Original Irish Citizen Army Uniforms Now On Public Display In Museum Standard Case With Support of The Heritage Council

Two original Irish Citizen Army (ICA) uniforms from the Irish Labour History Society collections are now housed in a museum standard display case, following support received from the Heritage Council under the Community Heritage Grants Scheme 2024.

The purchase of this museum standard display case will assist in the long-term conservation of the two uniforms by creating a more stable environment for the uniforms, where potential risk factors including fluctuating temperature, humidity and ultra-violet rays are reduced. It also will ensure that the wider public continue to have access to these unique cultural objects.

Both uniforms were originally part of an exhibition in Liberty Hall in 1965. The ICA Uniform includes a twill wool single breasted jacked in dark green, trousers made from a dark green wool along with a wide brimmed trilby of brown felted wool and includes a bronze ribbon. It is inscribed ‘P. Kelly’.

The ICA Band Uniform consists of a jacket, kilt, shoulder plaid and sporran. Seven silver metal buttons with brass shanks bear the initials ‘ICA’. The jacket was made by ‘Arnott & Co. Ltd., Clothiers, Dublin’ and is likely that Arnott’s manufactured both uniforms as the first order by Captain Jack White after the ICA’s re-organisation in March 1914 was from this department store.

Further information:

1. Penrose, Ed. ‘Objects in the ILHS Archives & Museum 1: Records & Uniforms of the Irish Citizen Army’, Saothar: journal of the Irish Labour History Society, Number 41, 1916 Special Issue, pp. 165-168.

2. Penrose, Ed.’Irish Citizen Army Minute Book & Uniforms’ in Labour History in Irish History: essays celebrating fifty years of the Irish Labour History Society, Umiskin Press, 2023, pp. 213-214.

The Irish Labour History Society would like to acknowledge the assistance of supplier DARAC for their assistance in sourcing and installing the display case. The support of the Heritage Council, under the Community Heritage Grants Scheme 2024, was invaluable and the ILHS is very grateful for their assistance with this and with the conservation of the Irish Women Workers Union banner.