Great War exhibition on display in library
AN exhibition celebrating the Irish humanitarian efforts during World War I, opened at Ballyfermot Library this week.
Padraig Allen, from Cherry Orchard, is curator of ‘World War I – Ireland’s Humanitarian Effort’, which arrived in Ballyfermot Library on August 22 and will remain on display there up to early September.
Cllr Daithí de Róiste and Padraig Allen at the opening of the World War I expo in Ballyfermot Library
The expo has been on a nationwide tour since last September, according to Allen, a volunteer with St John’s Ambulance Ballyfermot division since he was 10 years old.
“Almost a year on tour, but the exhibition has finally made it to my hometown of Ballyfermot,” said Allen, who established St John’s Archive in 2015 after discovering a treasure trove of historical photos and records in St John’s HQ basement.
The expo highlights how up to 23 auxiliary hospitals were established in Ireland during the Great War to cater for over 20,000 who came through their doors.
Meanwhile, up to 85 sub-depots were established in local communities, with volunteers making bandages, cutting linen, and collecting moss which acted as a substitute for cotton.
