Carlow County Museum

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Carlow County Museum

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College Street Carlow The County Museum is housed in the former Presentation Convent on College Street, just off Tullow Street, the main street of Carlow Town.

The building is in a prime town centre location and is part of a complex that also houses the Tourist Office and the County Library. Carlow County Museum is operated by Carlow County Council in association with the Carlow Historical & Archaeological Society (C.H.A.S.). Among the items on display is the famous and magnificent 19th century hand carved pulpit from Carlow Cathedral. The pulpit has been included in the book ‘A History of Ireland in 100 Objects’ by Fintan O’Toole, winner of the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2013 ‘Best Irish-published Book of the Year’. The pulpit is over 20ft tall and is made entirely of oak. Also on view is the original gallows trapdoor from the Carlow Gaol which was used during the 19th century for public executions. See the wooden smoking pipe of Captain Myles Keogh, who was killed at the infamous Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. Myles was among the last to be killed in the battle and his horse Comanche survived the battle. Find out about the great 19th century scientist John Tyndall who was the first person to discover the greenhouse effect and has a peak in the Alps named after him. The Museum is home to the remains of the last cigarette smoked by Kevin Barry, a medical student from Co. Carlow was executed in 1920 in Mountjoy Gaol, Dublin at the age of 18 for his role in the Irish War of Independence. The latest installation in the Museum is a Stained Glass Panel, by Artist Peadar Lamb, which depicts a Carlow narrative of the 1916 Rising. The Cultural Quarter of the town runs from Tullow Street along College Street to the Old Dublin Road encompassing not just the Museum & Tourist Office but also the Visual Centre for Contemporary Art & The George Bernard Shaw Theatre; Carlow College, County Library, the Cathedral of the Assumption and the magnificent early nineteenth century Carlow Courthouse. Visual displays a variety of artistic displays throughout the year. The George Bernard Shaw Theatre is named after one of Ireland’s greatest writers and whose mother hails from Carlow. Carlow College is Ireland’s second oldest third level institution and is home to the Carlow Art Collection. Visit Carlow County Museum and see what you are missing, admission is free. Free Admission, open all year round. https://carlowcountymuseumblog.wordpress.com/

13/10/2026

Please note: Carlow County Museum will be closed on Wednesday 14th October.
We will reopen as normal on Thursday 15th October.

30/08/2026

Reminder ❗️❗️Please note: Carlow County Museum will be closed on Monday 31 August to facilitate staff training.
The Museum will reopen as normal on Tuesday September 1st.

Carlow County Council Carlow County Library Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Local Authority Museums Network National Museum of Ireland Irish Museums Association All About Carlow Carlow Tourism

24/08/2026

Please note: Carlow County Museum will be closed on Monday 31 August to facilitate staff training.
The Museum will reopen as normal on Tuesday September 1st.

Carlow County Council Carlow County Library Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Local Authority Museums Network National Museum of Ireland Irish Museums Association All About Carlow Carlow Tourism

14/08/2026

🏺🔎 THE BIG DIG – NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK

Calling all young archaeologists! 🛡️⚔️

Join Carlow County Museum for The Big Dig with the School of Irish Archaeology on 20 August, 11am–5pm.

Children aged 6–12 can excavate a replica Viking House, uncover Viking treasures and discover what life was like during the Viking era , all through a fun, hands-on 45-minute workshop. ⛏️

📍 Carlow County Museum, College Street
🎟️ Places are limited :book early at https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/the-big-dig-at-carlow-county-museum

* funded by CreativeIrl

Carlow Heritage Office Carlow County Library Heritage Week The Heritage Council Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Carlow Public Participation Network - PPN Carlow County Council Carlow Tourism All About Carlow

11/08/2026

🏺🔎 THE BIG DIG – NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK

Calling all young archaeologists! 🛡️⚔️

Join Carlow County Museum for The Big Dig with the School of Irish Archaeology on 20 August, 11am–5pm.

Children aged 6–12 can excavate a replica Viking House, uncover Viking treasures and discover what life was like during the Viking era , all through a fun, hands-on 45-minute workshop. ⛏️

📍 Carlow County Museum, College Street
🎟️ Places are limited :book early at https://www.heritageweek.ie/event-listings/the-big-dig-at-carlow-county-museum

Carlow Heritage Office Carlow County Library Heritage Week The Heritage Council Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Carlow Public Participation Network - PPN Carlow County Council Carlow Tourism All About Carlow

04/06/2026

As a mark of respect to our wonderful late colleague, Dermot Mulligan, Curator of Carlow County Museum, all Carlow County Council library branches will close this Friday morning 5th June and re-open at 2.30pm, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a Anam 😢 Carlow County Council Carlow Public Participation Network - PPN

02/06/2026

As a mark of respect to our much loved and recently deceased colleague, Dermot Mulligan, the County Museum will remain closed at this time.

As a mark of respect to our much loved and recently deceased colleague, Dermot Mulligan, the County Museum will remain closed at this time.

Carlow County Museum

29/05/2026

We are delighted to be at Bloom! 🌿🌹🪻
Find us at the Carlow Tourism stand G22 in the Grand Pavillion.
Call by and say Hello!

Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Carlow County Council Carlow Nationalist KCLR96FM All About Carlow

27/05/2026

Yesterday, Tuesday May 26th the town of Ville d'Echternach , , hosted their annual UNESCO Hopping Procession in honour of Carlow trained St Willibrord, Patron Saint of Luxembourg. Cllr Ken Murnane, Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council , Cllr Paul Doogue, Mayor of the Municipal District of , and Michael Brennan, Director of Services, along with Her Excellency Jean McDonald, Ireland’s Ambassador to Luxembourg, Irish Foreign Ministry , participated in the centuries old procession. They were formally welcomed to Echternach by Mayor Carole Hartmann and the Willibrord Society (who supplied the photos).

Embassy of Ireland, Luxembourg Embassy of Luxembourg in Dublin Kildare & Leighlin Diocese Diocese of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society Carlow Public Participation Network - PPN Carlow County Library Carlow Tourism Carlow Nationalist KCLR96FM National Museum of Ireland Irish Museums Association Local Authority Museums Network

26/05/2026

Today, Luxembourg’s oldest town, Echternach celebrates its ecclesiastical heritage by hosting its centuries old UNESCO Hopping Procession, all in honour of Carlow trained St Willibrord, Patron Saint of Luxembourg and the First Apostle of the Netherlands.

St Willibrord was an Anglo-Saxon, who spent twelve years here in County Carlow being trained and ordained for a mission to Europe. He left Carlow in 690 AD and he is revered to this day across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and western Germany. He and his colleagues had a major impact in their area of mission. He is buried in the crypt of the Basilica of St Willibrord in the town of Echternach. He established a major European monastery and scriptorium in Echternach and the Benedictine monks were still in the monastery until the late 18th century.
The importance and impact of Irish and Carlow monks is very important in his story. He is honoured each year with a UNESCO World Heritage Status ‘Hopping Procession’ in his honour, where on the Tuesday after Pentecost Sunday, thousands of people, hop from one foot to the other through the streets of Echternach in his honour.
Since 2000 there is active engagement between Carlow and Echternach and for most of that time the project is coordinated through the Museum.

Carlow County Council Embassy of Luxembourg in Dublin Embassy of Ireland, Luxembourg Kildare & Leighlin Diocese Carlow Heritage Office Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society The Heritage Council Carlow County Library Carlow Tourism

Address

College Street
Carlow

Telephone

+353599131554

Website

https://carlowmuseum.com/

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