Didn’t know that the Malahide Historical Society Museum once resided within Malahide Castle’s grounds? The Malahide Historical Society Museum stands as a testament to local heritage. It offers a peek into Malahide’s storied past.
The Malahide Historical Society Museum’s journey began in 1988. It started in the Cottage Museum. This was located just inside the main gates of Malahide Castle. The location was on the Back Road. In 2007, the museum relocated. It found a new home in the Craft Courtyard. This was near the castle’s rear entrance.
Major conservation work started in 2012. The Malahide Historical Society Museum closed. Its collection went into storage. Fingal County Council stepped in. They granted the Society space in the Steward’s House. The Steward’s House is a two-story building. It has three bays. You’ll find it in the coach park near the visitor reception area.
Today, the Malahide Historical Society Museum has an eclectic collection. You can view artifacts and photos. There are also audio-visual programs. Volunteers from the Society staff the museum. They welcome visitors and share their knowledge. Entry to the museum is free.
The Malahide Historical Society welcomes new members. If you’re interested, you can fill out an application form. Or, you can email them. The annual subscription is just €15. The Society also runs a series of monthly lectures. These happen between October and May. They cover local and national historical topics. The lecture series is named after Noel Flanagan. He was a founder member and one-time curator.
The Malahide Historical Society is seeking images of Malahide. They want images from the last century. This will help build a photographic archive. It would preserve these images for the future. The Society also seeks help recording shops and businesses. They want to document those that operated in Malahide. If you have information, old photographs, or postcards, consider sharing them. The Society can carefully copy and promptly return them.
The Malahide Historical Society Museum opens on weekends and weekdays. Weekends it is open 14:00-16:30. Weekdays open hours depend on volunteer availability. If the door is open, come on in.
Want to learn more about Malahide? Gerry Kingston’s ‘Malahide Snapshot 1901’ analyzes the people, society, and economy. This book focuses on central Malahide. It uses the 1901 census. Roger Greene’s ‘Old Malahide’ tells the stories of over 100 locations around Malahide. Garry Ahern’s ‘Portmarnock – its People and Townlands – A History’ covers local features and land ownership. It also highlights historical events in Portmarnock’s townlands. These books are available at local shops and archives.
The Malahide Historical Society Museum is more than a collection of artifacts. It’s a window into the heart of Malahide. It connects us to the people and events. These events have shaped this unique community. It’s a place where history comes alive.