IRISH passport holders are being asked to share what the identity document means to them.
A public call out has been issued to find stories to help highlight the history of the passport whch celebrates its 100-year anniversary this year.
EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum is curating a new exhibition, titled Celebrating 100 Years of the Irish Passport, which will open next month.
Curated in association with Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs, it will explore “the history and evolution of Ireland’s most travelled document, while shedding light on its role in shaping Irish identity, emigration, and global connections”, the museum explains.
Set to open in April, the exhibition will trace a century of the Irish passport through original historical records and archival television footage as well as contributions from the public.
To this end, the museum has called for Irish people across the world to share their personal stories, memories, and photographs related to their passport.
“The issuing of the first Irish passport marked an important moment in the history of Ireland,” Catherine Healy, Historian-In-Residence at EPIC, said this week.
“A symbol of Irish identity, it provided clear evidence of a commitment to engage with the world as an independent nation,” she added.
“The passport has since shaped countless lives and journeys, connecting a diaspora of many millions.”
EPIC will accept contributions from the public until March 26.
“From anecdotes about emigration and the travels of a family member, to the emotional moment of receiving a passport for the first time as a new Irish citizen, all stories are welcome,” they state.
“We know from our work at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum what it means to Irish people scattered across the globe – from aid workers and missionaries to teachers and nurses – as well as those who have moved to Ireland to build a new life,” Ms Healy explained.
“We are delighted to be able to capture some of these stories in a forthcoming exhibition.”
Submissions can be made via email at [email protected] or through a dedicated form on the EPIC website, where stories, photographs, and documents can all be uploaded.