The Peace Preservation Act of 1814 allowed for the creation of the Peace Preservation Force which is seen by many as the precursor to the establishment of the Irish Constabulary and of the modern police services on the island of Ireland.

To mark this bicentenary, the National Museum of Ireland - Country Life has opened an exhibition dedicated to Irish policing.

Preserving the Peace focuses on organised policing over 200 years on the island, exploring the degree to which standard policing has metamorphosed or remained static against the backdrop of British and Irish rule.

The exhibition - encompassing three gallery floors at Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo - samples the nature of crimes which confronted the forces from the nineteenth century up to the present day and also features an intriguing section depicting state punishment of the guilty in Victorian Ireland.

From the initial crime to capture and punishment, both corporal and capital – Preserving the Peace opens a door onto the sometimes uncomfortable reality of Ireland’s official past.

This exhibition closed in April 2015 after a successful year. For queries regarding the borrowing of Preserving the Peace, please contact Noel Campbell at ncampbell@museum.ie.

Public Programme

There was a full public programme of events running for the duration of the exhibition including engaging and imaginative activities for all the family and pre and post-visit interactive resources for schools.
 

Exhibition Sponsors

• Police Emerald Society GB
• Police Federation of Northern Ireland