National League banner at the MacDonagh Museum

One of the most interesting and rare items on display in the Thomas MacDonagh Museum is the cloth banner of the Ardcroney branch of the Irish National League.

This unique banner dates from around 1884 and was last used at a demonstration in Ardcroney in connection with the eviction of Sarah Hogan from her home in 1905. The banner features a portrait on one side of John Dillon, MP for Tipperary (1880-1883), who was a son of John Blake Dillon, one of the founding members of the Young Ireland movement, and the father of Fine Gael TD, James Dillon. The portrait is surrounded by the coat of arms of the four provinces. The other side of the banner features images of a round tower, a shamrock and an Irish wolfhound with the inscription ‘God Save Ireland’.

The banner is emerald green in colour with a gilt fringe. Less than 10 similar banners have survived in the whole country from the era of the Land League and the Irish National League.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 2- 4pm each day.

There has been a big number of visitors from overseas calling to the MacDonagh Museum in recent weeks. They have come from America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England and France.

Recently a group of walkers from Dublin travelled by train to Cloughjordan and they visited Scohaboy Bog, Knocknacree Woods, the Eco Village and finished their visit with a guided tour of the MacDonagh Museum.