Ionad Deirbhile Heritage Centre
Ionad Deirbhile Heritage Centre
Enjoy a cupán tae (cup of tea) whilst being surrounded by history at Ionad Deirbhile. The bilingual centre houses a wealth of information relating to local folklore, archaeology and local history. A unique feature of the building, which immediately catches the eye, is a 10ft high stained- glassed window which illustrates the story of St. Deirbhile, after whom the centre is named.
Ionad Deirbhile is a visitor centre in Eachléim that gives a valuable insight into the lifestyle of the Erris region in times past. The centre houses a number of interesting historical artefacts and curiosities, and a wealth of information relating to local folklore, stories, myths, archaeology and local history. This information is presented in both Irish and English. A unique feature of the building, which immediately catches the eye, is a 10ft high stained-glass window, which illustrates the story of St. Deirbhile, after whom the centre is named. This is a replica of a window found in the Pre-Norman church at Fál Mór. Amongst the exhibitions at Ionad Deirbhile, you will find a large collection of information in relation to the assisted emigration scheme by James Hack Tuke. In 1883 and 1884, 11 ships embarked on 15 voyages from Blacksod Bay, bringing over 3,300 Irish emigrants to a new life in the USA and in Canada. The staff at Ionad Deirbhile have created an online database to allow people to search for their ancestors’ names in the passenger lists. A visit to Ionad Deirbhile is inspiring and informative – not to be missed!
Open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 4.30pm.
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