Cultural Restitution

April 23, 2021
IRELAND
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IRELAND

Updated September 2024

Below is a schedule of successful restitutions made by Ireland, together with other Irish restitution news. Entries are updated regularly


September 2024

Sinn Fein's new arts policy will prioritise the repatriation of artefacts 'stolen' from Ireland and will require its museums to cooperate with restitution requests from other countries

Thejournal.ie


January 2024

The discovery of a sacred warrior's stick in Dublin, seized from Chief Maqoma of the Xhosa nation during the South African wars of the 19th century, has led to calls for its repatriation

Irish Examiner


December 2023

First meeting of a new expert committee has been held to advise the Government on the restitution of historically and culturally sensitive objects held in Irish collections

gov.ie


November 2023

Isabella Walsh from Limerick has been inspired to repatriate a collection of 19th cent African and Aboriginal objects, collected by her father Larry Walsh

The Guardian


June 2023

Ireland's arts minister Catherine Martin announces establishment of a new expert committee to advise Government on issues relating to the restitution of culturally sensitive objects in Irish collections

gov.ie


December 2022

University College Cork has agreed to return a number of ancient items to Egypt, including a sarcophagus and mummified human remains

The Irish Times


December 2022

Trinity College Dublin has set up a Legacies Review Working Group to examine legacy issues, including the return of thirteen ancient skulls

The Herald Series


April 2021

The National Museum of Ireland announces they are ready to make full restitution of twenty-one Benin Bronzes in their collection

ARTFORUM


April 2021

The Hunt Museum in Limerick considers the return of a Benin artefact, on loan to its collection

Irish Examiner





More News


April 2, 2025
Explaining why a looted artefact should be returned to its country or community of origin can sometimes be straightforward. But explaining how is altogether different
March 28, 2025
A unique shell necklace believed to originate from the Bass Strait islands has been returned by The Hunterian collection to representatives from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) who travelled to Glasgow to carry it home
March 14, 2025
Laying Ancestors to Rest pulls no punches. The recommendations made in a new policy brief published by the All Party-Parliamentary Group on Afrikan-Reparations (APPG-AR) include making the sale of human remains illegal and putting an end to the public display of ancestral remains