Donnelly's arm to travel further?
The curator of 'The Fighting Irishmen' exhibition in which Donnelly's Arm is a key element is considering requests that the display be brought on tour when it finishes its current run at the South Street Seaport Museum, New York, in December.
"Many people from around the United States and abroad have asked if there is a chance that the exhibition will travel," says James J Houlihan, the real estate businessman whose interest in the subject caused him to assemble the initial display at the Irish Arts Center in New York.
"While I am receptive to the idea, we would need to line up some venues that would be suitable and interested in housing the exhibit. It would be great if we could get the event to travel to both England and Ireland as well as in the United States. The possibility of a four- or five-city tour would be great."
European sites might include London, Dublin, Belfast, Galway and Cork. Possible sites in the United States include venues in cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, Miami, and Orlando. James Houlihan is looking for ideas or suggestions for institutions that might be interested in housing the exhibition.
"I'm not looking to make anything financially out of this for myself, but we would need to cover costs of transportation and insurance as well as achieving some kind of stipend from each venue for the Irish Arts Center."
The Fighting Irishmen exhibit has received terrific publicity while at the Irish Arts Center and the South Street Seaport Museum and is has received highly positive acclaim from all people viewing the exhibit and attending the special event nights.
James Houlihan says that if a further tour is not arranged in the next several months, the opportunity will be missed and he will return all the items to their owners at the end of December.
Donnelly's Arm is on loan to the exhibition courtesy of Josephine Byrne, Kilcullen.
Brian Byrne.
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