PIECES of the Rainbow Warrior ship sunk by French intelligence officers in 1985 are among 100 objects linked with famous protests and acts of solidarity that have gone on display in Dublin.
The exhibition, titled ‘Irish Global Solidarity in 100 Objects,’ also includes a boat used by Shell to Sea campaigners off Ireland’s west coast and original posters from the 1984 anti-apartheid Dunnes Stores strike.
The boat fittings and nuts from Rainbow Warrior, the former flagship of the Greenpeace fleet, were donated to the exhibition by Green Party MEP Grace O’Sullivan, who was a crewmember of the vessel, who was on shore leave at the time it was bombed in the Port of Auckland, New Zealand.
“This exhibition is a unique look at the history of activism in Ireland on global issues over the past 50 years through 100 objects shared with us by members of the public and organisations,” said organiser Tony Daly, from the NGO 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World.
“It provides a snapshot of Irish engagement with many important causes, with these historic objects kindly submitted by people from all over the country who were involved with a variety of protests, campaigns and educational activism.”
Some of the other objects in the exhibition include a climate strike placard from the recent climate marches, replica landmines used in a successful Concern Worldwide campaign in 1995 and an Irish journalist’s notebook documenting a story on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kenya.
Speaking about the event, Ruairí De Búrca, Director General, Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “This exhibition is associated with campaigns led by passionate and committed people who were moved by the plight of oppressed people all over the world.
"The exhibits show how Ireland has developed a reputation for solidarity with those who suffer injustice. Ireland’s new policy on international development, ‘A Better World’ asserts that Ireland will continue this solidarity at a global level, advocating for the rights of those left furthest behind.”
The exhibition is free to members of the public and located at 16 Clare Street, Dublin 2 (formerly Greene’s Bookshop).