Ballina’s Clarke collection showcased in New York

Clarke collection showcased in USA


Anna-Marie Flynn

BALLINA’s Jackie Clarke Collection was officially showcased in New York last week.
Under the stewardship of the Mayo County Council, Curator Sinéad McCoole travelled to New York and introduced the collection at the American Irish Historical Society. In addition to the presentation, an in-depth discussion of the collection and the historical relevance of its contents was held. This event, held at the AIHS on Fifth Avenue, is co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Ireland in New York and Mayo County Council.
The Jackie Clarke Collection was bequeathed to Ballina and is an archive that spans 400 years. The extraordinary contents of this collection of more than 100,000 items includes rare and important books on Ireland, manuscripts, photographs, legal papers, pamphlets, and a copy of the Oxford Gazette dated December 1665 believed to be “the first newspaper.” Thomas MacDonagh’s diary written in French is also included as well as unpublished poetry of Joseph Mary Plunkett.
The American presentation comes just weeks after the Clarke Library was named among the Mayo projects awarded Heritage Council grants for 2010.
The revised Heritage Grant Scheme for this year targeted new audiences and saw grants being allocated under the categories of Heritage Research, Heritage Management, and Heritage Education, Community & Outreach.
The Ballina-based library met with strict criteria laid down by the Heritage Council to be successfully chosen as one of 350 national projects which were awarded funding.