The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives’ exhibition placed the Treaty document on public display for the first time and took the form of a major large-scale exhibition in Dublin Castle which opened in December 2021.
A national tour developed in partnership with local authorities was delivered in April, May and June 2022 in Cork, Donegal, Limerick, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow, along with an online virtual tour and a special presentation as part of the National Ploughing Championships in September 2022.
An exhibition catalogue was published in partnership with the Royal Irish Academy. A learning resource was also produced in partnership with the Department of Education and distributed to all secondary schools across Ireland. ‘The Treaty, 1921: Records from the Archives’ exhibitions including online and touring projects and publications were viewed by over 36,000 people.
The Anglo-Irish Treaty is one of the most significant historical documents held by the National Archives. This exhibition marked the centenary of the National Archives’ role as the official repository of the State’s records. For the first time in the history of the State, significant historical records, official documents, and private papers were presented to the public, including the first public display of the Treaty document.
The exhibition placed the Treaty negotiations within the political context of the Irish Revolution and the aftermath of the First World War. This was done using contemporary reportage, images, and footage. It began with the exploratory talks between Éamon de Valera, President of Dáil Éireann, and British Prime Minister David Lloyd George in the summer of 1921. The exhibition detailed the work of the Irish plenipotentiaries and their secretariat through the documentary records they left behind.
The exhibition also chronicled the daily life of the Irish delegation in London, from social events to the tense final days leading to the signing of the Treaty just after 2 am on 6 December 1921. It documented the delegation’s return to Dublin and the Dáil Éireann cabinet meeting that highlighted the split in the independence movement over the Treaty terms, leading to civil war.
Although the exhibition has concluded, its impact continues to resonate, offering new insights into this pivotal moment in Irish history.
