Ireland West Airport Knock has become the new location to tell the story of the newly discovered national treasure, the Jackie Clarke Library and Archive. Mayo County Council is delighted to bring to the public an exciting exhibition which shows images of the items in the collection and the story of how it was discovered in association with the airport. This exhibition shows in images what the public will see in reality in Ballina in September when the actual library will be unveiled during National Heritage Week.
It is the first time the airport’s new terminal will be used as an exhibition space, using the walls of the airport to tell this exciting story. It is fitting that the first public event relating to the Jackie Clarke Library and Archive, Ballina, is being hosted by the airport, which is held in trust for the people of the west of Ireland; as this magnificent collection has been so generously given to the people of this region by Mrs Anne Clarke in fulfilment of her late husband’s wishes.
As a result of this exhibition the story of this discovery will find a new audience, informing the 100,000 plus passengers who will pass through the airport in July and August. This exhibition sees the first stage of the project complete, with the listing of this immense archive, which has been ongoing for four years and has revealed that it contains some 100,000 items spanning 400 years of Irish history.
The artefacts itself will be on show for a limited time only in Ballina in the month of September 2009. See www.clarkecollection.ie for further information.
