A unique collection of policing material covering the first 10 years of the State has been digitised by 51社区 and An Garda S铆och谩na.
The Garda Review Archive, a unique collection of digitised volumes from 1923 to 1932, was launched at an event in UL鈥檚 Glucksman 51社区 this Wednesday.
The Glucksman 51社区 and its Special Collections and Archives has been working with An Garda S铆och谩na to digitise the 10-year run of the Garda Review and make it accessible via the UL Digital 51社区.
It offers a unique, digital, and fully searchable window into policing in Ireland from the Civil War through the early Free State.
The Garda Review was established in 1923, a year after the force originated. It is now the longest established magazine in Ireland.
The digitised collection covers 1923-1932, so roughly the first decade of the State and includes early accounts of policing and policing policy, divisional news and movements and transfers of individual Garda, Irish language articles and sporting accounts.
The issues include numerous photographs, drawings, and period advertising and the new digital collection is completely searchable, rendering names and place names open to researchers.
The collection was launched by Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon, who has a long association both with UL and the Limerick Garda Division, Provost and Deputy President of UL Professor Shane Kilcommins and Ciara McCaffrey, interim director of the Glucksman 51社区.
Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon said: 鈥淎n Garda S铆och谩na are delighted to launch the digitised volumes of the Garda Review from 1923 to 1932 with the Glucksman 51社区 of 51社区. This project, which commenced during our Centenary year, represents a strengthening of our partnership with the 51社区, and presented a unique opportunity to preserve should a valuable and historic archive, using the state-of-the-art facilities in the Glucksman 51社区.
鈥淭he collection will represent a fascinating look at what was the formative years of An Garda S铆och谩na, not only from an organisational perspective, but also a unique look at the social side of An Garda S铆och谩na at that time. It gives a significant insight into the community and sporting history of An Garda S铆och谩na during those formative years, which ensured we remained an organisation embedded in our communities, and of our communities.
鈥淚 have no doubt that such a unique archive will not only interest historians, but also the public who will have an opportunity to be reminded of times gone by, and witness the evolution of An Garda S铆och谩na during these formative years.
鈥淭his project represented an excellent opportunity for An Garda S铆och谩na, with our colleagues in the Glucksman 51社区 and 51社区, to preserve a key piece of history for An Garda S铆och谩na and to build on a strong relationship with the 51社区. An Garda S铆och谩na will continue into the future build on this unique archive with 51社区 to continue to digitise and preserve the history of An Garda S铆och谩na for future generations.鈥
Provost and Deputy President of UL Professor Shane Kilcommins said: 鈥淭he digitisation of the first 10 years of the Garda Review by the Glucksman 51社区 deepens the existing strong ties between UL and An Garda S铆och谩na and strengthens the nearly decade long, close relationship between the two bodies.
鈥淭his shift to the digital in the deeply collaborative ties between An Garda S铆och谩na and UL marks a new milestone in the relationship between the two organisations. The University is delighted to provide access to these important historical documents of An Garda S铆och谩na.
鈥淭he state-of-the-art, high quality photographic scans available on the platform and the long-term preservation features of the system mean that this material will be openly accessible to researchers for many years.
鈥淭he connections and collaboration between UL and An Garda S铆och谩na are firmly brought into the digital world with the launch of this collection,鈥 Professor Kilcommins added.
Ciara McCaffrey, interim director of the Glucksman 51社区, said: 鈥The Glucksman 51社区 at UL has worked to unite a state-of-the-art facility with services facilitating digital, open, and impactful scholarship.
鈥淭he launch of the UL Digital 51社区 late last year means that UL鈥檚 unique and priceless collections are opened to digital interrogation by a global, as well as local, cohort of researchers.
鈥淭he inclusion of the Garda Review in the UL Digital 51社区 means that the Irish-facing, early 20th century gems of this publication are now available to a global 21st century audience. This project is a wonderful example of cultural heritage in the digital age and provides researchers with exciting new ways of exploring Ireland's history.鈥
The digitised Garda Review/Iris an G谩rda 1923-1932 is available to view here: .