Photo of Paddy Quinn pub via Tripadvisor || Inset: File Photo
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03 Dec 2025
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03 Dec 2025
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Brian Walsh, Museum Curator, Amanda Branigan, County Librarian and Head of Cultural Services, Cllr Seán Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, and Ger Murphy, Director of Services
With Christmas just around the corner, the County Museum, Dundalk, is inviting visitors to step into a world of festive nostalgia with its new exhibition, ‘From the Collection - A Christmas Special’.
Featuring a beautiful selection of toys from the past hundred years, including board games from the 1930s, a wooden train, dolls, prams, computer games, an ET doll and even a couple of Transformers, the exhibition will bring back happy memories of Christmas Past!
As part of the exhibition, visitors are invited to share a festive memory by jotting down on a Post-it note the toy they longed for from Santa - whether it arrived or stayed a wish. These notes will form a colourful collage of childhood hopes and Christmas dreams, adding a personal touch to the display.
Brian Walsh, Curator of the County Museum, said: “This exhibition gives people an opportunity to take a few steps away from the frenzy of the Christmas build-up and rediscover the magic of simpler times.
“All of the toys have been collected by the Museum over the past 30 years. Some of them are handmade, others are shop bought, but all of them have a story behind them, and that is something that we love about each artefact!
Read also: Dundalk Branch of the Irish Red Cross takes home two national awards
“In many ways, the exhibition is at the heart of what we do, collecting items from the past for the enjoyment of future generations, be they young or old.”
Cllr Seán Kelly, Cathaoirleach of Louth County Council, officially opened the exhibition on the 1st December and encouraged the public to pay it a visit over the festive period.
“As we are all too well aware, Christmas can be a pressurised time for everyone, and this exhibition is a reminder of a time when life seemed to be simpler and easier - that may not have been the case, but it felt that way.
“We’re so lucky to have a County Museum that preserves and displays these toys for future generations. It’s such a wonderful resource, and I would encourage everyone across Louth to pop in and view the wonderful artefacts on display.”
‘From the Collection - A Christmas Special’ will run throughout December and into January. Admission to both the exhibition and the County Museum is free.
Whether you’re looking to relive the joy of Christmas past or simply soak up some seasonal nostalgia, this exhibition is the perfect festive outing.
For more information, contact the County Museum at 042 93 92 999.
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