Cloughjordan museum meets highest standard
The achievements of 11 Irish museums, including the Thomas MacDonagh Museum in Cloughjordan, were formally recognised last week through the Heritage Council’s Museum Standards Programme for Ireland (MSPI) at a special awards ceremony in Kilkenny Castle.
MSPI is an accreditation programme that supports museums and cultural heritage collections across Ireland to achieve and maintain the highest standards in how they are managed, how they care for their collections, and how they engage with the public. It supports both large and small institutions - from volunteer-run local museums to national cultural institutions - to build strong foundations in governance, collection care, exhibitions, education and visitor
services.
Of particular note is the Thomas MacDonagh Museum, which has maintained its Full Accreditation for the first time - Full Accreditation is the highest level of recognition available through the programme. This achievement reflects the success of the site in celebrating the life and legacy of Thomas MacDonagh - poet, educator and one of the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation.
Housed in the family’s former residence on Main Street, the museum features a permanent exhibition exploring MacDonagh not just as a revolutionary leader, but as a teacher, dramatist, Gaelic League activist, husband and father. Run entirely by volunteers, the centre opened its doors in May 2013 and first achieved Full Accreditation in 2021. A highlight of the collection is the MacDonagh family pianoforte, once used by his mother for music lessons. Other exhibits include original documents, personal artefacts and memorabilia from the period.
Since it began in 2006 with just a handful of participants, MSPI has grown into a nationwide programme supporting nearly 70 museum sites. Museums work over a number of years to meet 32 professional standards and are assessed through a rigorous, independent process.
This year, 11 museums are being recognised for achieving accreditation through the MSPI programme. Their hard work and dedication highlight the importance of protecting and sharing Ireland’s rich heritage.
Each museum has undergone a detailed assessment to show how they meet the required standards and how they serve their communities, visitors, and collections.
Looking ahead, the Heritage Council is committed to ensuring that MSPI continues to meet the evolving needs of the museum sector. Over the next 12 months, the programme will undergo a series of improvements, including updating the standards to reflect contemporary best practices, modernising the programme’s operations to improve communication and support, and streamlining the application process to allow even more museums across Ireland to benefit from the programme.