’s 'National Treasures' segment showcasing key items from the collection on prime time television,' the update stated.
It continued: 'Our education programme, under the superb directorship of education officer Celene Brennan, continues to go from strength to strength, seeing record numbers of students attending our workshops. Celene has expanded the programme to include the whole of County Mayo and beyond including hosting schools from Sligo, Galway, Leitrim and Roscommon.
'Celene also included both Maths Week and Science Week workshops for the first time in the Collection's history and launched her new outreach programme, taking Jackie’s love of history on the road to schools across our county and beyond.
'Our community programme, run by the incredibly talented Anne Marie Forbes, has brought a variety of extremely popular events to the house and garden. We have hosted National Heritage Week, Culture Night, Nollaig na mBan, Ballina Salmon Festival and the Countdown to Christmas event, to name just a few. These events have brought record numbers of visitors not only to the collection but into the town.
'Anne Marie also showcased the collection on the very popular RTÉ documentary Hidden Treasures which featured Jackie’s collection amongst other notable museums and historical institutions in Ireland.'
The museum was incredibly proud to win its eighth Green Flag for the beautiful walled heritage garden, which continues to be a space of peace and tranquillity open to all in the centre of town.
They paid tribute to county librarian Austin Vaughan and director of services Joanne Grehan for their support over the past 12 months and also chief executive Kevin Kelly and Mayo County Council without whose patronage the Jackie Clarke Collection would not be the success it is today. Thanks was also extended to every visitor, volunteer, company, community group, school and staff member who continue to make the Collection a place of history, education and enjoyment for all in the centre of Jackie’s beloved Ballina.