A vintage St John Ambulance on display at the dlr LexIcon

An exhibition titled “World War 1 Ireland’s Humanitarian Effort” has been officially launched by Josepha Madigan TD, Minister for Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht at the dlr Lexicon in Dún Laoghaire. The exhibition sets out to recall some of those stories during the final centenary year of World War 1 recognising and remembering the citizen’s contribution to the war effort. The 60 facets exhibition was curated by Pádraig Allen and is the largest exhibition ever created on this subject.

A largely forgotten story from the Great War is the voluntary work of ordinary Irish citizens who devoted much of their time to assist the humanitarian effort in World War 1. These non-combatants came from all sections of Irish society. In the words of the St John Ambulance Brigade and British Red Cross Society report 1914-1918

The tragedy of the First World War brought out the best in many Irish people. Thousands gave freely of their time. The volunteer work of citizens during the period of the war was extraordinary, they responded to the humanitarian call out during a time when no national health service existed. The number of volunteers, the range of activities, funds raised, and sacrifices made, including the ultimate sacrifice, is largely unrecognised and unremembered.

The contributions represent all social grades of the people, and all religious denominations, Catholic and Protestant, nationalist and unionist, rich and poor.