Collection
The bookrooms in the Irish National War Memorial Gardens are home to a collection of items relating to both World Wars.
There is particular emphasis on the First World War. Below are presented some highlights. The full collection can be viewed by visiting the bookrooms, or by contacting us. The military memorabilia was collected, researched, and displayed by Ronald J. Marino, Esq., LLCM, Trustee of the Irish National War Memorial 1994-2002.
The Ypres Alphabet, by C. M. Truman and J. Leslie (1917)
Download the full book here.
Ypres is in Belgium, and was the setting for five long battles between the Germans and the Allied Forces during the First World War. 2nd Lieutenant Major J. Leslie and Major Lieutenant Colonel C.M. Truman both joined the 12th Royal Lancers cavalry regiment in 1914, the first year of the war. Both men were decorated for merit and held Distinguished Service Orders, and Leslie had also been awarded the Military Cross.
The Ypres Alphabet was written between 1915 and 1917, and had a small print run; it is a very rare book today. It was published using cyclostyling, a method for duplicating hand-drawn content with a small toothed wheel to make a stencil. Only the right-hand pages (rectos) are printed on.
- Pass
- Christmas Card
- Diary
- Helmet
- Burial Letter
- France Photo
- Giftbox
- Death Penny
- Postcard
- Spoon
- Watch
- Certificate
- Salt
- Tropical Helmet
- Straps
- Bottle
- Killarney Photo
- Wounded Letter
Leave of absence pass.
16th Irish Division Christmas card. 1917.
1918 diary of Jim Sweeney, Castleknock.
British steel helmet. 108th Brigade, 36th Ulster Division.
Burial inquiry letter.
Captain John Gordon, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, in trenches in France, 1916.
Princess Mary giftbox with the card that came in it.
Death Penny of James Deveney.
Field service postcard.
Folding Spoon – German. Found in trench after war.
Issue watch for artillery officers.
Royal Dublin Fusiliers commemoration certificate.
Officer’s salt and pepper canister.
Tropical helmet.
Pair of shoulder straps from a greatcoat. Royal Army Medical Corps, 1914.
Water bottle.
Killarney 1915 group shot.
Wounded in action letter.
Read more about the history of the Gardens.
Find out why there is such a large collection of items relating to both World Wars housed here.