In 1917 thousands of American servicemen came to Ireland to participate in the First World War. The majority served in the U.S. Navy, located at bases around the country in Cork, Wexford, Dublin and Donegal. The bulk of them served in and around Cork Harbour, particularly in the vicinity of Queenstown/Cobh. Over the course of the next two years, many local Irish women met and married these sailors; St. Colman’s Cathedral in particular was the scene of a large number of ceremonies.
Who were these women, and what are their stories?
This exhibition is based on new research which has sought to identify some of these young women through an analysis of the passport applications they submitted when seeking to travel to America. Twenty of their passport portraits are presented here, together with what we have been able to uncover about their lives.
Portraits: Women of Cork and the U.S. Navy 1917—1919
New research by Damian Shiels
Mitchel Hall, Spike Island
29 September 2018—18 October 2019
Curated by Dorota Gubbins
Dr Damian Shiels
Archaeologist, Historian, Curator
“I specialise in bringing history and archaeology to public audiences. With over 20 years experience in heritage, I have worked across both the private and public sectors. Formerly a curator of the National Museum of Ireland, I have a particular expertise in public engagement, lecturing and writing. My specialist focus lies in conflict archaeology and the history of the Irish in America.”