Museum seeks public’s help in identifying faces in post-1916 IRA photograph

The County Museum, Dundalk, is seeking help in identifying people in a photograph of what is believed to be of members of the 4^th Northern Division of the IRA.

The photograph, which has come to the museum’s notice recently, is thought to have been taken post-1916, and may be of a group, a number of whom are wielding handguns, on a training exercise possibly somewhere on the Cooley Peninsula.

Museum curator, Brian Walsh, explained how he and the museum staff have been trying to establish the circumstances in which it was taken and, if possible, the names of those who are in the photograph.

“Following the opening of the ‘Birth of a Nation’ 1916 exhibition, a number of photographs were brought to our attention, all of which are believed to be of the 4^th Northern Division of the IRA,” said Brian Walsh.

“The 4^th Northern Division was made up of men from the North Dundalk/North Louth region and  given the landscape in the photograph, we are working on the theory that this photograph may have been taken somewhere on the Cooley Peninsula, an area close  enough to get to but sufficiently  off the beaten track to allow for rifle practice.

“As can be seen from the photograph, most, if not all the men at the front, are holding handguns, which is another reason we believe they are on a training exercise.

“The image, as far as we know, is post 1916 as the person who brought the photograph to the museum has said a relative is amongst the group but this relative was not involved, nor in the country, approaching or during the 1916 Rising, and we have also confirmed this with records”.

Hopes are high that people may recognise family members from their own album of family photographs, matched with their knowledge of family history.

“Many people would know if their parents, grandparents, perhaps even great-grandparents were in the 4^th Northern Division of the IRA and they may also have their own family photographs to compare this image with,” Brian explained.

“We in the museum would love to hear from people who may recognise a relation in this photograph.  We will be issuing further images in the coming weeks as we work to piece together the background of these valuable historical images. They can contact us at 042 9327056 or e-mail us at info@dundalkmuseum.ie”