The Hunt Museum is located in Limerick City, Ireland. The museum was founded by John and Gertrude Hunt to house their internationally important collection of art and antiquities. It also exhibits the work of local, national and international artists and promotes education and cultural activities.

John Hunt and his wife Gertrude were antique dealers and collectors of art and antiquities. During their lifetime they built up a collection of approximately 2,000 works of art and antiquities. In 1974 the Hunt Museum Trust was established and the collection was displayed at Craggaunowen near Limerick City. In 1978 the Hunt Museum moved to what is now the University of Limerick. The Hunt Museum moved to its permanent home in the Customs House in Limerick city in 1997.

John Hunt, who with his wife Gertrude established the Hunt Museum in Limerick City, was born in the year 1900 On This Day.

Photo by infomatique

Photo by infomatique

 PARK BEHIND THE HUNT MUSEUM

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Letter fron the Hunt Museum to the School

Sri Lanka is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the south east coast of the Indian sub-continent. Officially known as Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka it has a population of over 21,000,000. During the period of British colonial rule the country was known as Ceylon. In 1960 Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka becoming the first woman in the world to hold such a position. Colombo with a population of over 5 million is the largest city in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan civilisation can be traced back to the 6^th century BC. It was invaded several times during its long history. In 1815 the British colonised Sri Lanka. The country remained under British control for almost 150 years. The Donoughmore Constitution was introduced in 1931. It enabled general elections with adult universal suffrage to take place. The constitution was devised by the Irish peer Richard Hely-Hutchinson, 6th Earl of Donoughmore. Sri Lanka was given Dominion status in 1948 and became a republic in 1972.

Sri Lanka, an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the south east coast of the Indian sub-continent, became in independent republic in the year 1972 On This Day.

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Sri Lanka

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Sri Lanka

Alexander Pope was an 18^th century poet and satirist who was a native of England. He is best known for his poems ‘An Essay on Criticism’, ‘The Rape of the Lock’ and for his translation of Homer’s Iliad. He was a friend of Jonathan Swift and poet Thomas Parnell of Portlaoise Co Laois.

Alexander Pope was born into a catholic family at Lombard Street, London in 1688. The Penal Laws (Test Acts), then in force had an impact on his education. The same laws did not permit Catholics to live within ten miles of London. As a result his family to move to Berkshire in 1700.

Pope was largely self-educated. His epigrams, some of which are quoted below, are some of the most frequently quoted in the English language.

‘A little learning is a dangerous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian Spring’

‘To err is human, to forgive divine’

‘For fools rush in where angels fear to tread’

‘Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blessed’

Alexander Pope, poet and satirist who was a native of England, was born in the year 1688 On This Day.

Photo by Stifts- och landsbiblioteket i Skara

Alexander Pope

Christopher Columbus was an explorer and navigator who was a native of Genoa, Italy. He is known as ‘the man who discovered America’. He was hoping to find a new route to India when he landed in the New World in 1492. His discovery changed the course of world history.

Christopher Columbus was born Cristòffa Cónbo in Genoa, Italy in October 1451. He failed to get support from Portugal, France and England for his ‘enterprise of the Indies’. However, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain agreed to sponsor the Expedition. On August 3^rd 1492 Columbus sailed from Palos de la Frontera in Southwestern Spain. Ten weeks later he landed in the Bahamas.

Columbus made three further voyages across the Atlantic. He visited several islands in the Caribbean and explored the coasts of Venezuela and Central America. He believed he had discovered a new route to India. He claimed all the newly discovered territories for Spain.

Christopher Columbus, who has been credited with opening up the Americas to European colonization, died in Valladolid, Spain in the year 1506 On This Day.

Christopher Columbus

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Christopher Columbus, Central Park, NYC