Sir,—The National Inventory of War Memorials is a project currently in progress in Britain being undertaken by the Imperial War Museum which will lead to the creation of a new archive holding information on the estimated 54,000 war memorials throughout the British Isles. The bulk of the archive holds information on memorials which were built after the First World War but there is a wealth of information on memorials to earlier conflicts, such as the Crimean War and the Boer War, for example, and on commemorative activities from the Second World War to the present
time.
While the terms of reference for this project does not currently extend to the Republic of Ireland, information on war memorials in the Republic would be appreciated so that the information can be kept on file for future inclusion in the archive. Readers of History Ireland can assist the Inventory by submitting information on the whereabouts in the Republic of Ireland of any memorials in communities, including places of worship, business premises, schools, public memorials, in highways and parks, Details of a memorial’s exact location, the conflict it commemorates, the date of unveiling, dimensions, details of artist(s), its condition and any other relevant information should be included if possible.
Recording sheets with instructions can be obtained from: Nick Hewitt, Project Co-ordinator, United Kingdom Inventory of War Memorials, Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ, memorials@imw.org.uk. The inventory is still in the process of gathering information but in two years time it will be a key research tool for those interested in local history, genealogy, war in general and the manner in which it was commemorated from the nineteenth century to the present day. The archive will be open to the public and will assist the work of students and scholars, particularly in the fields of art and cultural history. The archive will also be an important source for local historians, genealogists, educationalists, publishers, conservators, and public heritage organisations.
—Yours etc.,
JAMES SCANNELL
Shankill
Dublin 18